běn shū shì sī gè tè zuì zhù míng de yī bù zuò pǐn,
zài tā de lì shǐ xiǎo shuō zhōng zhàn yòu yī gè tè shū de wèi zhì。
shǒu xiān,
zhè shì tā dì yī cì kuà chū sū gé lán tí cái de fàn wéi,
cóng '
ér wèitā jīn hòu kuò dà chuàng zuò shì yě diàn dìng liǎo jī chǔ。
qí cì,
tā de sū gé lán xiǎo shuō suī rán chēng wéi lì shǐ xiǎo shuō,
shí jì tā men fǎn yìng de shí dài dū lí sī gè tè suǒ shēng huó de shè huì bù yuǎn,
yòu de shèn zhì shè jí liǎo tā de tóng nián,
yǐ zhì qīng nián shí qī。
kě shì zài《
yīng xióng '
ài wén hé》(
yǐ xià chēng《
ài wén hé》)
zhōng,
tā què bǎ tā de gù shì yī xià zǐ tuī qián liǎo jǐ bǎi nián,
bǎ zhōng shì jì zhōng yè de yīng guó zuò wéi lì shǐ bèi jǐng。
zhè yàng,
kě yǐ shuō,
suí zhe《
ài wén hé》
de wèn shì,
sī gè tè cái zhēn zhèng chéng liǎo míng fú qí shí de lì shǐ xiǎo shuō jiā。
dì sān,
sī gè tè zuò wéi yī gè làng màn zhù yì zuò jiā,
fù yòu chuán qí sè cǎi de zhōng shì jì zhèng shì zuì shì hé tā de chuàng zuò cái néng fā huī cháng chù de shí qī。
yīn cǐ,
zhèng rú tā zài běn shū de dǎo yán zhōng suǒ shuō,
tā “ huò dé liǎo jí dà de chéng gōng,
kě yǐ shuō,
zì cóng zuò zhě dé yǐ zài yīng guó hé sū gé lán xiǎo shuō zhōng yùn yòng tā de xū gòu cái zhì yǐ lái,
tā zhè cái zhēn zhèng zài zhè fāng miàn qǔ dé liǎo yóu rèn yòu yú de zhī pèi néng lì ”。
háo bù qí guài,
bā '
ěr zhā kè zhèng shì zài dú liǎo《
ài wén hé》
zhī hòu,
cái duì sī gè tè de lì shǐ xiǎo shuō fā chū liǎo yóu zhōng de zàn měi;
yě háo bù qí guài,
xiǎo shuō fā biǎo hòu lì jí bù jìng '
ér zǒu,
chéng liǎo sī gè tè zuì chàng xiāo de yī běn shū,
rén men tán dào sī gè tè shí,
dū huì bǎ《
ài wén hé》
yǔ tā lián xì zài yī qǐ,
tā lǐ suǒ dāng rán dì chéng liǎo tā de dài biǎo zuò pǐn。
《
yīng xióng '
ài wén hé》 -
jiè shào
《
ài wén hé》
yǐ shí '
èr shì jì mò nián yīng guó shī xīn wáng lǐ chá zài wèi shí qī de mín zú máo dùn hé jiē jí máo dùn wéi bèi jǐng,
shū xiě liǎo yī gè chōng mǎn qí shì jīng shén de、
xuàn lì duō cǎi de yīng xióng gù shì。
xiǎo shuō zhuózhòng miáo xiě liǎo sān jiàn dà shì:
yī,
ā shí kǒu bǐ wǔ dà huì,
èr,
tuō kuí '
ěr sī tōng chéng bǎo de zhēng duó zhàn,
sān,
shèng diàn huì táng duì lì bèi kǎ de shěn wèn。
zhè sān gè fù yòu làng màn zhù yì qì xī de chǎng miàn,
dāng rán bù shì hù xiāng gū lì de,
ér shì tōng guò qíng jié de fā zhǎn,
yī huán kòu yī huán zhú bù xíng chéng de,
yīn '
ér shǐ xiǎo shuō gòu chéng liǎo yī gè zhěng tǐ。
bǐ wǔ shì sī gè tè xǐ '
ài de tí cái,
qí shì jīng shén yě shì tā suǒ xiàng wǎng de zhōng shì jì fēng shàng,
rán '
ér zài zhè lǐ,
bǐ wǔ dà huì bù jǐn shì zhèng yì hé xié '
è lì liàng de yī cì jiào liàng,
tóng shí yě shì quán shū de yī gè xù qū hé rén wù jiè shào,
shū zhōng suǒ yòu de zhòng yào rén wù jīhū dōuzài zhè lǐ chū chǎng,
bìng dé dào liǎo jī běn de kè huá。
zài bǐ wǔ chǎng shàng qǔ dé shèng lì de,
yě zhèng shì fú hé lì shǐ fā zhǎn qū shì,
jué dìng lì shǐ fā zhǎn jìn chéng de jǐ gǔ lì liàng de dài biǎo rén wù:
ài wén hé、
lǐ chá hé luò kè sī lì děng děng。
tuō kuí '
ěr sī tōng chéng bǎo de zhēng duó zhàn zé shì zhèng yì hé xié '
è lì liàng de yòu yī cì jiào liàng。
zuì hòu yǐ chéng bǎo de xiàn luò,
xié '
è lì liàng de shī bài gào zhōng。
xiǎn rán,
zài zuò zhě xīn mù zhōng,
yǐ nuò màn wǔ shì wéi dài biǎo de zhè gǔ xié '
è lì liàng shì bì rán huì shī bài de,
zhè bù jǐn zài yú tā bù dé rén xīn,
wéi bèi liǎo rén mín de yì zhì,
yě yóu yú tā nèi bù qián fú zhe yán zhòng de wēi jī,
zhè biàn shì yǐ wū '
ěr lì jiā wéi dài biǎo de tā de nèi bù máo dùn。
wū '
ěr lì jiā jì yǔ nuò màn guì zú yòu zhe xuè hǎi shēn chóu,
yòu chéng liǎo tā men de wán wù,
yǔ tā men hàng xiè yī qì,
tóng liú hé wū,
zuì hòu cái zài fù chóu de nù huǒ zhōngjiàng chéng bǎo fù zhī yī jù。
zhè shì sī gè tè zhuólì miáo xiě de yī gè chōng mǎn làng màn sè cǎi de rén wù。
duì lì bèi kǎ de shěn wèn shì quán shū de yú bō,
rán '
ér shì bù kě quē shǎo de yī bù fēn,
zhèng shì tōng guò duì '
ér bèi kǎ de shěn wèn,
zuò zhě xiàng wǒ men jiē shì liǎo zuò wéi nuò màn zhēng fú de qiáng dà zhī zhù de shèng diàn qí shì tuán de cán kù、
xū wěi、
jiǎo zhà de zhēn miàn mù,
tā de fǎn rén mín xìng zhì jué dìng liǎo tā de bì rán miè wáng。
zhè shì yīcháng hēi bái diān dǎo、
yòng xīn xiǎn '
è de suǒ wèi shěn wèn,
zài zhè lǐ shòu hài zhě chéng liǎo bèi gào hé qiú fàn,
bèi pàn chù huǒ xíng,
hài rén zhě què yǐ fèng xíng tiān yì de zhèng yì miàn mù chū xiàn,
chéng wéi shěn wèn de fǎ guān,
gāo jù zài fǎ tíng shàng。
shèng diàn qí shì tuán shì shí zì jūn zhōng zuì zhù míng de qí shì zǔ zhì,
zì fēng wéi shàng dì de shǐ zhě,
kě shì tā zuì yīng yǒng de qí shì bù lǐ '
ēn ·
bù wǎ jí bèi '
ěr què shì yī gè jié wù bù xùn,
wèile mǎn zú sī yù kě yǐ bǎ yī qiē zhì zhī bù gù de gè rén yě xīn jiā。、
zhè gè qí shì tuán de fù miè duì xiāo chú nuò màn rén hé sǎ kè xùn rén de gé hé,
jiàn lì tǒng yī de mín zú guó jiādōu shì bì yào de,
yīn cǐ tā yě zhēn zhèng xuān gào liǎo xiǎo shuō zhōng de gù shì de jié shù。
běn shū suī rán yǐ《
ài wén hé》
wéi míng,
dàn zhèng rú sī gè tè de qí tā xǔ duō xiǎo shuō yī yàng,
ài wén hé zài shū zhōng zhù yào zhǐ shì qǐ liǎo lián xì qíng jié de niǔ dài zuò yòng,
zuò zhě zhuólì miáo xiě de shì qí tā yī xiē rén wù,
qí zhōng zuì zhù yào de biàn shì shī xīn wáng lǐ chá yī shì。
lǐ chá shì jīn què huā wáng cháo de dì '
èr dài jūn zhù,
ér jīn què huā wáng cháo shí jì shì nuò màn wáng cháo de jì xù, 1154
nián nuò màn wáng cháo jué sì,
cái yóu hēng lì yī shì de wài sūn '
ān rú jiā de hēng lì jì wèi,
chēng hēng lì '
èr shì,
jiàn lì liǎo '
ān rú wáng cháo,
yòu chēng jīn què huā wáng cháo,
yīn cǐ zhè yě shì nuò màn rén de yī tǒng tiān xià。
lǐ chá yī shì shì hēng lì '
èr shì de '
ér zǐ,
yú 1189
nián jì chéng wáng wèi,
dàn cì nián jí zǔ zhì dì sān cì shí zì jūn,
yuǎn zhēng bā lè sī tǎn, 1192
nián yǔ sū dān sà lā dīng xiū zhàn,
zài jīng xiǎn de huí guó tú zhōng bèi '
ào dì lì gōng jué dài bǔ,
liǎng nián hòu '
àn zhào qí shì zhì dù de guīju,
jiǎo nà liǎo dà liàng shú jīn cái huò dé shì fàng。
běn shū gù shì biàn fā shēng zài shī xīn gōng huí guó de duǎn zàn shí qī。
bù jiǔ,
tā yòu lí kāi yīng guó,
qián wǎng nuò màn dǐ,
yǔ fǎ wáng féi lì '
èr shì jìn xíng liǎo cháng dá wǔ nián de zhàn zhēng,
zuì hòu yú 1199
nián zài fǎ guó lì mó rì fù jìn zhèn wáng。
zhè yàng,
lǐ chá suī rán zài wèi shí nián,
zài yīng guó dāng guó wáng de rì zǐ què qū zhǐ kě shù,
duì yīng guó de lì shǐ yě kě shuō háo wú yǐng xiǎng。
rán '
ér tā yīng yǒng wú dí,
háo fàng bù jī,
yòu lì dà wú qióng,
rèn xiá shǐ qì,
bù jǐn xǐ huān zhàn zhēng shēng huó,
ér qiě xǐ huān dān qiāng pǐ mǎ,
jiàn lì tā de suǒ wèi gōng xūn;
tā '
àihào chàng gē,
jù shuō hái xiě guò bù shǎo shū qíng gēqǔ,
yóu qí shì tā duì nuò màn rén hé sǎ kè xùn rén yī shì tóng rén,
yīn cǐ shēn dé sǎ kè xùn rén de hǎo gǎn,
chéng liǎo mín jiān chuán shuō zhōng de yīng xióng rén wù,
zài yīng guó liú chuán de bù shǎo gē yáo dū yǐ tā wéi zhù rén gōng。
sī gè tè bǐ xià de shī xīn wáng zhèng shì zhè yàng yī gè rén wù,
tā de xíng xiàng jīhū wán quán jiàn lì zài chuán shuō hé mín yáo de jī chǔ shàng,
yǔ lì shǐ shàng de lǐ chá bìng bù yī zhì。
sī gè tè suǒ xū yào de yě zhèng shì zhè yàng yī gè chuán qí shì rén wù,
tā zài xiǎo shuō zhōng qián qián hòu hòu yòng liǎo jǐ zhāng piān fú,
zhuólì xuàn rǎn tā de zhè yī fāng miàn。
zài bǐ wǔ dà huì zhōng,
tā shì lái wú zōng qù wú yǐng de xiá kè shì rén wù,
jiē zhe tā yòu chū xiàn zài jiào shì de yǐn xiū shì zhōng hē jiǔ chàng gē,
tán xiào fēng shēng;
zài tuō kuí '
ěr sī tōng chéng bǎo zhēng duó zhàn zhōng,
tā yòu chéng liǎo jūn shì zhǐ huī guān hé shēn xiān shì zú de yǒng shì,
rán hòu tā yòu dān qiāng pǐ mǎ bēn zǒu gè dì,
yī huì '
ér yǔ luó bīn hàn yī huǒ rén yǐn jiǔ zuò lè,
yī huì '
ér yòu lái dào liǎo shèng diàn huì táng zhù chí zhèng yì。
zhè yàng,
shī xīn wáng lǐ chá chéng liǎo sī gè tè suǒ yòu xiǎo shuō zhōng kè huá dé jiào chéng gōng de xíng xiàng zhī yī。
sī gè tè shì yī gè bǎo shǒu zhù yì zuò jiā,
rán '
ér tā míng bái,
rén xīn xiàng bèi shì jué dìng lì shǐ qū shì de jī běn yīn sù,
yīn cǐ zài tā de lì shǐ xiǎo shuō zhōng,
rén mín qún zhòng zǒng shì zhàn yòu yī gè bù róng hū shì de dì wèi,
zài běn shū zhōng dài biǎo zhè gǔ lì liàng de,
shǒu xiān dāng rán shì mín jiān chuán shuō zhōng de yīng xióng rén wù luó bīn hàn hé tā shǒu xià de yī qún lùlín hǎo hàn。
guān yú luó bīn hàn de chū shēn hé shēng píng yǐ wú cóng chá kǎo,
rán '
ér kě yǐ què dìng zhè shì nuò màn tǒng zhì shí qī de yī gè rén mín fǎn kàng zhě,
zài sū gé lán hé yīng gé lán yī dài liú chuán zhe tā xǔ duō jié fù jì pín、
chú qiáng fú ruò de gù shì,
sī gè tè yě shì zài zhè xiē chuán shuō de jī chǔ shàng sù zào zhè gè rén wù xíng xiàng de。
jù shuō tā běn lái shì yī gè zì gēng nóng,
yì jí zì shí qí lì de gè tǐ nóng yè láo dòng zhě,
tā de bù xià yě dà duō shì zì yóu nóng mín hé shǒu yì rén,
tā mendōu shì zài nuò màn rén de héng zhēng bào liǎn hé tǔ dì jiān bìng xià zǒu shàng pò chǎn de dào lù,
yīn '
ér lún wéi dào fěi de。
gēn jù chuán shuō,
luó bīn hàn shì yī gè chū sè de gōng jiàn shǒu,
tā de gōng jiàn zhì jīn réng bǎo cún zài yuē kè jùn de yī gè chén liè shì lǐ。
zài xiǎo shuō zhōng,
tā yě shì shǒu xiān zài '
ā shí kǒu de bǐ wǔ chǎng shàng yǐ gōng jiàn bǐ sài de yōu shèng zhě chū xiàn。
tā yīng yǒng jī zhì,
bù wèi qiáng bào,
zuò wéi jiǎn jìng de qiáng rén,
yě tài dù xiān míng。
zài tuō kuí '
ěr sī tōng chéng bǎo de zhēng duó zhàn zhōng,
tā shì rén mín lì liàng de zǔ zhì zhě hé lǐng dǎo rén。
jiē zhe zuò zhě hái huā liǎo liǎng zhāng piān fú,
zhuān mén miáo xiě zhè huǒ qiáng rén nèi bù de yán míng jì lǜ,
duì zhàn lì pǐn de gōng zhèng fēn pèi děng děng。
kàn lái,
zuò zhě duì zhè bù fēn rén de huó dòng jī běn shì chí kěn dìng tài dù de。
xiǎo shuō zhōng lìng yī xiē dài biǎo rén mín de rén wù,
biàn shì xiǎo chǒu wāng bā hé mù zhū rén gé sì,
zhè yě shì zuò zhě zhuólì miáo xiě de liǎng gè rén。
tā men shǔ yú rén mín de zuì xià céng,
lùn shēn fèn shì nú lì,
rán '
ér tā men '
ài zēng fēn míng,
jì chún pǔ yòu jiǎo huá,
chōng mǎn liǎo duì nuò màn yā pò zhě de chóu hèn。
dāng rán zuò zhě zài miáo xiě zhè xiē rén wù shí,
yě fǎn yìng liǎo tā zì jǐ duì zōng fǎ zhì shēng huó fāng shì de xiàng wǎng。
rú guǒ shuō gé sì suī rán duì zhuāng zhù sài dé lǐ kè zhōng xīn gěng gěng,
dàn réng chōng jǐng zhe zì yóu de shēng huó,
nà me wāng bā zhè gè rén shì lián zì yóu yě bù yào,
nìngkě zhōng shēng dāng nú lì de;
bù guò zhè zhèng rú luó bīn hàn yī huǒ rén jìn guǎn shì fǎ lǜ de fǎn kàng zhě,
zài dé zhī hēi jiá qí shì jí lǐ chá gōng shí,
biàn fēn fēn xiàng tā xià guì biǎo shì zhōng chéng yī yàng,
yě shì fú hé lì shǐ qíng kuàng de。
zài xiǎo shuō zhōng,
zhuāng zhù sài dé lǐ kè suī rán zuò wéi fǎn kàng nuò màn yā pò de jiān qiáng zhàn shì chū xiàn,
zuò zhě réng xiàng wǒ men zhǐ chū,
zhè xiē rén de yuàn wàng gēn běn bù kě néng shí xiàn,
sài dé lǐ kè lián gōng dǎ yī gè chéng bǎo yě wú néng wéi lì,
tā de fù guó xī wàng zhǐ shì jiàn lì zài '
ā tè '
ěr sī tǎn hé luó wén nà de jié hé shàng。
kě shì '
ā tè '
ěr sī tǎn shí jì shì yī gè shēng xìng lǎnsǎn、
zhǐ guān xīn kǒu fù zhī yù de rén,
tā de shēn shàng tǐ xiàn liǎo sǎ kè xùn wáng zú de yī gè zhì mìng ruò diǎn。
yīn cǐ zhè liǎng gè rén yǔ qí shuō fǎn yìng liǎo sǎ kè xùn rén de fǎn kàng jīng shén,
bù rú shuō zuò zhě tōng guò tā men xiàng dú zhě biǎo míng,
sǎ kè xùn rén yǐ wú lì tuī fān nuò màn rén de tǒng zhì,
yīng guó zhǐ néng zǒu hé jiě de dào lù;
liǎng gè mín zú píng děng xiāng chù,
róng wéi yī tǐ,
cái shì bǎo zhèng guó jiā fán róng fù qiáng,
rén mín '
ān jū lè yè de wéi yī zhèng què fāng xiàng,
ér lǐ chá hé '
ài wén hé,
yǐ zhì luò kè sī lì děng děng zhèng shì dài biǎo liǎo zhè yàng yī gè lì shǐ qū shì。
sī gè tè shì làng màn zhù yì zuò jiā,
tā de chuàng zuò fāng fǎ guī gēn jié dǐ yī jù huà,
biàn shì lì shǐ zhēn shí yǔ dà dǎn xiǎng xiàng de jié hé。
tā de xiǎo shuō bìng bù jū ní yú lì shǐ shì shí,
jìn guǎn tā yòu shí bù xī yòng dà liàng de fán suǒ kǎo zhèng,
shuō míng tā suǒ xiě de yī qiē sì hū dū záo záo yòu jù,
rán '
ér zài gèng duō de chǎng hé,
zài rén wù sù zào hé qíng jié chǔlǐ shàng,
tā què shì kào dà dǎn de xiǎng xiàng qǔ shèng de。
wèile shuō míng zì jǐ zài lì shǐ xiǎo shuō chuàng zuò shàng de yī xiē guān diǎn,
tā hái zhuān mén xū gòu liǎo yī gè kǎo gǔ xué jiā dé lài sī dá sī tè bó shì,
ràng tā zuò wéi zì jǐ de guān diǎn de duì lì miàn,
chū xiàn zài tā de yī xiē xiǎo shuō de dǎo yán zhōng,
běn shū yě shì zhè yàng。
zài dì '
èr piān dǎo yán(
zhì dé lài sī dá sī tè bó shì de zhì jìng xìn)
zhōng,
tā míng què shuō míng lì shǐ xiǎo shuō bù shì kǎo gǔ xué zhù zuò,
zhòng yào de bù shì xì jié shàng de zhēn shí,
ér shì zhǎn shì lì shǐ de fēng mào。
tā tí chū liǎo“
xū gòu hé zhēn shí xiāng jié hé”
de yuán zé,
rèn wéi tā zhè me zuò méi yòu chāo chū“
yī bù xū gòu xiǎo shuō de zuò zhě suǒ lǐ yìng xiǎng yòu de tè quán”。
zhè piān dǎo yán duì wǒ men lǐ jiě sī gè tè de chuàng zuò shì shí fēn zhòng yào de。
kě yǐ shuō,
sī gè tè zài běn shū zhōng,
yòng lín lí hān chàng de bǐ mò miáo huì liǎo zhōng shì jì yī gè fēng yún biàn huàn de shí dài,
tā zài zhēn shí de lì shǐ fēn wéi zhōng wèiwǒ men sù zào liǎo dà liàng xū gòu de rén wù,
zhè xiē rén wù jìn guǎn chū zì xū gòu,
què xǔ xǔ rú shēng,
zhēn shí dì fǎn yìng liǎo lì shǐ de jìn chéng,
tā de chéng gōng zhù yào biàn lái yuán yú cǐ。
yīn cǐ yīng guó shí jiǔ shì jì zhù míng sī xiǎng jiā hé wén xué jiā tuō mǎ sī ·
kǎ lāi '
ěr zài tán dào sī gè tè de lì shǐ xiǎo shuō shí zhǐ chū,
tā men ràng wǒ men kàn dào de“
bù shì lì shǐ shū hé wén jiàn jì lù zhōng de nà zhǒng chōu xiàng de rén”,
ér shì“
zhēn zhèng shēng huó zài guò qù de shí dài zhōng de huó shēng shēng de rén wù”。
zhèng shì zài zhè gè yì yì shàng,
sī gè tè cái bèi gōng rèn wéi xī fāng lì shǐ xiǎo shuō de chuàng shǐ rén。
lìng yī fāng miàn,
sī gè tè shì yī gè zhù míng de duō chǎn zuò jiā,
tā de xiě zuò sù dù lìng rén chī jīng,
zhè shì bì gěi tā de zuò pǐn dài lái yī xiē quē diǎn,
lì rú tā wǎng wǎng wèile xíng wén fāng biàn,
ràng tā de rén wù shuō chū '
àn zhào tā men de xìng gé huò '
àn zhào dāng shí de jù tǐ chǎng hé bù yìng gāi shuō chū de huà lái。
zài qíng jié chǔlǐ shàng,
tā yě wǎng wǎng rèn yì lā cháng huò suō duǎn shí jiān shàng de jù lí,
jí xīng shì de chǔlǐ gù shì。
běn shū zhōng '
èr gè tè bié huāng miù de qíng jié biàn shì '
ā tè '
ěr sī tǎn de tū rán fù huó,
zhè shèn zhì lián zuò zhě běn rén yě gǎn dào bù hé qíng lǐ,
yǐ zhì bù dé bù jiā shàng yī tiáo jiǎo zhù,
shēng míng zhè shì yìng chū bǎn shāng de yào qiú。
tā xiǎn rán pò huài liǎo zuò zhě yuán lái de shè jì,
ā tè '
ěr sī tǎn běn lái shì yīnggāi sǐ de,
zhè cái néng jiě jué '
ài wén hé hé luó wén nà zhī jiān de wèn tí,
yī qiē hé qíng hé lǐ,
rán '
ér '
ā tè '
ěr sī tǎn yī fù huó,
biàn biàn dé wú fǎ jiě jué,
yú shì zhǐ dé ràng tā shēng míng fàng qì hūn shì,
cóng '
ér bèi lí liǎo tā yī guàn de biǎo xiàn。
cóng zhè yī diǎn shàng wǒ men kě yǐ kàn dào,
sī gè tè yòu shí zài chuàng zuò shàng wǎng wǎng suí xīn suǒ yù,
yǐ zhì gěi zuò pǐn liú xià liǎo yī xiē nán yǐ zì yuán qí shuō de lòu dòng。
《
ài wén hé》
shì zuì zǎo jiè shào dào zhōng guó de xī fāng xiǎo shuō zhī yī,
zài guó wài yòu pāi guò diàn yǐng,
yòu guò xǔ duō yì běn,
hái chū xiàn guò bù shǎo gǎi xiě běn hé shān jié běn,
tā de yǐng xiǎng shì hěn dà de。
Ivanhoe is a novel by Sir Walter Scott. It was written in 1819 and set in 12th-century England, an example of historical fiction. Ivanhoe is sometimes given credit for helping to increase popular interest in the Middle Ages in 19th century Europe and America (see Romanticism). John Henry Newman claimed that Scott "had first turned men's minds in the direction of the middle ages," while Carlyle and Ruskin made similar claims to Scott's overwhelming influence over the revival, based primarily on the publication of this novel.
Plot introduction
Ivanhoe is the story of one of the remaining Saxon noble families at a time when the English nobility was overwhelmingly Norman. It follows the Saxon protagonist, Wilfred of Ivanhoe, who is out of favour with his father for his allegiance to the Norman king Richard I of England. The story is set in 1194, after the end of the Third Crusade, when many of the Crusaders were still returning to Europe. King Richard, who had been captured by the Duke of Saxony, on his way back, was still supposed to be in the arms of his captors. The legendary Robin Hood, initially under the name of Locksley, is also a character in the story, as are his "merry men", including Friar Tuck and less so, Alan-a-Dale. (Little John is merely mentioned.) The character that Scott gave to Robin Hood in Ivanhoe helped shape the modern notion of this figure as a cheery noble outlaw.
Other major characters include Ivanhoe's intractable Saxon father, Cedric, a descendant of the Saxon King Harold Godwinson; various Knights Templar and churchmen; the loyal serfs Gurth the swineherd and the jester Wamba, whose observations punctuate much of the action; and the Jewish moneylender, Isaac of York, equally passionate of money and his daughter, Rebecca. The book was written and published during a period of increasing struggle for emancipation of the Jews in England, and there are frequent references to injustice against them.
Plot summary
Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe is disinherited by his father Cedric of Rotherwood, for supporting the Norman King Richard and for falling in love with the Lady Rowena, Cedric's ward and a descendant of the Saxon Kings of England. Cedric had planned to marry her to the powerful Lord Aethelstane, pretender to the Saxon Crown of England, thus cementing a Saxon political alliance between two rivals for the same claim. Ivanhoe accompanies King Richard I to the Crusades, where he is stated to have played a notable role in the Siege of Acre.
The book opens with a scene of Norman knights and prelates seeking the hospitality of Cedric the Saxon, of Rotherwood. They are guided thither by a palmer, fresh returned from the Holy Land. The same night, seeking refuge from the inclement weather and bandits, the Jew Isaac of York arrives at Rotherwood. Following the night's meal, characterised in keeping with the times by a heated exchange of words between the Saxon hosts and their Norman guests, the palmer observes one of the Normans, the Templar Brian de Bois-Guilbert issue orders to his Saracen soldiers to follow Isaac of York after he leaves Rotherwood in the morning and relieve him of his possessions a safe distance from the castle.
The palmer then warns the Jewish money lender of his peril and assists his escape from Rotherwood, at the crack of dawn. The swineherd Gurth refuses to open the gates until the palmer whispers a few words in his ear, which turns Gurth as helpful as he was recalcitrant earlier. This is but one of the many mysterious incidents that occur throughout the tale.
Isaac of York offers to repay his debt to the palmer by offering him a suit of armour and a destrier, to participate in the tournament of Ashby where he was bound. His offer is made on the surmise that the palmer was in reality a knight, having observed his knight's chain and spurs (a fact that he mentions to the palmer). Though the palmer is taken by surprise, he acquiesces to the offer, after the admonition that both armour and horse would be forfeit if he lost in combat.
The story then moves to the scene of the famed tournament of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, which was presided over by Prince John Lackland of England. Other characters in attendance are Cedric, Athelstane, the Lady Rowena, Isaac of York, his daughter Rebecca, Robin of Locksley and his men, Prince John's advisor Waldemar Fitzurse and numerous Norman knights.
In the first day of the tournament, a bout of individual jousting, a mysterious masked knight identifying himself only as "Desdichado", supposedly Spanish for the "Disinherited One" (though actually meaning "Unfortunate"), makes his appearance and manages to defeat some of the best Norman lances, including the Templar Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert, Maurice de Bracy, a leader of a group of "Free Companions" or mercenary knights, and the baron Reginald Front-de-Boeuf. The masked knight declines to reveal himself despite Prince John's request, but is nevertheless declared the champion of the day and, as his due, is permitted to choose the Queen of the Tournament, which honour he bestows upon the Lady Rowena.
On the second day, which is a melée, Desdichado, as champion of the first day, is chosen to be leader of one party. Most of the leading knights of the realm, however, flock to the opposite standard under which Desdichado's vanquished opponents of the previous day fight. The Desdichado's side is soon hard pressed and he himself unfairly beset by multiple foes simultaneously, when a knight who had till then taken no part in the battle, thus earning the sobriquet Le Noir Faineant or the Black Sluggard, rides to the Desdichado's rescue. The rescuing knight, having evened the odds by his action, then slips away. Though the Desdichado was instrumental in wringing victory, Prince John being displeased with his behaviour of the previous day, wishes to bestow his accolades on the Black Knight who had ridden to the rescue. Since the latter is nowhere to be found, he is forced to declare the Desdichado the champion. At this point, being forced to unmask himself to receive his coronet, the Desdichado is revealed to be Wilfred of Ivanhoe himself, returned from the Crusades. This causes much consternation to Prince John and his coterie who now fear the imminent return of King Richard.
Because he is severely wounded in the competition and Cedric refuses to have anything to do with him, he is taken into the care of Rebecca, the beautiful daughter of Isaac of York, a skilled healer. She convinces her father to take him with them to York, where he may be best treated. There follows a splendid account of a feat of archery by Locksley, or Robin Hood at the conclusion of the tournament.
In the meanwhile, Maurice de Bracy finds himself infatuated with the Lady Rowena and, with his companions-in-arms, plans to abduct her. In the forests between Ashby and York, the Lady Rowena, her guardian Cedric and the Saxon thane Aethelstane encounter Isaac of York, Rebecca and the wounded Ivanhoe, who were abandoned by their servants for fear of bandits. The Lady Rowena, in response to the supplication of Isaac and Rebecca, urges Cedric to take them under his protection till York. Cedric acquiesces to it, being unaware that the wounded man is Ivanhoe. En route, they are captured by Maurice de Bracy and his companions and taken to Torquilstone, the castle of Reginald Front-de-Boeuf. The swineherd and serf, Gurth, who had run away from Rotherwood to serve Ivanhoe as squire at the tournament, and who was recaptured by Cedric when Ivanhoe was identified, manages to escape.
Le Noir Faineant in the Hermit's Cell by J. Cooper, Sr. From an 1886 edition of Walter Scott's works
The Black Knight, having taken refuge for the night in the hut of a local friar, the Holy Clerk of Copmanhurst, volunteers his assistance on learning about the predicament of the captives from Robin of Locksley who comes to rouse the friar for an attempt to free them. They then besiege the Castle of Torquilstone with Robin Hood's own men, including the friar, and the Saxon yeomen they manage to raise, who are angered by the oppression of Reginald Front-de-Boeuf and his neighbour, Philip de Malvoisin.
At Torquilstone, Maurice de Bracy presses his suit with the Lady Rowena, while his love goes unrequited. In the meantime, Brian de Bois-Guilbert, who had accompanied de Bracy on the raid, takes Rebecca for his captive, and tries to force his attentions on her, which are rebuffed. Front-de-Boeuf, in the meantime, tries to wring a hefty ransom, by torture, from Isaac of York. Isaac refuses to pay a farthing unless his daughter is freed from her Templar captor.
When the besiegers deliver a note to yield up the captives, their Norman captors retort with a message for a priest to administer the Final Sacrament to the captives. It is then that Wamba slips in, disguised as a priest, and takes the place of Cedric, who thus escapes, bringing important information on the strength of the garrison and its layout.
Then follows an account of the storming of the castle. Front-de-Boeuf is killed while de Bracy surrenders to the Black Knight, who identifies himself as Richard of England. Showing mercy, the Black Knight releases de Bracy. Brian de Bois-Guilbert escapes with Rebecca and Isaac is released from his underground dungeon by the Clerk of Copmanhurst. The Lady Rowena is saved by Cedric, while the crippled Ivanhoe is plucked from the flames of the castle by the Black Knight. In the fighting, Aethelstane is grievously wounded while attempting to rescue Rebecca, whom he mistakes for Rowena.
Subsequently, in the woodlands, Robin Hood plays host to the Black Knight. Word is also conveyed by De Bracy to Prince John of the King's return and the fall of Torquilstone.
In the meantime, Bois-Guilbert rushes with his captive to the nearest Templar Preceptory, which is under his friend Albert de Malvoisin, expecting to be able to flee the country. However, Lucas de Beaumanoir, the Grand-Master of the Templars is unexpectedly present there. He takes umbrage at de Bois-Guilbert's sinful passion, which is in violation of his Templar vows and decides to subject Rebecca to a trial for witchcraft, for having cast a spell on so devoted a Templar brother as Bois-Guilbert. She is found guilty through a flawed trial and pleads for a trial by combat. De Bois-Guilbert, who had hoped to fight as her champion incognito, is devastated by the Grand-Master's ordering him to fight against her champion. Rebecca then writes to her father to procure a champion for her.
Meanwhile Cedric organises Aethelstane's funeral at Kyningestun, in the midst of which the Black Knight, arrives with a companion. Cedric, who had not been present at Robin Hood's carousal, is ill-disposed towards the Black Knight on learning his true identity. But King Richard calms Cedric and reconciles him with his son, convincing him to agree to the marriage of Ivanhoe and Rowena. Shortly after, Aethelstane emerges - not dead, but having been laid in his coffin alive by avaricious monks, desirous of the funeral money. Over Cedric's renewed protests, Aethelstane pledges his homage to the Norman King Richard and urges Cedric to marry the Lady Rowena to Ivanhoe. Cedric yields, not unwillingly.
Soon after this reconciliation, Ivanhoe receives a message from Isaac of York beseeching him to fight on Rebecca's behalf. Upon arriving at the scene of the witch-burning Ivanhoe forces de Bois-Guilbert from his saddle, but does not kill him - the Templar dies "a victim to the violence of his own contending passions," which is pronounced by the Grand Master as the judgment of God and proof of Rebecca's innocence. King Richard, who had quit the funeral feast soon after Ivanhoe's departure, then arrives at the Templar Preceptory, banishes the Templars from the Preceptory and declares that the Malvoisins' lives are forfeit for having aided in the plots against him.
Fearing further persecution, Rebecca and her father leave England for Granada, prior to which she comes to bid Rowena a fond farewell. Ivanhoe and Rowena marry and live a long and happy life together, though the final paragraphs of the book note that Ivanhoe's long service was cut short when King Richard met a premature death in battle.
Characters
* Wilfred of Ivanhoe – a knight and son of Cedric the Saxon
* Rebecca – a Jewish healer, daughter of Isaac of York
* Rowena – a noble Saxon Lady
* Prince John – brother of King Richard
* The Black Knight[disambiguation needed] or Knight of the Fetterlock – King Richard the Lionhearted, incognito
* Locksley – i.e., Robin Hood, an English yeoman
* The Hermit or Clerk of Copmanhurst –– i.e., Friar Tuck
* Brian de Bois-Guilbert – a Templar Knight
* Isaac of York – the father of Rebecca; a Jewish merchant and money-lender
* Prior Aymer – Prior of Jorvaulx
* Reginald Front-de-Boeuf – a local baron who was given Ivanhoe's estate by Prince John
* Cedric the Saxon – Ivanhoe's father
* Lucas de Beaumanoir – fictional Grand Master of the Knights Templars
* Conrade de Montfichet – Templar
* Maurice De Bracy – Captain of the Free Companions
* Waldemar Fitzurse – Prince John's loyal minion
* Aethelstane – last of the Saxon royal line
* Albert de Malvoisin – Preceptor of Templestowe
* Philip de Malvoisin – local baron (brother of Albert)
* Gurth – Cedric's loyal Swineherd
* Wamba – Cedric's loyal Jester
Unofficial sequels
* In 1850, novelist William Makepeace Thackeray wrote a spoof sequel to Ivanhoe called Rebecca and Rowena.
* Edward Eager's book Knight's Castle (1956) magically transports four children into the story of Ivanhoe.
* Christopher Vogler wrote a sequel called Ravenskull (2006), published by Seven Seas Publishing.
* Pierre Efratas wrote a sequel called Le Destin d'Ivanhoe (2003), published by Editions Charles Corlet.
* Simon Hawke uses the story as the basis for The Ivanhoe Gambit the first novel in his time travel adventure series TimeWars.
* The 1839 Eglinton Tournament held by the 13th Earl of Eglinton at Eglinton Castle in Ayrshire was inspired and modelled on Ivanhoe.
Allusions to real history and geography
The location of the novel is centred upon South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire in England. Castles mentioned within the story include Ashby de la Zouch where the opening tournament is held (now a ruin in the care of English Heritage), York (though the mention of Clifford's Tower, likewise an English Heritage property, and still standing, is anachronistic, it not having been called that until later after various rebuilds) and 'Coningsburgh', which is based upon Conisbrough Castle near Doncaster (also English Heritage and a popular tourist attraction). Reference is made within the story, too, to York Minster, where the climactic wedding takes place, and to the Bishop of Sheffield, although the Diocese of Sheffield was not founded until 1914. These references within the story contribute to the notion that Robin Hood lived or travelled in and around this area.
The ancient town of Conisbrough has become so dedicated to the story of Ivanhoe that many of the streets, schools and public buildings are named after either characters from the book or the 12th-century castle.
Influence on Robin Hood legend
The modern vision of Robin Hood as a cheerful, patriotic rebel owes much to Ivanhoe. "Locksley" becomes Robin's title in this novel and hereafter, although it is first mentioned as Robin's birthplace in 1600 and used as an epithet in one ballad. Robin Hood from Locksley becomes Robin of Locksley, alias Robin Hood. The Saxon-Norman conflict first mooted as an influence on the legend by Joseph Ritson is made a major theme by Scott, and remains so in many subsequent retellings. Scott actually shuns the convention of depicting Robin as a dispossessed nobleman, but Ivanhoe has contributed to this strand of the legend, too, because subsequent Robin Hoods (e.g. in the 1922 Douglas Fairbanks film, and 1991's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves) take on Wilfrid of Ivanhoe's own characteristics - they are returning Crusaders, have quarrelled with their fathers, and so forth. Also, the modern practice of depicting Robin as a contemporary of Richard I first appears in this novel; before that, he was generally placed two centuries later.
Robin's familiar feat of splitting his competitor's arrow in an archery contest appears for the first time in Ivanhoe.
Historical accuracy
The general political events depicted in the novel are relatively accurate; it tells of the period just after King Richard's imprisonment in Austria following the Crusade, and of his return to England. Yet the story is also heavily fictionalized.
There has been criticism, "... as unsupported by the evidence of contemporary records, of the enmity of Saxon and Norman, represented as persisting in the days of Richard I, which forms the basis of the story."
One inaccuracy in Ivanhoe created a new name in the English language: Cedric. The original Saxon name is Cerdic but Sir Walter committed metathesis. Satirist H. H. Munro, with his typical caustic wit, commented: "It is not a name but a misspelling."
A major inaccuracy is that in 1194 England it would have been quite impossible for Rebecca to face the threat of being burned at the stake on charges of witchcraft. The Church did not undertake the finding and punishment of witches until the 1250s, and death did not become the usual penalty until the fifteenth century; even then, the form of execution used for witches in England (unlike Scotland and Continental Europe) was hanging, burning being reserved for those also convicted of high or petty treason.
However, it should be noted that the method of Rebecca's execution is presented as proposed by Lucas Beaumanoir, Grand Master of the Knights Templars - a Frenchman and a fanatic, determined to root out "corruption" from the Templars. It is quite plausible that Beaumanoir, like many nobles of the time, would have considered himself above the law and entitled to execute a witch in his power in any way that he chose.
Another inaccuracy comes with the terms used by certain characters throughout the novel. At one point, Cedric refers to the lingua franca, an Italian term for "Frankish language" that would not be introduced into British vocabulary until the mid-1600s. Other such anomalies occur at random through the novel.
The novel's references to the Moorish king Boabdil are also anachronistic, since he lived about 300 years after Richard.
It must be noted, however, that Scott himself acknowledged that he had taken liberties with history in his "Dedicatory Epistle" to Ivanhoe. Modern readers are cautioned to understand that Scott's aim was to create a compelling novel set in a historical period, not to provide a book of history.
Rebecca Gratz as inspiration for the character Rebecca
It has been conjectured that the character of Rebecca in the book was inspired by Rebecca Gratz, a preeminent American educator and philanthropist who was the first Jewish female college student in the United States. Scott's attention had been drawn to Gratz's character by Washington Irving, who was a close friend of the Gratz family. The claim has been disputed, but it has also been well sustained in an article entitled "The Original of Rebecca in Ivanhoe", which appeared in The Century Magazine, 1882, pp. 679–682.
Gratz was considered among the most beautiful and educated women in her community. She never married, and is alleged to have refused a marriage proposal from a Gentile on account of her faith - a well-known incident at the time, which may have inspired the relationship depicted in the book between Rebecca and Ivanhoe.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
The novel has been the basis for several movies:
* Ivanhoe (1913): Directed by Herbert Brenon. With King Baggot, Leah Baird, and Brenon. Filmed on location in England and at Chepstow Castle in Wales
* Ivanhoe (1952): Directed by Richard Thorpe and starred Robert Taylor as Ivanhoe, Elizabeth Taylor as Rebecca, Joan Fontaine as Rowena, George Sanders as Bois-Guilbert, Finlay Currie as Cedric, and Sebastian Cabot. The film has a notable jousting scene as well as a well choreographed castle siege sequence. The visual spectacle is given more attention than the dialogue and underlying story, though the main points of the plot are covered. The film was nominated for three Oscars:
o Best Picture - Pandro S. Berman
o Best Cinematography, Color - Freddie Young
o Best Music Score - Miklós Rózsa
There is also a Russian movie The Ballad of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe (Баллада о доблестном рыцаре Айвенго) (1983), directed by Sergey Tarasov, with songs of Vladimir Vysotsky, starring Peteris Gaudins as Ivanhoe.
There have also been many television adaptations of the novel, including:
* 1958: A television series based on the character of Ivanhoe starred Roger Moore as Ivanhoe.
* 1970: A TV miniseries starring Eric Flynn as Ivanhoe.
* 1982: Ivanhoe, a television movie starring Anthony Andrews as Ivanhoe, Michael Hordern as his father, Cedric, Sam Neill as Sir Brian, Olivia Hussey as Rebecca, James Mason as Isaac, Lysette Anthony as Rowena, Julian Glover as King Richard, and David Robb as Robin Hood. In this version, Sir Brian is a hero. Though he could easily have won the fight against the wounded and weakened Ivanhoe, Brian lowers his sword and allows himself to be slaughtered, thus saving the life of his beloved Rebecca.
* 1986: Ivanhoe, a 1986 animated telemovie produced by Burbank Films in Australia.
* 1995: Young Ivanhoe, a 1995 television series directed by Ralph L. Thomas and starring Kristen Holden-Ried as Ivanhoe, Stacy Keach, Margot Kidder, Nick Mancuso, Rachel Blanchard, and Matthew Daniels.
* 1997: Ivanhoe the King's Knight a televised cartoon series produced by CINAR and France Animation. General retelling of classic tale.
* 1997: This version of Ivanhoe was released as a 6-part, 5-hour series, a co-production of A&E and the BBC. It stars Steven Waddington as Ivanhoe, Ciarán Hinds as Bois-Guilbert, Susan Lynch as Rebecca, Ralph Brown as Prince John and Victoria Smurfit as Rowena.
* 2000: A Channel 5 adaptation entitled Darkest Knight attempted to adapt Ivanhoe for an ongoing series. Ben Pullen played Ivanhoe and Charlotte Comer played Rebecca.
An operatic adaptation by Sir Arthur Sullivan (see Ivanhoe) ran for over 150 consecutive performances in 1891. Other operas based on the novel have been composed by Gioachino Rossini (Ivanhoé), Thomas Sari (Ivanhoé), Bartolomeo Pisani (Rebecca), A. Castagnier (Rébecca), Otto Nicolai (Il Templario)and Heinrich Marschner (Der Templer und die Jüdin). Rossini's opera is a pasticcio (an opera in which the music for a new text is chosen from pre-existent music by one or more composers). Scott attended a performance of it and recorded in his journal, "It was an opera, and, of course, the story sadly mangled and the dialogue, in part nonsense."