Ellen Fraser

Ellen MacKenzie Fraser was the wife of Brian Fraser and mother to William, Jenny and Jamie.

Personal History

Born the eldest child of Jacob and Anne MacKenzie, Ellen grew up in the Scottish Highlands at Castle Leoch. She was a favorite of her father's, who wouldn't force her into a marriage she herself wouldn't accept, and so she remained unmarried well past the time when a young woman in her position might ordinarily have been settled with a husband. After her father's death, however, her brothers Colum and Dougal intended to arrange their sister's marriage to Malcolm Grant in order to ease relations with Clan Grant. Ellen defied them rather dramatically by saying something to Malcolm Grant that so offended him, he left Leoch without a word to his hosts, and Ellen ran away and eloped with Brian Fraser.

In order to secure their union, the couple stayed hidden until Ellen was well with child by Brian, and they married in the dooryard of their new home at Lallybroch a week before their first son, William, was born.

Events of the Novels

Ellen died before the timeline of the main series, though she is mentioned and remembered by other characters in every book.

Personality

Those that remember Ellen usually remark on her sharp tongue and cleverness, which contrasted (or perhaps complemented) her abiding sweetness.

Physical Appearance

Those that knew her describe Ellen as tall and red-haired, like her son Jamie, and very fair-skinned. Her eyes were gray, like her brother Colum's, and fringed with black lashes. Her self-portrait bears a strong resemblance to her granddaughter, Brianna, though differences show in Ellen's high, narrow forehead and round chin.

Relationships

Name

• Ellen is the medieval English form of Helen, which derives from the Greek ‘ελενη (helene) "torch" or "corposant".^[2]
• Caitriona is a Scottish and Irish form of Katherine, which derives from the Greek name Αικατερινη (Aikaterine). The origins of the Greek name are contested, with possibilities including the Greek ‘εκατερος (hekateros) "each of the two", Greek αικια (aikia) "torture", or a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek καθαρος (katharos) "pure".^[3][4]
• Sileas (SHEE-luss) is used as the Scottish form of Julia or Cecilia, though in itself it means "youthful one".^[5]
• MacKenzie is the anglicized form of MacCoinnich, a Gaelic patronymic name meaning "son of Coinneach". The personal name Coinneach means "handsome" or "comely".^[6][7]
• Fraser may be derived from Fredarius, Fresel or Freseau. The earliest recorded versions of the name, from the 12th century, are de Fresel, de Friselle and de Freseliere, which appear to be Norman.^[8] Another suggestion is that the Frasers were a tribe in Roman Gaul, whose badge was a strawberry plant.^[9]

Trivia

• Ellen's middle name, Caitriona, was chosen as an homage to the actress Caitriona Balfe, who plays Claire Fraser on the Outlander television series.
• Diana has posted excerpts online from a forthcoming prequel story about the courtship of Ellen MacKenzie and Brian Fraser.^[10][11]
• Ellen was an accomplished painter and many of her paintings hung on the walls of Lallybroch.^[12] Her self portrait in which she is wearing her freshwater pearl necklace hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in the mid-20th century.^[13]

References