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Ivanhoe

by Walter Scott, Michael Page (Read by)

3.64 · rating details · 13,702 ratings · 709 reviews

A century has passed since the Norman Conquest, and England is still a colony of foreign warlords. Prince John is plotting to seize the throne from his brother, Richard the Lion-Hearted, and Robin Hood and his merry band are making fools out of the Sheriff of Nottingham.Wilfred, knight of Ivanhoe, the son of Cedric the Saxon, is in love with his father's ward, Rowena. Cedr...more

Compact Disc, 15 pages

Published October 25th 2005 by Brilliance Audio (first published 1819)

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May 18, 2010

Miriam rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: adventure

In Ivanhoe, Scott skillfully undermines the alienating characteristics of the medieval gothic while taking advantage of its familiarity to and popularity with nineteenth-century audiences. Although containing elements reminiscent of the earlier gothic, such as the corruption and intrigue of religious orders, the madness of Ulrica and the burning alive of Front-de-Beouf in his castle, it also pokes fun at some of the wilder elements of this genre: the resurrected phantom of Athelstane, for insta...moreIn Ivanhoe, Scott skillfully undermines the alienating characteristics of the medieval gothic while taking advantage of its familiarity to and popularity with nineteenth-century audiences. Although containing elements reminiscent of the earlier gothic, such as the corruption and intrigue of religious orders, the madness of Ulrica and the burning alive of Front-de-Beouf in his castle, it also pokes fun at some of the wilder elements of this genre: the resurrected phantom of Athelstane, for instance, turns out to be quite alive and in search of a decent meal. Scott is clear in his rejection of supernatural devices, and rather than the scenes of emotional breakdown and overwhelming passion common in earlier gothics, his characters by and large behave with the rationality and self-control that would have been regarded as admirable by the author’s contemporaries. Throughout the story, Scott attempts to have his characters behave as modernly as they could without ahistoricism. By avoiding the distasteful areas of superstition, madness, and popery, Scott made it possible for nineteenth-century readers to sympathize more fully with the actors and to imagine themselves in the characters’ places without uneasiness or mental strain.

Ivanhoe was presented, in the overtly fictional voice of the translator Templeton, as a medieval account rendered into modern language. Historical anachronisms are thus not authorial errors but deliberate attempts to make the text more accessible to contemporary readers. Scott constructed a debate between Templeton and the likewise-fictional antiquary, Dr Dryasdust, who accuses the translator of “polluting the well of history with modern inventions.” Scott replies, in the person of Templeton: “I may have confused the manners of two or three centuries… It is my comfort, that errors of this kind escape the general class of readers, and that I may share in the ill-deserved applause of those architects who, in their modern Gothic, do not hesitate to introduce, without rule or method, ornaments proper to different styles and to different periods of art.” Scott this warns his audience that Ivanhoe should not be read as an attempt to recreate, nor to modernize as Leland did (and as Scott had done when he wrote in Middle English a Continuation of the poem Sir Tristem, which was intended to be a believable imitation of the medieval text), a medieval romance. Although Scott was widely read in medieval romances and often alluded to them, he did not model Ivanhoe on a particular medieval tale and makes no attempt to imitate an authentic medieval style. Neither his language, his plotting, nor his ideology are, or were intended to be, genuinely medieval.

The plot of Ivanhoe and other of Scott’s works likewise reveals less nostalgia than is often assumed. It is commonplace to state, as Alice Chandler does in her seminal work A Dream of Order: The Medieval Ideal in Nineteenth-Century English Literature, that Scott’s medievalism “brought to an increasingly urbanized, industrialized, and atomistic society, the vision of a more stable and harmonious social order, substituting the paternal benevolence of manor and guild for the harshness of city and factory and offering the clear air and open fields of the medieval past in place of the blackening skies of England.” While this was indeed a part of the appeal of Scott’s tales, it oversimplifies Scott’s complex attitudes toward the Middle Ages and ignores the conclusion with which several of his novels end.
Scott was far from giving unreserved approval to the medieval past. Even in regards to his most sympathetic characters he offers points of criticism. In describing the heroic Richard, for example, he remarked on the “wild spirit of chivalry” which urged the king to risk unreasonable dangers. “In the lion-hearted king, the brilliant, but useless, character of a knight of romance was in a great measure realized and revived… his feats of chivalry furnishing themes for bards and minstrels, but affording none of those solid benefits to his country on which history loves to pause, and hold up as an example to posterity.” Scott goes so far as to imply that the sullen fidelity of the serf Gurth is more admirable than the reckless courage and self-pleasing and licentious chivalry of the royal Richard; freedom and honor rest for Scott on responsibility and loyalty to the social covenant, not on personal glory.

Whereas in medieval tales the focus is almost always on individual heroism expressed through valor and strength of arms, these qualities play a large but ultimately superficial role in Ivanhoe. In the final anticlimactic duel at Rebecca’s trial, for example, Ivanhoe does not defeat the tempestuous villain by skill; in fact, the other characters all agree that Bois-Guilbert would certainly have won the contest were he not so conflicted in his feelings for Rebecca that he collapses on the field without being struck by his opponent. Beneath the exciting trappings of jousts, abductions, and political intrigues, the central motivating tension of Ivanhoe rests on the disruption of familial relationships and the struggle to restore those relationships to their proper order. Even the political struggle between King Richard and Prince John is a fraternal conflict; and Richard recognizes that his royal duties include reconciling Ivanhoe with his father. This reconciliation is, in fact, his most important success: insofar as Scott suggests that Richard is a good king, it is because he unites England in loyalty to his person as he unites the disrupted families he encounters on his adventures.

The emphasis on familial order gives a different role to women than would be found in a genuinely medieval tale. In medieval chivalric romances concerning male competition the female figures occur secondarily, as lesser prizes to be won in addition to glory or honor. The nineteenth-century ideal of domestic harmony, and its association with political order, gave women a more important role than did medieval political ideology. In the jousts and duels of Ivanhoe, Rowena is the primary object of the struggle between the main character and his opponent. Rowena’s genealogical importance to legitimate Saxon claims of rule is emphasized by Cedric, but in the end she encourages Saxon assimilation rather than independence by marrying Ivanhoe, who has cast his lot with Richard. Her rejection of Athelstane signals the end of Cedric’s plan for renewed Saxon dominance, a plan which Scott marks as backward-looking and unrealistic, if understandable.

If Scott in fact advocates a medieval revival, it is not of the feudal system or of Anglo-Saxonism, but of what he understood as medieval virtues: self-sacrifice, emotion rather than sentimentality, loyalty not only to one’s leaders but also to one’s followers. These attributes were based on an integrated system of personal relationships: between members of a clan or family, between lords and vassals or serfs, between subjects and ruler. Scott depicts these relationships as essentially personal and familial, rather than abstract and national or bureaucratic, which they were rapidly becoming in his own lifetime.

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Jan 23, 2012

Mike (the Paladin) rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics

I love(d) this book and was torn between 4 and 5 stars. Can we call it 4.5? Heck, let's just say 5! I read it first long ago and it holds up well over the years (its and yours). A classic for a reason.

You'll find synopsis after synopsis here and elsewhere. But if you like adventure, heroism, romance, loyalty, betrayal...any or all of the above you won't go wrong here.

King Richard the Lion Heart...Robin Hood (Locksley)...Knights Templar...Saxons vs. Normans...Gentiles vs. ...more

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May 11, 2007

Penny rated it

· review of another edition

I read this for a college literature course, and I remember being one of the few people in the class who liked it. I remember my professor even admitted to not liking it very well.

I found it delightful, in the same way Robin Hood and King Arthur tales are delightful. You have to have an appreciation for the whimsical, though, and not take anything too seriously.

It's probably no coincidence that I liked this novel and I also still read YA fiction at my advanced age.
...more

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Mar 19, 2009

Chance rated it

· review of another edition

A decent read.

Starts out as a sort of mystery story, but evolves into more character-centric story.

The downsides:
- The incessant scientific descriptions of the fauna. I mean seriously, telling me a fish's full scientific classification doesn't really do anything for me.

- Pacing is a bit weird.

- Ending felt abrupt and didn't really add to the story. It felt like Verne just got tired of writing and quickly thew together a "conclusion"...more

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Oct 27, 2007

Randyn rated it

· review of another edition

normally I don't like it when protagonists in books are anachronistically liberal and unprejudiced, but I would have made an exception for this story. In fact, I remember as a kid creating elaborate scenarios in my head where Ivanhoe runs off with the Jewish Rebecca instead of staying with the English Rowena. In fact, reading it this time around, I almost found myself liking the villain Brian du Bois-Guillbert. He might have been evil, but at least he was able to step outside of the prejudices o...more

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Mar 28, 2011

Briynne rated it

· review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Thankfully, this second attempt at Walter Scott was better than my first. I’m still not won over exactly, but I think I can at least see the appeal now. I wish I could judge this book without the disadvantage of two centuries of imitation and parody clouding my view of things. To me, this book is basically a straight-laced, high-minded, and loquacious precursor to the paperback romance novel, but I imagine it came across rather differently when it was first published. I generally didn’t find...moreThankfully, this second attempt at Walter Scott was better than my first. I’m still not won over exactly, but I think I can at least see the appeal now. I wish I could judge this book without the disadvantage of two centuries of imitation and parody clouding my view of things. To me, this book is basically a straight-laced, high-minded, and loquacious precursor to the paperback romance novel, but I imagine it came across rather differently when it was first published. I generally didn’t find much of the romance all that romantic, nor much of the adventure all that adventurous, but there were some parts here and there that got to me. I don’t care much for the damsel in distress or knight in shining armor archetypes, and consequently Rowena and Ivanhoe struck me as being pretty vanilla. I did like Rebecca, though. She was dignified and passionate and refreshingly willful. There are an important couple of chapters where most of the good guys of the story are held prisoner by the evil Norman knights, and it perfectly demonstrates my point. Rowena collapses sobbing when faced with a Norman who wants to marry her, while Rebecca vehemently stands her ground against a Norman who plans to rape her. Also, she obviously falls head over heels for Ivanhoe while he is in her care, but handles his oblivion and occasional contempt with admirable grace. Personally, I think I would have wanted to smack his pretty blonde head for being so arrogant and mean, but I try to allow the heroines in the books I read their own tastes.

And that leads me to my next observations about this book. Ivanhoe plainly thought that Rebecca was beautiful, kind, and intelligent, and she in turn found him handsome and dashing. Usually, this in combination with the truckload of time they spent tête-à-tête would be more than enough to stir up a bit of proper romantic intrigue. However, Ivanhoe refuses to even think about it because, *gasp*, Rebecca is Jewish. The racism in this book is grating, even more so because it seems to hide behind the author’s sense that he’s being liberal-minded. Perhaps he seemed so in the nineteenth century, but I nearly choked reading parts of this today. Isaac is nothing more than a caricature; he’s compulsively greedy and spouts lines about Moses and Jacob at every turn. Being “the Jew” is the entire sum of his character and personality. Rebecca, at least, is allowed to be a person along with being Jewish, but the reader isn’t ever allowed to forget for a moment what she is. I doubt many people would argue that the Jewish people had a pretty horrible time of it in European history, so I don’t accuse Scott of exaggerating the level of hatred his characters direct at Isaac and Rebecca. But I honestly just don’t get it. Last I checked, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the disciples, and just about everyone else in the Bible were Jews – seems like anti-Semitism would be in poor taste for Christians.

It wasn’t all bad, though. I admit that when I read the little hint from Ivanhoe that he knew “but one man in England that might do such a deed,” I elbowed my husband and said, “It’s Richard! The black knight – he’s King Richard!” like it was much more exciting than it probably was. Also, when Robin Hood split his competitor’s arrow at the archery competition, I may have shook him awake from dozing on the beach to tell him my book was turning out to be just like the animated version of Robin Hood (you know, the one with Sir Hiss and Lady Cluck) and wasn’t that cool. He’s very patient. So if you can let yourself get caught up in the action, such as there is, there are some fun moments when familiar faces show up and brave deeds are done.

My biggest problem with Scott remains his language. The flowery syntax is so distracting and so implausible to my modern eyes/ears, that it pulls me out of the story. Also, his word choice irritates and amuses me where it isn’t intended to. For instance, I dare you not to laugh when Friar Tuck is described as a “buxom hermit.” On the other side, there was so much annoying Renaissance Fair stuff that I wanted to shake the author; really, just say “horse” - it makes me want to slap you less than “steed.” I also find that I hate the word “lists” for some reason. I don’t think there is any other word to use for the area where jousts are conducted, but I hate it. I never claimed these reviews were logical, they just express what I feel :)

Overall, not a bad book, and I may have to re-watch the movie version in honor of Elizabeth Taylor even though that early, saturated Technicolor makes me feel nervous.
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Mar 01, 2010

Harold Ogle rated it

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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I've had this copy for years, passed to me by my friend Fred when he unloaded the bulk of his book collection in an effort to simplify his life, but it was only this week that I finally read it for the first time. It's an interesting book written at the beginning of the 19th century, not long after Jane Austen wrote her novels, but intended for a very different audience. This is an adventure novel, but it is interesting in that the title character, Ivanhoe, is the hero but not actually the prota...moreI've had this copy for years, passed to me by my friend Fred when he unloaded the bulk of his book collection in an effort to simplify his life, but it was only this week that I finally read it for the first time. It's an interesting book written at the beginning of the 19th century, not long after Jane Austen wrote her novels, but intended for a very different audience. This is an adventure novel, but it is interesting in that the title character, Ivanhoe, is the hero but not actually the protagonist.

The book follows a number of different characters, chiefly Gurth, an indentured servant working as a swineherd, and Wamba, a fool (jester). They are both in the employ of Cedric, who is a Saxon noble within a generation or two of the Norman conquest. Saxons are treated as scum by their Norman (that is, French) conquerors, second-class citizens who are reviled and mistreated. So Cedric has a fierce hatred for all Normans, and he has disowned his son, Ivanhoe, for joining the hated Norman King Richard (the Lionheart) on his crusade to the Holy Land. Cedric's ward, the gorgeous Rowena, pines for her childhood friend Ivanhoe. Meanwhile, the villain Sir de Bois-Gilbert, a Knight Templar who cannot control his desires, is traveling in the country with a corrupt Abbott, looking for places to wench and carouse. The Abbott bets de Bois-Gilbert that he has never seen a beauty like Rowena, and they set out to Cedric's rude court to see the truth of the Abbott's claim.
Gurth and Wamba play a trick on de Bois-Gilbert to get him lost in the woods, but sadly the villain finds a mysterious Palmer also heading to Cedric's court, who leads them to the correct place.

The book is actually an interesting treatise on prejudice, because we first see how badly the Saxons are treated, and then we are introduced to the other primary characters, an elderly Jew named Isaac and his stunningly beautiful daughter Rebecca. These two are reviled everywhere they go, by Normans and Saxons alike, for being heathen in general and Jewish in particular. They are only tolerated for Isaac's great wealth, which he lends to various nobles to fund their enterprises. Isaac is freed from Cedric's court before he can be slain by the mysterious Palmer, and Isaac thanks him for saving his life.

Meanwhile, Gurth and Wamba wander in the forest, having fled Cedric's court as they helped the Palmer and Isaac escape. In the forest, they encounter Robin Hood and have several interactions with him.

A tournament is held soon after, humorously called the Gentle Day of Bliss, for less than ten knights died outright, and only about 30 succumbed to the mortal wounds they received in the tourney (a similar number were maimed for life). The tournament is held between de Bois-Gilbert, four other valiant knights, and any challengers. Isaac is publicly humiliated by Prince John, who also publicly notes Rebecca's great beauty. de Bois-Gilbert's lust is stoked to a frenzy. But, after two days' battle, the champion of the tourney turns out to be the Palmer - actually Ivanhoe - recently returned from the Holy Land, and the only one able to unhorse de Bois-Gilbert. There was a hairy moment where it seemed he would be overwhelmed in the general melee by three opposing knights, but a mysterious Black Knight comes to his rescue, evening the odds somewhat by nonchalantly unhorsing one of the attackers and then retiring to let Ivanhoe settle the other two. However victorious, Ivanhoe received a grievous injury of a lance head piercing his side, and passes out before he can accept his victory prize from the hands of Rowena. Isaac and Rebecca whisk the wounded knight off in their baggage train before he can be captured by his father Cedric, and they head off into the woods. There they are captured by the lustful de Bois-Gilbert and his confederates and whisked away to a friend's castle. In parallel, Cedric and his companion, another rebel plotting to take the throne from the absent King Richard, are captured and imprisoned in the same castle. Isaac is tortured while de Bois-Gilbert puts the moves on Rebecca, who threatens to kill herself instead. Gurth and Wamba appeal to Robin's sense of justice to rescue their lord Cedric, and Robin begins to gather both his merry men and a host of Saxon sympathizers. They lay siege to the castle, and a great battle is fought with the Black Knight and Robin leading the charge. The Black Knight storms into the castle almost single-handedly, cutting down almost all the defenders while a crazed Saxon crone - the last survivor of the original noble family who owned the castle, kept and used as a wench when she was young and beautiful, then tossed aside when her beauty faded - sets fire to the castle. Cedric, Isaac, and Ivanhoe are all rescued but de Bois-Gilbert and some of his confederates escape with Rebecca while the castle comes crashing down in flames and smoke. de Bois_Gilbert unwisely seeks refuge with the Templars, but they are horrified that he should disgrace them with a woman, much less a Jewess (which in their eyes in synonymous with a sorceress). Rebecca is put on trial as a witch, and she sues to a trial by combat.

The book is very exciting, if understandably archaic in its prose style. It's very plot-driven, but it sympathetic to the Jews in the story, as well as to the humble swineherd and jester who are all the main characters. It is both critical of the Saxons and Normans, presenting them as abusive of their power over their lessers. In a way, "Ivanhoe" is a social justice story - the only people who are truly virtuous are the ones who use their power in defense of the disenfranchised and downtrodden. As I understand it, "Ivanhoe" is one of the first books to be written about Robin Hood, so that's appropriate. A number of the features that we've come to expect of the Robin Hood myth were introduced by Scott in this novel, so it's also interesting for Robin Hood fans, too.

The ending smacks a good deal of "what happened next", with a couple of pages devoted to resolving loose ends, but overall it was a very satisfying read.(less)

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Nov 08, 2010

Emily rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics, historical-fiction, own

Ha! I finally finished it! Ivanhoe was great but it was definitely slow going for me. The author sometimes could get quite long winded while describing things which made it much too easy to put down. I've wanted to read this book ever since I saw the Ivanhoe episode of Wishbone as a kid. So, I have finally done it. I hesitate somewhat to mark this as historical fiction because it's definitely more fiction than historical but Sir Walter Scott is considered the "father of historical fiction"...more

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Jan 23, 2010

Bruce rated it

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This is a novel that, as I understand it, almost single-handedly revived the popularity of medieval chivalry and heroism in 19th century literature . . . and life. The culture of the American South profoundly admired Scott's world view. Stories like Ivanhoe were spiritual fuel to their sense of honor and privilege.

Also, with Scott, a major branch of literature was consolidated which in his time was beginning to be distinguished by the intelligentsia from "serious literature."...more

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Sep 17, 2008

Jessi rated it

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It took me a long time to read this despite being very diligent about it. I rented it from the library, and woe, I had to re-check it out after 2 weeks. It was frustrating because I originally started reading it in order to take up the time it would take for the library to get in the other books I wanted to read. The problem wasn't the story, it was the old-ish language used. The fact that the book was insanely thick with small print didn't help matters either. I do have to say I have grown very...more

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Jun 10, 2008

Elaine rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Robin Hood and Sir Walter Scott lovers and anybody who likes a good classic.

Recommended to Elaine by: I read it for a book club

Review from 2006

Gallant knights, outlaws, suspense, reclaim of honor, love, burning castles, flying lances, strange French names, distressed Jews, Norman against Saxon, humor...all this makes Ivanhoe a fun and exciting story (I also found it a bit confusing at times). It's cool the way it's written with all of the thous and thees. One of my favorite lines is when Wilfred of Ivanhoe says, “If I could but drag myself to yonder window...” What happened to, “If I could wal...more

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Jul 02, 2008

Werner rated it

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Recommends it for: Fans of historical fiction in the Romantic style

Shelves: historical-fiction, classics

Obviously, this novel won't be every reader's cup of tea: the author's 19th-century diction will be too much of a hurdle for some, those who define novels of action and adventure as shallow will consider it beneath them, and those who want non- stop action will be bored by Scott's serious effort to depict the life and culture of his medieval setting. But those who appreciate adventure and romance in a well-realized setting, and aren't put off by big words and involved syntax, will find this a g...moreObviously, this novel won't be every reader's cup of tea: the author's 19th-century diction will be too much of a hurdle for some, those who define novels of action and adventure as shallow will consider it beneath them, and those who want non- stop action will be bored by Scott's serious effort to depict the life and culture of his medieval setting. But those who appreciate adventure and romance in a well-realized setting, and aren't put off by big words and involved syntax, will find this a genuinely rewarding read.

Ivanhoe is a quintessentially Romantic novel, and that school stressed appeal to the reader's emotions rather than, or at least more so than, their intellects. But this does not mean it's devoid of a philosophical or moral point of view. Novels of action and combat appeal to emotions of fear and excitement, etc., but at their best, they often presuppose a code of conduct between humans that differentiates between good and evil, and cast the conflict in the story in those terms, with the writer on the side of good; and the various characters may model genuine virtues. This is definitely the case here. And the (small-r) romantic aspect of the plot in this book is not a simple tale of "boy falls for girl," either; the above description identifies Rowena as Ivanhoe's "true love," but in fact he comes to have very definite romantic feelings toward Rebecca as well, and the question of how how this triangle will be resolved contributes to the story's interest. Rebecca's character also brings an added depth to the novel --she's a strong, courageous lady who excels in a male-dominated profession in the midst of a sexist society (and the 19th-century culture of Scott's readers was scarcely less sexist than Rebecca's medieval world). Scott's treatment of her, as a Jewish character, also exemplifies genuine tolerance (in a much different sense than the inverted one popularized today, in which we simply proclaim ourselves as apostles of tolerance and hate and anathematize anyone who disagrees with us, because their different beliefs identify them as intolerant)
as an Anglican, he has honest differences with her religious beliefs, but he can enthusiastically affirm her as a person anyway, and, as an author, allow her to remain true to her own beliefs. So, there's a lot here for the discerning reader to appreciate!(less)

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Jan 01, 2009

Angie Bollard rated it

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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 12, 2007

Emily rated it

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Shelves: novels

This book manages to be a pageturner in spite of the fact that no one says anything in less than a paragraph and it’s in very dense early 19th century prose, and the hero of the title is actually pretty boring…but I thought it was brilliant. It might be because it has tilting, Robin Hood, renegade Templars, race and religion problems, and a heroically brave woman. And I am a complete sucker for books with those things in them. Seriously, though, the story is vivid and gripping and the people ...more

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Jan 29, 2009

John Leavens rated it

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One book, one tent, 2 guys on Denali for 3 weeks. We would read this aloud to make it last longer. I turned out to be an excellent way to enjoy this book

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Nov 28, 2008

Ron rated it

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Shelves: general-fiction

Ponderous Sir Walter style at its best.

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Mar 05, 2009

Kelley rated it

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So much fun! I LOVED this book! It was by no means a quick read for me - probably took about a month because I had to find time to really concentrate, not just skim it while multi-tasking ten other things as I usually do. Still, what a joy! The introduction of this particular edition says that Ivanhoe is probably Sir Walter Scott's worst-written novel. I can't imagine what the other ones were like because I thought Ivanhoe was perfect.

One thing I didn't love at first, or at le...more

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Mar 03, 2009

Christina marked it as to-read · review of another edition

The following is a description of an NSA student's thesis on this work:

"The Message of Scott: A Study of the Romanticism of Ivanhoe"
Father of the Historical Novel. Author of Waverly. The Wizard of the North. Sir Walter Scott is known for many things, but perhaps less well-known is his title "the savior of Scotland", given by Dr. George Grant. In my thesis, I discuss how Scott fits into history, and how he helped shape his own country's culture and histor...more

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Jan 30, 2012

Corinne rated it

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Well. I finished it. If you haven't attempted reading this book, then you may not appreciate what an accomplishment this is.

Imagine the world of knights and maidens, Robin Hood and the bratty Prince John, an England that is not yet the unified blend of Norman and Saxon that it is today. A contentious time, where allegiances guide lives, battles and the tide of a country. As much as this book is a story, it also plays at being a sort of history of the period.

Ivanhoe is a disin...moreWell. I finished it. If you haven't attempted reading this book, then you may not appreciate what an accomplishment this is.

Imagine the world of knights and maidens, Robin Hood and the bratty Prince John, an England that is not yet the unified blend of Norman and Saxon that it is today. A contentious time, where allegiances guide lives, battles and the tide of a country. As much as this book is a story, it also plays at being a sort of history of the period.

Ivanhoe is a disinherited son, a distinguished soldier and an honorable friend to King Richard. He loves the beautiful Saxon Rowena, whom he is unable to wed. There are all kinds of villains, jousting (of course), a fierce and bloody battle, woodland warriors, as well as all kinds of wicked church-men. Either you are for the defeated Saxons, you fear John enough to support him or you are holding out for King Richard. Whichever you choose, you'd better be ready to die for that loyalty or be ready to get out of the country quick.

Really, only about three major interesting things happen, unfortunately. And even those things are so drawn-out and so heavily-laden with bigotry, anti-semitism and just plain egocentrism that sometimes it was all I could do to keep reading. I get that Scott was trying to be true to the time period, but caricature without depth is just annoying to read. On the other hand, though, the Jewess Rebecca is a very interesting and sympathetic character. Her beauty and conviction just weren't enough to carry all the boring parts. Also, Scott just tended to use twenty words when five would have sufficed and when you have to read that for 400+ pages, it gets exhausting.

I just didn't appreciate it. Maybe if I hadn't already read and absolutely loved The Once and Future King, I might have appreciated it more. I can absolutely tell TOaFK looks to Ivanhoe as its forefather - I thought of it often, especially with both novels' present-and-commenting-narrator style (which I like). I DID like that in Ivanhoe I found so much familiar lore - this book and its portrayal of that period of time is truly something that's become a part of our English culture's fabric, and that's SOMETHING. However, If you have to pick one of these really long medieval books to read, I personally would recommend The Once and Future King instead.(less)

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Jan 17, 2012

Nicholas Whyte rated it

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http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1845907.ht...

I had tried Ivanhoe several years ago and bounced off it; fjm persuaded me to give it another go, and I must say that with a paper copy (rather than reading off the Blackberry as I had previously tried) it was much easier to speed-read through the cod-medieval prose and get the sense of story. This edition also has a very useful introduction pointing out that the imagined distance from the Norman Conquest to the setting of Scott's novel is abo...more

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Nov 03, 2011

Alice rated it

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Here's the nicest thing I have to say about Ivanhoe: there are some good parts. There's some lovely description (mostly in the first few chapters), and there are a few lines that are genuinely funny. And the things I didn't like are aspects I'm probably judging anachronistically.
That said . . .

I was not impressed by Ivanhoe. The character Ivanhoe is nothing to write home about. He's less interesting and just plain does less than most of the other characters. Not that the ...more

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Apr 29, 2011

April rated it

· review of another edition

I can see now, after having read Ivanhoe, where most of our notions of the medieval ways and of Robin Hood originated. It seemed at once both familiar and foreign jumping into this book. I could see the beginnings of certain conventions — and the glaring lack, as well. It reminded me both of the Canterbury tales and of old Hollywood movies; it was actually kind of weird.

It begins with two minor characters, for instance, and not the main character, Ivanhoe. Ivanhoe is actually introduce...moreI can see now, after having read Ivanhoe, where most of our notions of the medieval ways and of Robin Hood originated. It seemed at once both familiar and foreign jumping into this book. I could see the beginnings of certain conventions — and the glaring lack, as well. It reminded me both of the Canterbury tales and of old Hollywood movies; it was actually kind of weird.

It begins with two minor characters, for instance, and not the main character, Ivanhoe. Ivanhoe is actually introduced somewhat late, and he's mostly incognito in his first appearance, so you're kind of thrown into the story with little or no ties to anyone in particular. It's hard to care about the characters or the story that way, so I didn't have much emotion invested into the story and got easily bored. After a few chapters, I found myself watching the 1952 movie adaptation to get me jump started, the one starring Robert Taylor, which, notably, didn't start with the minor characters at all but started with Ivanhoe's back story, him coming back from the crusades, on a mission to raise enough money to free King Richard.

This is what the book lacked in the beginning. It lacked that motor, that thing that gives readers a reason to read through all the descriptive chapters in which nothing really happens just yet. As a result, the book seems a bit aimless and happenstance, and it's hard to figure out who to even care for, until you get deeper into the book and discover some of the whys and wherefores of the situations.

For instance, Ivanhoe and Rowena are childhood sweethearts, and you're supposed to root for them as a couple, but they are apart for most of the book, and you barely see them express their love for each other. There is, in fact, very little that happens in the span of the book that would lead anyone to think that Ivanhoe is better off with Rowena than with any other woman. And there IS another woman, Rebecca, in the book who through her actions seems a more deserving character than Rowena. There's another man as well, for Rowena, but the point is Rebecca is the one the reader would rather root for to win the heart of Ivanhoe. Rebecca actually, genuinely cares for Ivanhoe, not just in an emotional sense, partly out of gratitude for Ivanhoe's kind treatment of her father, but in a medical sense, when Ivanhoe gets mortally wounded in a tournament. She's the one who looks after him and with her exceptional healing skills helps him to get better. She's the one who generously funds him, too, using the jewelry she has inherited from her mother. Not only that, but when Rebecca needs saving, it's Ivanhoe alone who saves her. So Rebecca seems a more likely heroine than Rowena — at least in my eyes. The story revolves more around her than around Rowena.

But Rebecca is Jewish, and I guess that and the fact that Ivanhoe and Rowena were childhood sweethearts, make any relationship between Ivanhoe and Rebecca impossible. The way the book is written, it absolutely makes no sense to a modern reader of romance. If there was more interaction between Ivanhoe and Rowena, or if more of their back story was revealed, then I think it would have made more sense and been more gratifying to have them come together in the end; as it was, you have only the author's word that Ivanhoe and Rowena were already an item before any of the events in the book happened.

So for me, that romance story arc needed more of the usual conventions to make it work.

The action-adventure story, similarly, needed more of the usual conventions, or at least a proper back story to give it more reason to exist. I couldn't figure out, for instance, why Ivanhoe needed to enter the tournament at all. In the movie version, it was because he needed the prize money for King Richard's ransom, but the reason in the book is actually not that clear, and the tournament turns out to be a very big part of the story. The later two parts of the action-adventure makes a little more sense; there seems to be a clear mission, rescue the hostages from within the castle, and later, save Rebecca from a death sentence by being her champion and winning a fight. So I could more easily accept the plotting in those areas. The first third, though, seemed a bit senseless to me.

The language seems appropriate for the time, yet easy enough to read. The characters were nicely drawn, and some of them were actually very engaging. For a main character, though, Ivanhoe appeared only partly drawn — the other characters were better developed and more likable than he was. Also, as he was injured for much of the book, he was absent from a lot of the action and so seemed more like a prop than a main character.

Nutshell ... I can see why some people might laud this book, if it was one of the first of its kind, but at the same time it was kind of baffling and boring by the standards of today. I imagine books in this genre have come a long, long, LONG way since this first came out, and if this book were rewritten today, it would be a very, very different book indeed.

I wasn't wowed, but it wasn't TOO bad.

Finished reading March 25, 2011.(less)

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Oct 13, 2010

Christa rated it

· review of another edition

I'll start out by saying I love classics but Ivanhoe fell below my standards.

My main problem with this book is that it is supposed to be an adventure/romance with Wilfred of Ivanhoe and his true love Rowena. But after the beginning tournament were most of the main characters are introduced Ivanhoe is injured and completely disapears, exept for a few short scenes, until the end of the book.

The book, spends an inordinate amount of time on Ivanhoe's father Cedric, Isaac the Jew ...more

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Jul 26, 2010

Jason Pettus rated it

· review of another edition

(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)

The CCLaP 100: In which I read for the first time a hundred so-called "classics," then write reports on whether or not they deserve the label

Essay #45: Ivanhoe (1820), by Sir Walter Scott

The story in a nutshell:
Widely credited as one of the first novels of the ...more

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Mar 12, 2010

Alejandro rated it

· review of another edition

(I have this message translated from Spanish using Google Translator)

My tribute is for the most wonderful literary heroine, Rebecca of York. With tremendous courage faces his enemies, defends her father, her people and her own dignity. With brilliance criticizes the sense of honor of the Saxons and the hypocrisy of the Templars. With modesty treats to those who protect her but also despise her for being Jewish (in particular, Ivanhoe). Each of her interventions we are filled with em...more

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Nov 03, 2009

Rachel rated it

· review of another edition

I'm not sure if it was the neglected corner of our tiny library with it's vintage bound classic literature, or the old, worn cover of the pocket size edition that fit perfectly in my hands, or my need for depth after a summer of easy read, YA fiction, that initially drew me to it's 800+ pages, but whatever it was, Ivanhoe sunk it's claws in and I couldn't escape. I had to renew the book three times and use all kinds of self discipline to ignore the other books that kept beckoning me during my t...more

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Jun 28, 2009

Kathleen rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics

Well that was fun, and really interesting. Walter Scott spins out a tale for the ages, a classic that has entertained since its publication in 1819. The novel begins with Cedric, the proud and fiery Saxon lord having to extend the courtesy of his hall to a Knight Templar and a traveling abbott, both of whom he resents but is obliged to feast. He is gruff and ill-suited to the task, since his passions run against the current rulers of England, to the point of disinheriting his son Ivanhoe for ...moreWell that was fun, and really interesting. Walter Scott spins out a tale for the ages, a classic that has entertained since its publication in 1819. The novel begins with Cedric, the proud and fiery Saxon lord having to extend the courtesy of his hall to a Knight Templar and a traveling abbott, both of whom he resents but is obliged to feast. He is gruff and ill-suited to the task, since his passions run against the current rulers of England, to the point of disinheriting his son Ivanhoe for following the Norman King Richard to the Crusades in the Holy Land.

What follows next is a lively story of knights jousting in tournament, feats of archery, damsels in distress, kidnapping, bewitching beauty and love, and even the merry band of Robin of Locksley, complete with the wine-quaffing Friar Tuck making up part of the plot. Scott includes touches of humor and irony to keep things hopping.

But Scott also brings in the themes of chivalry and religious piety. He shows us knights who deserve our admiration, and those who are lawless, brutal, and lascivious. He writes of true devotion to religion and good works, in the character of Rebecca, and the twisted manipulating of the Grand Master of the Knights Templar. Opposites, both professing the same labels of chivalrous and pious.

I was thinking about this and hunted up something that C.S. Lewis wrote about the difficulty of finding the truly chivalrous:

The medieval ideal brought together two things which have no natural tendency to gravitate towards one another. It brought them together for that very reason. It taught humility and forbearance to the great warrior because everyone knew by experience how much he usually needed that lesson. It demanded valour of the urbane and modest man because everyone knew that he was as likely as not to be a milksop.

In so doing, the Middle Ages fixed on the one hope of the world. It may or may not be possible to produce by the thousand men who combine the two sides of Launcelot's character. But if it is not possible, then all talk of any lasting happiness or dignity in human society is pure moonshine.

I think in Scott's Ivanhoe, we see that truly chivalrous souls, as well as a truly devoted followers of religion were, and probably will always be, rarities.(less)

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Dec 30, 2011

Roberta rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2004

Scott è stato il capostipite dei romanzi storici. Ivanhoe è ambientato nel Medioevo inglese.
Ivanhoe è il bello bravo e buono della situazione, che torna dalla Guerra Santa in incognito per sfidare l'usurpatore Giovanni e per conquistare la bella Rowena, che lo ama di un amore profondissimo rifiutandosi di cedere alla volontà del tutore che le ha già organizzato il matrimonio.
Comprimari importanti sono Riccardo, anch'egli in incognito, tornato per riprendersi il suo regno, e Rebecca, u...more

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Jun 29, 2011

Angela Cheng rated it

· review of another edition

This book is one of my favorites. I read an abridged version once as a kid and had daydreams about knights and ladies. It became part of my childhood. I read the real thing as a teenager (for fun, not for school, mind you!), and rather than ruining my childhood memories, came to appreciate it more. Okay, so it's an antiquated writing style, where Scott spends paragraphs describing a single thing and meanders off on tangents, characters talk in "Thee"s and "Thou"s, and aren't ...more

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Jun 24, 2011

Helen rated it

· review of another edition

One of those pleasant-surprise type books. I picked it up for two reasons- it's one of those classics everyone ought to read at least once, if only to deride its status as a classic; and because 'twon't be long before I'll go to merry old England myself. So I read this, and truly enjoyed it. Rattling good plot, variously equipped with madness, kidnappings, love unrequited and requited, sympathetic and repugnant villains, drunken priests, tournaments, castle-storming, and Robin Hood, whose very p...more

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About Walter Scott

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Sir Walter Scott was born on August 15, 1771 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Scott created and popularized historical novels in a series called the Waverley Novels. In his novels Scott arranged the plots and characters so the reader enters into the lives of both great ...more

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“Silence, maiden; thy tongue outruns thy discretion.” — 11 people liked it

“Chivalry!---why, maiden, she is the nurse of pure and high affection---the stay of the oppressed, the redresser of grievances, the curb of the power of the tyrant ---Nobility were but an empty name without her, and liberty finds the best protection in her lance and her sword.” — 8 people liked it

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