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Ivanhoe
A young Saxon knight proves his worth in Sir Walter Scott’s immortal classic blending history and romance
In the twelfth century, England is in ruins. The tension between the Saxons and Normans are at an all-time high. While King Richard the Lion Heart is away, his brother Prince John sits on the throne, allowing the Norman nobles to ravage the Saxon countryside further. There is no one to protect them. Their land is repossessed. They are made to flee into the forests as outlaws, leaving behind the stand-in king who has forsaken them. Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe, disowned by his father after pledging allegiance to King Richard, has returned from the Crusades eager to win the love of Lady Rowena. The young knight, eager to prove himself worthy of her affections, sets out to demonstrate his merit—fighting his enemies with aid from the likes of Robin Hood. A classic of historical fiction, Sir Walter Scott’s masterpiece brims with romance, adventure, and action. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
In the twelfth century, England is in ruins. The tension between the Saxons and Normans are at an all-time high. While King Richard the Lion Heart is away, his brother Prince John sits on the throne, allowing the Norman nobles to ravage the Saxon countryside further. There is no one to protect them. Their land is repossessed. They are made to flee into the forests as outlaws, leaving behind the stand-in king who has forsaken them. Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe, disowned by his father after pledging allegiance to King Richard, has returned from the Crusades eager to win the love of Lady Rowena. The young knight, eager to prove himself worthy of her affections, sets out to demonstrate his merit—fighting his enemies with aid from the likes of Robin Hood. A classic of historical fiction, Sir Walter Scott’s masterpiece brims with romance, adventure, and action. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
471 pages, Leather Bound
Published January 1, 1977
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 1, 2009
Second reading: February 2017
First reading: December 2014
Indisputably a classic for all of the right reasons. This is an incredible adventure story that is full of famous icons and age old ideas about courtly love but it is also a fascinating social commentary and complex bit of storytelling. Sir Walter Scott provides highly entertaining content which also respects the intelligence and intellectual curiosity of its readers. Read Ivan home for the story but know that it will leave a mark on your heart and will challenge the way in which you perceive others.
Sir Walter Scott challenges social ideas both of his time and the time of his setting. His caricatures of the heroes and the villains are interesting, complex and properly balanced. When the worst stereotypes of medieval Jews are shown in Isaac, they are immediately counterbalanced in the sincerity and generosity of Rebecca. Where the monastic friars are corrupt, licentious and self-serving they are counterbalanced by Christians who are sincere, faithful and gentle. We have a Black Knight who is anything but dark or evil. We have Templars who are attired in light and airy garments who are evil personified.
The balancing and counterbalancing extends also to the characters themselves. In Cedric we see a brash, judgmental, harsh Lord who is also tender and loving and gracious. In Sir Brian, we see a calculating and sophisticated warrior who seeks to serve his own interests until he is bewildered by an inexplicable affection for someone he cannot have who renders him gentle, supplicant and almost worthy.
I have always loved Robin Hood and the fact that he feature so prominently in this story serves me as a bit of the cherry on top of the sundae. I love sir Walter Scott's treatment of Robin Hood. He is highly organized, deeply Noble and, as the Black Knight calls him, a king in his own right.
This is my second reading of the book and I spent a significant portion of my childhood watching the Anthony Andrews movie. this novel does not fail to impress. I enjoyed it, I learned from it and I am certain that I will be reading it again and again throughout my lifetime.
First reading: December 2014
Indisputably a classic for all of the right reasons. This is an incredible adventure story that is full of famous icons and age old ideas about courtly love but it is also a fascinating social commentary and complex bit of storytelling. Sir Walter Scott provides highly entertaining content which also respects the intelligence and intellectual curiosity of its readers. Read Ivan home for the story but know that it will leave a mark on your heart and will challenge the way in which you perceive others.
Sir Walter Scott challenges social ideas both of his time and the time of his setting. His caricatures of the heroes and the villains are interesting, complex and properly balanced. When the worst stereotypes of medieval Jews are shown in Isaac, they are immediately counterbalanced in the sincerity and generosity of Rebecca. Where the monastic friars are corrupt, licentious and self-serving they are counterbalanced by Christians who are sincere, faithful and gentle. We have a Black Knight who is anything but dark or evil. We have Templars who are attired in light and airy garments who are evil personified.
The balancing and counterbalancing extends also to the characters themselves. In Cedric we see a brash, judgmental, harsh Lord who is also tender and loving and gracious. In Sir Brian, we see a calculating and sophisticated warrior who seeks to serve his own interests until he is bewildered by an inexplicable affection for someone he cannot have who renders him gentle, supplicant and almost worthy.
I have always loved Robin Hood and the fact that he feature so prominently in this story serves me as a bit of the cherry on top of the sundae. I love sir Walter Scott's treatment of Robin Hood. He is highly organized, deeply Noble and, as the Black Knight calls him, a king in his own right.
This is my second reading of the book and I spent a significant portion of my childhood watching the Anthony Andrews movie. this novel does not fail to impress. I enjoyed it, I learned from it and I am certain that I will be reading it again and again throughout my lifetime.
December 13, 2023
As I slowly replenish my TBR shelf I have been frequently at a loss for new things to read. I finally had to resort to those of my shelves wherein reside the books that have long been forgotten and or ignored. It was on one of those shelves hidden in the dark that I found this volume. I had heard of Ivanhoe but never knew what the story was about. I believe my only knowledge of this fictional hero was due to a TV program airing in the 1950's. It was during this time that a series about Robin Hood was rather popular and I guess that popularity lead to the importing of a British program about Ivanhoe and I believe Ivanhoe was played by the young Roger Moore. Beyond the episode or two that I may have seen I knew nothing about Ivanhoe and I sincerely doubt that TV series would have helped my ignorance. So why not pull this attractive leather bound gold leaf treasure from the shelf and give it a read?
Well I'll be darned if I wasn't gobsmacked surprised. This story is a classic by Walter Scott, a Scotsman, and the book is over 200 years old so I admit to selecting this book and feeling considerable trepidation in doing so. British 19th century, and early 19th century to boot, fiction had me expecting the usual archaic language, run on sentences, addictive use of punctuation all leading to torturous reading. My expectations were completely unrealized. Who would have thought that it takes a Scotsman to write a readable and enjoyable work of British fiction in the English language? This is a darn good book and something of a thriller if you can imagine such a thing for that time. I do not wish to mislead you in believing there aren't some reading obstacles in this book. There are numerous medieval terms employed and a bit too many Latin phrases and expressions used. The author, however, spares the reader by using a glossary of terms and phrases as well as notes explaining medieval customs and practices portrayed in the story. With this assistance the reader will have no trouble following the story in all its ancient detail. So what is the story about?
Obviously this is a story of knighthood in all its idealized glory as well as its unsavory abuse. As a warning to the reader I should mention a great deal of the story depicts unrestrained anti-semitism. While this may be disturbing it is historically accurate both as to the time of the story and probably at the time of the book's publication. Part of the story revolves around racial divides and religious differences and while anti-semitism may be disturbing it is germaine to this particular book.
The plot takes place during the reign of Richard The Lionheart which I didn't know until reading this book. I also didn't expect to find Robin Hood, Friar Tuck, and the men of Sherwood involved in the tale of Ivanhoe but they are all there. This story introduced me to an element of English history that I was completely unaware of and that was the ethnic divide between native Englishmen, Saxons, and their conquering overlords the Normans. England at this time was inhabited by a population divided by tribalism and on the verge of civil war. It was the grandfathers of the present generation that fought at Hastings but the hatred still existed. Ivanhoe, a Saxon, made the unforgivable decision to join King Richard, a Norman, on his Crusade to the Holy Land. For this act of tribal treason his father disowns him and his lady love, Rowena, is pledged to a local Saxon noble. Ivanhoe returns secretly to England and participates in a tournament in which he vanquishes the Norman contestants with the help of an anonymous Black Knight. Unfortunately Ivanhoe is injured in the jousting and is quickly and secretly taken in and hidden by a Jewish merchant and his beautiful and medically skilled daughter, Rebecca. Ivanhoe is understandably in danger for having the bad taste of defeating the favored Normans in front of Prince John who is presently plotting to usurp his brother's throne. There is a great deal of knightly combat, kidnapping, damsels in danger, treachery, and just rewards to keep the reader turning pages. The age of this story hasn't hurt it one bit as it remains a very entertaining book and well worth reading. Enjoy.
Well I'll be darned if I wasn't gobsmacked surprised. This story is a classic by Walter Scott, a Scotsman, and the book is over 200 years old so I admit to selecting this book and feeling considerable trepidation in doing so. British 19th century, and early 19th century to boot, fiction had me expecting the usual archaic language, run on sentences, addictive use of punctuation all leading to torturous reading. My expectations were completely unrealized. Who would have thought that it takes a Scotsman to write a readable and enjoyable work of British fiction in the English language? This is a darn good book and something of a thriller if you can imagine such a thing for that time. I do not wish to mislead you in believing there aren't some reading obstacles in this book. There are numerous medieval terms employed and a bit too many Latin phrases and expressions used. The author, however, spares the reader by using a glossary of terms and phrases as well as notes explaining medieval customs and practices portrayed in the story. With this assistance the reader will have no trouble following the story in all its ancient detail. So what is the story about?
Obviously this is a story of knighthood in all its idealized glory as well as its unsavory abuse. As a warning to the reader I should mention a great deal of the story depicts unrestrained anti-semitism. While this may be disturbing it is historically accurate both as to the time of the story and probably at the time of the book's publication. Part of the story revolves around racial divides and religious differences and while anti-semitism may be disturbing it is germaine to this particular book.
The plot takes place during the reign of Richard The Lionheart which I didn't know until reading this book. I also didn't expect to find Robin Hood, Friar Tuck, and the men of Sherwood involved in the tale of Ivanhoe but they are all there. This story introduced me to an element of English history that I was completely unaware of and that was the ethnic divide between native Englishmen, Saxons, and their conquering overlords the Normans. England at this time was inhabited by a population divided by tribalism and on the verge of civil war. It was the grandfathers of the present generation that fought at Hastings but the hatred still existed. Ivanhoe, a Saxon, made the unforgivable decision to join King Richard, a Norman, on his Crusade to the Holy Land. For this act of tribal treason his father disowns him and his lady love, Rowena, is pledged to a local Saxon noble. Ivanhoe returns secretly to England and participates in a tournament in which he vanquishes the Norman contestants with the help of an anonymous Black Knight. Unfortunately Ivanhoe is injured in the jousting and is quickly and secretly taken in and hidden by a Jewish merchant and his beautiful and medically skilled daughter, Rebecca. Ivanhoe is understandably in danger for having the bad taste of defeating the favored Normans in front of Prince John who is presently plotting to usurp his brother's throne. There is a great deal of knightly combat, kidnapping, damsels in danger, treachery, and just rewards to keep the reader turning pages. The age of this story hasn't hurt it one bit as it remains a very entertaining book and well worth reading. Enjoy.
April 23, 2023
Is Ivanhoe a likely candidate for "books in English you should read"? Maybe.
Is it a book I mostly enjoyed? In parts.
What's difficult to overcome is Scott's over-the-top and factually inaccurate depiction of all Christians as spit-in-Jew's-faces bigots. In this tale, almost all Christians are lying hypocrites and the young Jewess Rebecca is sent to teach us a lesson in grace and kindness (even though Scott seems to evoke a Shylock character in her father).
Let's focus on some of the good:
1) the tournament scene, which is said to be realistic and gives people a sense of the only "practice" people could have for real life battle. It could result in maiming or deaths and could be as remembered as a battle at times.
2) the political intrigues regarding King Richard and his brother John, and the "lawless" men of Robin Hood that defend the "lawfulness" of the rightful king
3) the questions of knightly courtesy and etiquette
4) the meta-narrative of the Normans and the Saxons finally becoming one people and moving forward together as the English
Is it worth slogging through historical inaccuracies expressed through Scott's anti-Christian bias? Only slightly more than Pilgrim's Progress, which has an anti-Catholic one. But I am glad to have read it, only so that I can not-recommend it to others. :-)
"The foreigner came here poor, beggarly, cringing, and subservient, ready to doff his cap to the meanest native of the household. He returned pampered and proud to tell his rapacious countrymen of the wealth and the simplicity of the Saxon nobles — a folly, oh Athelstan! foreboded of old, as well as foreseen by those descendants of Hengist and his hardy tribes who retained the simplicity of their manners. We made these strangers our bosom friends, our confidential servants; we borrowed their artists and their arts, and despised the honest simplicity and hardihood with which our brave ancestors supported themselves; and we became enervated by Norman arts long ere we fell under Norman arms. Far better was our homely diet, eating in peace and liberty, than the luxurious dainties, the love of which hath delivered us as bondsmen to the foreign conqueror." (p. 195)
"'Courtesy of tongue,' said Rowena, 'when it issued to veil churlishness of deed, is but a knight's girdle around the breast of a base clown. I wonder not that the restraint appears to gall you: more it were for your honor to have retained the dress and language of an outlaw than to veil the deeds of one under an affectation of gentle language and demeanor." (p. 209)
"Accustomed to see the will of all, even of Cedric himself — sufficiently arbitrary with others — give way before her wishes, she had acquired that sort of courage and self-confidence which arises from the habitual and constant deference of the circle in which we move. She could scarce conceive the possibility of her will being opposed, far less that of its being treated with total disregard." (p. 211)
"'Good Dame Urfried,' said the other man, 'stand not to reason on it, but up and away. Lords' tests must be listened to with a quick ear. Thou has had they day, old dame, but thy sun has long been set. Thou art now the very emblem of an old warhorse turned out on the barren heath; thou hast had thy paces in thy time, but now a broken amble is the best of them. Come, amble off with thee.'" (p. 214)
"'Cedric,' answered Ulrica, 'thou little knows the human heart. To act as I have acted, to think as I have thought, requires the maddening love of pleasure, mingled with the keen appetite of revenge, the proud consciousness of power-draughts too intoxicating for the human heart to bear, and yet retain the power to prevent. Their force has long passed away. Age has no pleasures, wrinkles have no influence, revenge itself dies away in impotent curses. Then comes remorse, with all its vipers, mixed with vain regrets for the past and despair for the future! Then, when all other strong impulses have ceased, we become like the fiends in hell, who may feel remorse, but never repentance.'" (p. 243)
Is it a book I mostly enjoyed? In parts.
What's difficult to overcome is Scott's over-the-top and factually inaccurate depiction of all Christians as spit-in-Jew's-faces bigots. In this tale, almost all Christians are lying hypocrites and the young Jewess Rebecca is sent to teach us a lesson in grace and kindness (even though Scott seems to evoke a Shylock character in her father).
Let's focus on some of the good:
1) the tournament scene, which is said to be realistic and gives people a sense of the only "practice" people could have for real life battle. It could result in maiming or deaths and could be as remembered as a battle at times.
2) the political intrigues regarding King Richard and his brother John, and the "lawless" men of Robin Hood that defend the "lawfulness" of the rightful king
3) the questions of knightly courtesy and etiquette
4) the meta-narrative of the Normans and the Saxons finally becoming one people and moving forward together as the English
Is it worth slogging through historical inaccuracies expressed through Scott's anti-Christian bias? Only slightly more than Pilgrim's Progress, which has an anti-Catholic one. But I am glad to have read it, only so that I can not-recommend it to others. :-)
"The foreigner came here poor, beggarly, cringing, and subservient, ready to doff his cap to the meanest native of the household. He returned pampered and proud to tell his rapacious countrymen of the wealth and the simplicity of the Saxon nobles — a folly, oh Athelstan! foreboded of old, as well as foreseen by those descendants of Hengist and his hardy tribes who retained the simplicity of their manners. We made these strangers our bosom friends, our confidential servants; we borrowed their artists and their arts, and despised the honest simplicity and hardihood with which our brave ancestors supported themselves; and we became enervated by Norman arts long ere we fell under Norman arms. Far better was our homely diet, eating in peace and liberty, than the luxurious dainties, the love of which hath delivered us as bondsmen to the foreign conqueror." (p. 195)
"'Courtesy of tongue,' said Rowena, 'when it issued to veil churlishness of deed, is but a knight's girdle around the breast of a base clown. I wonder not that the restraint appears to gall you: more it were for your honor to have retained the dress and language of an outlaw than to veil the deeds of one under an affectation of gentle language and demeanor." (p. 209)
"Accustomed to see the will of all, even of Cedric himself — sufficiently arbitrary with others — give way before her wishes, she had acquired that sort of courage and self-confidence which arises from the habitual and constant deference of the circle in which we move. She could scarce conceive the possibility of her will being opposed, far less that of its being treated with total disregard." (p. 211)
"'Good Dame Urfried,' said the other man, 'stand not to reason on it, but up and away. Lords' tests must be listened to with a quick ear. Thou has had they day, old dame, but thy sun has long been set. Thou art now the very emblem of an old warhorse turned out on the barren heath; thou hast had thy paces in thy time, but now a broken amble is the best of them. Come, amble off with thee.'" (p. 214)
"'Cedric,' answered Ulrica, 'thou little knows the human heart. To act as I have acted, to think as I have thought, requires the maddening love of pleasure, mingled with the keen appetite of revenge, the proud consciousness of power-draughts too intoxicating for the human heart to bear, and yet retain the power to prevent. Their force has long passed away. Age has no pleasures, wrinkles have no influence, revenge itself dies away in impotent curses. Then comes remorse, with all its vipers, mixed with vain regrets for the past and despair for the future! Then, when all other strong impulses have ceased, we become like the fiends in hell, who may feel remorse, but never repentance.'" (p. 243)
January 4, 2020
Pretty sure Scott invented the historical fiction genre. So very, very well done, and has some quite funny scenes, if you don't let the language get in your way. Would be five star, but the anti-antisemitism was really hard to read, even making the proper allowances.
November 25, 2024
Sir Walter Scott would be considered a good writer in any age. This particular edition is noteworthy for the background it gives in both Scott's literary career, but also in both the times in which it is written, as well as the times being described in the tale itself.
One of the more marvelous points in this novel is how it reveals that human nature has not changed. This story was originally published in 1819. It recounts national pride and imperialism and racism and anti-semitism and more. There is really no notable change in people's characters between when this was written and today.
Scott is to be commended for pointing out how the stereotypes do not hold true and how those some hold in contempt may actually have better characters than their so-called superiors.
For the purpose of this tale he allows some of the stereotyping to remain, particularly in the person of Isaac of York, but even there he displays a nobility of character which belies the prejudices which surround him merely because he is a Jew.
There are more "races" in the novel than would be allowed to be considered today. Today all whites are lumped together. In the novel, however, there are noted and notable distinctions between the Normans and the Celts and other Britons. Importantly, however, without being "preachy" Scott manages to demonstrate quite ably how the prejudices among the races is a lie against all o humanity.
As a romance, it works well, of course. Sir Walter Scott was a keen observer of human nature. His many tales written prior to this gave him good practice for writing on the human condition. Ivanhoe was simply a change in personalities and races and nations, but without any real change in human nature at all.
There is a great lesson to be learned from classics such as this when read in our current troubled times in which people are judged too quickly and too harshly according to qualities over which they have no control. Let us hope that someday these lessons will be learned before all of humanity is gone.
One of the more marvelous points in this novel is how it reveals that human nature has not changed. This story was originally published in 1819. It recounts national pride and imperialism and racism and anti-semitism and more. There is really no notable change in people's characters between when this was written and today.
Scott is to be commended for pointing out how the stereotypes do not hold true and how those some hold in contempt may actually have better characters than their so-called superiors.
For the purpose of this tale he allows some of the stereotyping to remain, particularly in the person of Isaac of York, but even there he displays a nobility of character which belies the prejudices which surround him merely because he is a Jew.
There are more "races" in the novel than would be allowed to be considered today. Today all whites are lumped together. In the novel, however, there are noted and notable distinctions between the Normans and the Celts and other Britons. Importantly, however, without being "preachy" Scott manages to demonstrate quite ably how the prejudices among the races is a lie against all o humanity.
As a romance, it works well, of course. Sir Walter Scott was a keen observer of human nature. His many tales written prior to this gave him good practice for writing on the human condition. Ivanhoe was simply a change in personalities and races and nations, but without any real change in human nature at all.
There is a great lesson to be learned from classics such as this when read in our current troubled times in which people are judged too quickly and too harshly according to qualities over which they have no control. Let us hope that someday these lessons will be learned before all of humanity is gone.
September 7, 2026
Far more exciting, funny, and historically fan-fictiony than I was expecting.
June 11, 2014
Another wonderful work by Scott. Ivanhoe, the last of a Saxon noble family splits with his father by his allegiance to the Norman Richard the Lion Hearted. The events take place after Ivanhoe's return to England where he confronts a conspiracy keeping Richard prisoner in Europe. This work is considered not only the revitalization of England's love of things medieval but of the modern rendition of Robin Hood. The characters are believable and the story captivating. Too bad it is often considered a young adult novel.
July 16, 2016
While the book is without question historically significant I have to imagine that the average reader can find some more interesting fantasy novels to read.
The dialog can be hard to get through and the pacing is slow. The story itself meanders around with no clear purpose or destination.
All of the best parts of the book have been done far better by others since.
It's worth reading in the same way Steamboat Willie is a movie worth watching: to appreciate the historical context.
The dialog can be hard to get through and the pacing is slow. The story itself meanders around with no clear purpose or destination.
All of the best parts of the book have been done far better by others since.
It's worth reading in the same way Steamboat Willie is a movie worth watching: to appreciate the historical context.
September 21, 2024
Not bad for what it is. Slightly convoluted plot, but entertaining non the less. I see why this book is on the list of "100 greatest books ever written," but if it were more modern, it might not make the cut. That said, I enjoyed the story, and Scott's use of historical events throughout the book made the plot seam believable.
May 7, 2020
Didn't care for his style that much.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews