Who is the fictional character Lucy Ashton?

'The Bride of Lammermoor' (Lucy Ashton) is a novel by Sir Walter Scott (1819). It may be considerably more familiar in it's operatic adaption, 'Lucia di Lammermoor' (1835) by Gaetano Donizetti. It's basically a Romeo-&-Juliet-type star-crossed love affair doomed by family feuding, here between the Ashtons and the Ravenswoods; of latter Edgar (Edgardo) is Lucy's mutual love interest. However, both Scott and Donizetti render the rest of the Ravenswoods absent.

Very customarily, Donizetti took literary license with Scott's work, excising numerous characters but more importantly transposing Lady Ashton, the villainess and Lucy's mother in Scott, into a male figure, Henry (Enrico) Ashton, Lucy's brother. The latter, using a forged letter, ultimately convinces Lucy that Edgar, out of the country (Scotland) on diplomatic mission, has deserted her. Henry then bullys and manipulates Lucy into marrying one Arthur (Arturo) Bucklaw against her will.

During the wedding Edgar suddenly appears, denouncing Lucy, who in response briefly faints. Later with festivities still on, Lucy completely loses it, stabs Arthur, then to the horror of present guests walks around deliriously smeared in blood then, for lack of better verbiage, dies of a broken heart. Later, Edgar happens upon Lucy's funeral and stabs himself in despair.

Incidentally 'Lady of the Lake' is another work by Scott (1810) which also received an operatic adaption (La Donna del Lago, 1819, by Gioacchino Rossini).