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| Plot Summary of Ivanhoe |
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" Jousting matches, kidnapping, daring escapes, and violent sibling rivalry--Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott has it all. Set in the age of Robin Hood, Richard the Lionhearted, and Prince John, the book tells the story of the conflict between the Normans and the Saxons in Medieval England. As Brian de Bois-Guilbert of the Knights Templar clashes with two Saxon peasants, the nobleman Cedric the Saxon and his ward, Rowena, struggle to make a life for themselves among the often arrogant Normans. Isaac and Rebecca, an elderly Jew and his daughter, also struggle to survive as they deal with contempt and persecution from the people around them. The story follows Rowena's fortunes as she longs for the return from war of Cedric's son, Wilfred of Ivanhoe, and Rebecca's adventures as she struggles for safety and happiness.
The arrival of pilgrims at Cedric's house introduces the
mysterious Ivanhoe, who appears in his own character only later in the story. Wilfred of Ivanhoe was banished by his father and has been gone for years, but Rowena longs for the return of her first and only love. Meanwhile, Isaac and Rebecca are forced to flee from Cedric's house for fear of being kidnapped by Normans. A jousting tournament emphasizes both the grandeur and the disreputable state of society under Prince John as knights argue over whether Rowena or Rebecca is more beautiful.
The title character, Ivanhoe, seems strangely absent in the first part of the book. However, at the jousting match, Rowena recognizes Ivanhoe as the disguised Disinherited Knight, and his identity becomes clear. Ivanhoe is a loyal subject of King Richard, and he opposes the cruelty and greed of Prince John's rule. When Cedric and Rowena are kidnapped and held hostage, Ivanhoe joins with Robin of Locksley, also known as Robin Hood, to free them. Isaac and Rebecca also receive Ivanhoe's help when first Rebecca disappears and then Isaac is captured and tortured. Rebecca falls in love with Ivanhoe, but she bravely puts aside her feelings to fight with the knight against the followers of Prince John in the struggle between the prince and his brother. As Ivanhoe, Rowena, and Rebecca cross paths with each other and with the surrounding Saxons and Normans, they each show the strength of their characters in the many adventures they encounter.
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Susan Huebert, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Ivanhoe |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- upbeat
Time/era of story
- distant past/middle ages
Life of a profession:
- prince/nobleman/king/queen
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Job/Profession/Status story
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- Prince/Nobleman/King
Age:
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Ethnicity/Nationality
- British
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- long-lived adults
Profession/status:
- Prince/Nobleman/King
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 4 (a fair amount)
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
Farm/Ranch?
Yes
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Weird Victorian/Shakespearean English?
Yes
Unusual Style:
- No single main character?
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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