Ivanhoe - Philology — LiveJournal. Analysis of the historical work of Walter Scott "Ivanhoe" Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe is

Walter Scott

Walter Scott, creator of the historical novel genre, was one of the most significant innovators V literature XIX century. His work had a huge impact not only on English, but on all European and American literature. Literary activity of this writer begins at the end of the 18th century. Initially, the writer acts as a poet and collector of folk poetry. The three-volume collection Songs of the Scottish Border (1802–1803) he published is a classic folklore source. In the early original work of W. Scott, the use of folklore traditions and the poetics of the English pre-romantics is clearly manifested. Already during this period, V. Scott acts as an original and talented poet well-deservedly renowned. His ballads (such as "Midsummer Night") and poems ("Song of the Last Minstrel", "Ma?rmion", "Lady of the Lake", etc.) were a major phenomenon in English literature.

W. Scott was the founder of the historical novel, a genre in which romantic historicism could be implemented fully. The writer was the first to try to write a novel about the past from the standpoint of modernity, evaluating this past taking into account the experience and knowledge accumulated by mankind. He is looking for the origins of the present in the past, knowing the real course of the historical process, not idealizing individual historical epochs, but trying to show their interdependence.

Since the purpose of the historical novel is to show characteristics era, V. Scott chooses for his works key, turning points in the life of society and the state, when the defining features of the era are most clearly manifested or when a historically regular change of eras occurs. Thus, the novel "Ivango" depicts the period of the formation of the English nation, "Quentin Dorvard" - the centralization of the French state, "Woodstock" - the English bourgeois revolution, "Rob Roy" - Jacobite movement in Scotland.

« Historical novel V. Scott, in relation to the mores, customs, color and spirit of a certain country in a certain era, is more reliable than any history, ”wrote V. G. Belinsky.

In order to create a wide panorama, to show the interweaving of interests of various segments of the population, V. Scott introduces several storylines into the narrative, interconnected by a common intrigue, illuminating in different ways the attitude of different classes to ongoing events, and, as a rule, all the main classes have in the novels. .Scott of their representatives.

Note that the author's attention is always focused on the personal interests of the characters, seemingly private events. The main characters of his works are almost never historical figures. The writer leaves himself freedom in choosing the time, place of action, movements of the characters, in motivating their actions, that is, leaves a wide field of activity for creative imagination. However, the private life of people is closely connected with the reality around them, with the historical atmosphere, and in the novels of W. Scott, who caught this pattern, a private event becomes a typical manifestation of the general historical process, reflecting those features that determined the life of society as a whole. Family, personal relationships are intertwined with historical events, absorb their characteristic features, depend on them.

Critical eras are replete with dramatic conflicts, so the novels English writer depicting these eras are dramatic.

W. Scott's merit lies in the fact that he is not limited to a one-sided assessment of the historical past, but gives various heroes the opportunity to express their opinion, which often turns out to be more correct than the opinions of the main characters expressing the author's point of view. It is this position of the main characters of the writer in the narrative that partly determines the fact that they often turn out to be only a connecting link in various storylines, determine the compositional, but not the ideological center of the work.

The most important achievement of the writer was the reflection of the social conflicts of the era and the image of the masses as driving force historical progress (although the people in his novels are devoid of creative energy and completely dependent on their leaders). The realistic principles of reflecting reality were born within the romantic method of W. Scott, not contradicting it and not weakening its positions, but supplementing it, giving a special charm to the writer's works and helping the reader to understand the objective laws of the historical process. That is why V. G. Belinsky said that V. Scott “gave historical and social direction the latest European art.

One of the best works W. Scott, in which all the main features of the romantic historical novel were manifested, is Ivanhoe (1819). The novel describes the events of the XII century, when England was already conquered by the Normans, the resistance of the Saxons was finally broken and the process of formation of the English nation began in the country. The period that attracted the attention of the novelist is also significant in the sense that the victory of the Normans and the strengthening of their power in the reign of Richard I Plantagenet opened the way for feudal civil strife. The struggle of the Saxons with the Normans forced the barons to support the king and leaders, the victory largely depended on the unity of the fighting parties. The achievement by the Normans of their goals led to the destruction of temporary alliances, and in the novel by W. Scott, the reader already clearly sees the first outbreaks of disobedience of the barons to their sovereign, the beginning of that period of the Middle Ages, which is defined as feudal fragmentation.

All these historical processes are directly reflected in Ivanhoe. The writer chooses for his narrative the moment when English king Richard Lion Heart returns to the kingdom from Austrian captivity. At this time, various forces are operating in the country, trying to extract the maximum benefit from the current situation. Despite the obvious victory of the Normans, influential representatives of the Saxon nobility remained in the country, dreaming of the revival of their former independence (the most striking representative of them is in the novel Sedrik the Saxon). At the same time, the belief in the impossibility of the victory of the Saxons unties the hands of the barons, and the first act of disobedience to the king is associated with the activities of his brother, Prince John of Anjou, around whom the feudal lords are grouped, hoping to benefit from the upcoming turmoil. The weakness of royal power is manifested in those episodes of the novel where John flirts with the barons, persuading them to support the claims of the prince. At the same time, the leaders of the order of the Knights of the Temple are trying to take advantage of the absence of the king, seeking to strengthen the position of their order in the country. (Spiritual and chivalric orders are a kind of feudal associations independent of the king.) Thus, various interests collide in the novel, reflecting the real historical situation and determining the path along which the state will develop in the future.

The novel is built as the story of the son of Cedric of Saxon, the knight Ivanhoe, who returned from Palestine to a country where his father's curse awaits him and where his patron, the king, has not yet returned. The novel ends with Ivanhoe's happy marriage to his beloved Lady Rowena. Formally, the hero unites the narrative, it is to him that various storylines works. Ivanhoe stands at the center of the system of images, and from this point of view, it is he who is the main character, although the development of the plot least of all depends on his activities. In accordance with this role in the work, Ivanhoe expresses author's attitude to the historical processes that took place in the country. It is characteristic that the hero advocates a compromise between the Normans and the Saxons, between the legitimate royal power and the subjects of the king. However, Ivanhoe does not have a decisive influence on the development of events. Moreover, when there is a decisive clash of the warring parties, he lies wounded and cannot take any part in what is happening. Ivanhoe is a typical example of the protagonist of W. Scott's novels. But this character allows the novelist to structure the narrative in such a way that different interests and different social forces clash in one common conflict.

The “compromising nature” of this hero allows him to connect into a single artistic whole the problem of the Saxon struggle for independence and their inevitable defeat (Ivanhoe is the son of Cedric, the leader of the Saxons, and his marriage to the heiress of the Saxon kings, Rowena, prevents the unification of the groups of the enslaved people), the problem of the relationship between the king and feudal lords (Ivanhoe is a supporter of unified royal power and opposes recalcitrant barons), the problem of the fight against spiritual and knightly orders (Ivanhoe is the enemy of Boisguillebert, one of the leaders of the Order of the Temple), the problem of the relationship of feudal lords with the broad masses of the people and a number of other problems. Ivanhoe expresses a desire to reconcile the conflicting forces on the basis of subordination to the royal power, which, in turn, must take into account the interests of all segments of the population and protect their legitimate rights. This program, of course, reflects the worldview of W. Scott himself, his satisfaction with the results of the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688.

However, the reader finds out the features historical development England in the XII century, not unconditionally following the reasoning and actions of Ivanhoe, but based on the general content of the novel. In other words, the ideological sound of the work is determined by the historically correct reflection of the very contradictions of the era and those social forces that enter into conflicts that express these contradictions.

The work of V. Scott was highly appreciated in Russia, A. S. Pushkin spoke enthusiastically about him: “In our time, under the word novel we mean a whole historical epoch developed in a fictional narrative. W. Scott carried away a whole crowd of imitators. But how far they are from the Scottish sorcerer!” And later, V. G. Belinsky noted the main world achievement of the writer: “The glory of creating the newest novel remains behind Walter Scott.”

Questions and tasks

1. Tell us what historical moment in the life of England V. Scott chooses for the story and why.

2. Explain the ideological and compositional role of Ivanhoe in the novel.

4. Follow how representatives of various social strata of English society are shown in the novel.

5. Explain the ideological and compositional role of the image of Richard the Lionheart in the novel.

6. Describe the image of Brian de Boisguillebert. What literary type does this character belong to?

7. What are the main genre features historical novel and illustrate them with the example of "Ivanhoe" by W. Scott.

8. Explain the meaning and artistic purpose epigraphs and inserted ballads in this work.

9. Using the example of the novel Ivanhoe, show the basic principles of romantic historicism.

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Biography of Walter Scott

Walter Scott was born in Scotland, in the city of Edinburgh, in the family of a lawyer. From the early childhood he was interested in history. Future Writer possessed a phenomenal memory: he easily remembered dates, events, names, titles.

After leaving school, the writer worked for several years in his father's law office. During this period, he reads a lot, and a lot - in the original language. Walter Scott was fluent in French, Spanish, Italian, German and Latin. In the nineties of the XVIII century, Scott was fond of German romanticism. He entered literature primarily as a poet.

In 1811, Walter Scott purchased 100 acres of land on the south bank of the River Tweed, once owned by Melrose Abbey. On this site, Scott set about building a mansion in the old Scottish baronial style, calling it Abbotsford (Fig. 2).

Rice. 2. Abbotsford Mansion

Scott turned the Abbotsford estate into a kind of museum of Scotland's past. The mansion was built according to the design of Scott himself. Construction was completed in 1824. From 1826 until his death in 1832 Walter Scott lived and worked permanently in Abbotsford.

In 1813, while sorting through his manuscripts, Walter Scott unexpectedly stumbled upon a manuscript of a novel that he began writing in 1805. After rereading the manuscript, he decided to continue working on it. In the shortest possible time, literally in a year, Walter Scott writes his first historical novel, Waverley. From this moment begins the worldwide fame of the writer as the author of a historical novel.

In Scotland, in the heart of Edinburgh, there is unusual monument- this majestic building consists of a sixty-meter-high lancet arch, which resembles a Gothic medieval cathedral (Fig. 3). Under the arch, on a pedestal to which steps lead, is a statue of Walter Scott in white marble. The writer sits with a book in his hand. Next to him is a beloved dog that faithfully looks at the owner. In the niches of the tower there are figures of the heroes of W. Scott's books.

Rice. 3. Monument to Walter Scott

“I erected a monument to myself not made by hands ..” - these lines from famous poem A.S. Pushkin is the best match for Walter Scott. He lives on in his great works.

Among the many works of Scott, perhaps the most popular was the novel "Ivanhoe". The novel takes place in England in the 12th century. The conflict unfolds between two warring camps: the Normans, who conquered England at the end of the 12th century, and the Anglo-Saxons, who have owned the territory of the country for several centuries. For the novel, as for all of Scott's work, the interweaving of political and love intrigue is characteristic. Reporting information about medieval England, the author tells us about knightly honor, love, and fidelity.

Against the backdrop of picturesque historical events, the hero acts - Ivanhoe, faithful to the code of honor, in any situation acting in accordance with a sense of duty and remaining faithful beautiful sweetheart. He wins the duels of the Knights Templar, fights with Richard the Lionheart, takes part in the crusade, protects the defenseless, fights for his love.

Thus, through fictional narrative about the brave knight Ivanhoe, a historical era is presented - the life of England in the 12th century.

The historical flavor of the era is created in the novel using the following techniques:

1. direct historical comment,

2. details of the era (interior, clothes, traditions),

3. the presence of historical characters.

Let's work with the text and select quotes that recreate the era. First of all, we will pay attention to direct historical commentary, which is the main device in historical prose. We have already encountered this device in the works of Pushkin and Gogol. However, if the direct historical commentary of the named authors was rather concise, then in the novel by Walter Scott we see a detailed account of events, the author draws us the historical situation that developed in England in the 12th century. So, let's turn to the text. Here is what is said about feudal fragmentation.

“... in time, the events described in it refer to the end of the reign of Richard I, when the return of the king from a long captivity seemed a desirable, but already impossible event to desperate subjects who were subjected to endless oppression by the nobility. The feudal lords, who had received exorbitant power in the reign of Stephen, but were forced to submit to the royal authority of the prudent Henry II, now again outraged, as in former times; ignoring the weak attempts of the English council of state to limit their arbitrariness, they fortified their castles, increased the number of vassals, forced the entire district into obedience and vassalage…»

The confrontation between the Anglo-Saxons and the Normans (indigenous people and conquerors):

“The conquest of England by the Norman Duke William greatly increased the tyranny of the feudal lords and deepened the suffering of the lower classes. Four generations could not mix together the hostile blood of the Normans and Anglo-Saxons or reconcile the common language and mutual interests of the peoples hated by each other, of which one was still reveling in victory, and the other was suffering from the consequences of its defeat ... Almost without exception, Saxon princes and Saxon nobility were either exterminated or deprived of their possessions; the number of small Saxon owners, who retained the lands of their fathers, was also small. The kings constantly sought, by legal and illegal measures, to weaken that part of the population that experienced an innate hatred of the conquerors. All monarchs of Norman origin had a clear preference for their fellow tribesmen.».

The position of the common people:

“At that time, the English people were in a rather sad situation ... Many peasants, driven to despair by the oppression of the feudal lords and the merciless application of laws on the protection of forests, united in large detachments that ruled in forests and wastelands, not at all afraid of local authorities. In turn, the nobles, playing the role of autocratic rulers, gathered around themselves whole gangs, not much different from robber gangs ... It is not surprising that under such difficult conditions of existence, the English people experienced great disasters in the present and had every reason to fear even worse in the future. . On top of all the evils, some dangerous contagious disease has spread throughout the country. Having found fertile ground for herself in the difficult conditions of life of the lower strata of society, she claimed many victims, and the survivors often envied the dead, delivered from impending troubles.».

Thus, in detailed, direct historical commentary, Walter Scott describes the situation in 12th-century England. It is against this background that the main events of the novel unfold. Speaking about the historical novel, we also noted the great role of the description of the situation and the clothes of the characters. Walter Scott pays great attention to this, he in the most detailed way describes the appearance of their characters. Let's take an example.

“His clothes consisted of one leather jacket, sewn from the tanned skin of some animal, fur up; from time to time, the fur was so worn out that it was impossible to determine from the few remaining scraps which animal it belonged to. This primitive robe covered its owner from the neck to the knees and replaced all parts of ordinary clothing for him. The collar was so wide that the jacket was put on over the head, like our shirts or old chain mail. To make the jacket fit snugly to the body, it was pulled over by a wide leather belt with a copper clasp. A bag was hung from the belt on one side, and a ram's horn with a pipe on the other. A long wide knife with a horn handle protruded from his belt; such knives were made right there, in the neighborhood, and were already known then under the name of Sheffield. On his feet this man had sandal-like shoes with bearskin straps, and thinner and narrower straps wrapped around the calves, leaving the knees bare, as is customary among the Scots.».

We can easily recognize Gurt the swineherd in the illustration and we are convinced that the artist reproduced his appearance quite accurately according to the description (Fig. 4).

Rice. 4. A.Z. Itkin. Illustration for the book "Ivanhoe"

Let's name the events of the novel.

1. Crusades

2. Knight tournaments

3. Knights Templar

4. Competitions of archers

5. Abduction of Rowena (Saxon) by the Normans

6. Torture of the Jew Isaac

7. Judgment of Rebekah

8. Forest robbers

So, we have examined the role of historical commentary and detailed description of clothing in a historical novel. An equally important role in the work of this genre is played by a historical character. The main historical figure in Walter Scott's novel "Ivanhoe" was the English king Richard the Lionheart. His image in the novel is covered with a halo of mystery and romanticism. He appears incognito, first under the name of the Black Knight, and then under the name of the Knight of the Padlock. At first, he is perceived by readers as a simple knight-errant, to whom glory won in solitude is dearer than glory at the head of a huge army. However, in this image there is both physical and moral strength, and gradually it is revealed. Let's see what characterization Rebekah gives him, watching the siege of the castle.

“He rushes into battle, as if to a merry feast. More than just muscle power controls his blows - it seems as if he puts his whole soul into every blow inflicted on the enemy. This is a terrible and majestic sight when the hand and heart of one person defeats a hundred people.».

Such traits as courage, generosity and nobility, in fact, were characteristic of the king of England. But, undoubtedly, the image of Richard is far from the historical truth, who in the novel by W. Scott looks like a charming, simple man and a wise warrior who cares about the interests of his people, sincerely loving his subjects. In the historical, authentic Richard, the features of court education were intertwined with the repulsive cruelty and greed of the feudal lord. The history of Richard's wars and raids is full of disgusting facts that strongly contradict the attractive image created by W. Scott. The real Richard the Lionheart wasn't that close to ordinary people England, did not lead them to attack feudal castles, did not judge so fairly and wisely (Fig. 5).

We have repeatedly read various historical works and paid attention to the role of fiction. The author, talking about the events of the past, first of all tries to express his attitude and view of these events. This happened with W. Scott's novel Ivanhoe. The author's task is not to create a real historical character, but to convey his attitude towards him and, more importantly, the attitude of the common people towards him. That is why the novel is based not only on historical chronicles, but also on folk ballads. We know that folklore reflects the people's true view of events. can lead specific example- an episode when the Black Knight comes across the hut of a hermit monk in the forest, gets to know him, sings songs with him. This episode is taken from a folk ballad.

Rice. 5. Richard the Lionheart

Recall that the main theme of the novel "Ivanhoe" is the depiction of the struggle between the Anglo-Saxons - the local population - and the Norman conquerors. The writer himself is on the side of the Anglo-Saxons. That is why, with the help of fiction, he wanted to show the unity of the king, local feudal lords and the common people. The author gives his Saxon heroes best features- courage, honesty, nobility. This is how we see Cedric Sax, Æthelstan, Ivanhoe. Goodies of the novel are opposed to the Norman knights. These are people without shame and conscience, capable of the lowest and meanest deeds in order to achieve their own selfish goals. The scenes of the abduction of Rowena, the imprisonment of Rebekah, the torture of the Jew Isaac are disgusting. Tragic is the fate of Urfrida, who became a victim of the arbitrariness of the Normans.

“I was born,” she said, “not at all such a miserable creature as you see me now, my father. I was free, happy, respected, loved and loved myself. Now I am a slave, unhappy and humiliated. While I was beautiful, I was the plaything of the passions of my masters, and since my beauty faded, I became the object of their hatred and contempt. Is it any wonder, my father, that I have come to hate the human race, and most of all the tribe to which I was indebted for such a change in my destiny? Can a frail and shriveled old woman, pouring out her anger in impotent curses, forget that she was once the daughter of the noble thane of Thorquilstone, before whom thousands of vassals trembled?

The image of Urfrida became direct evidence long history humiliation and oppression of the Saxons. Reading the work, we come across other examples of the disrespectful attitude of the Normans towards the Saxons. So, for example, during the knightly horizontal bar, Prince John was very unhappy that he defeated Ivanhoe, and the Saxon Rowena was elected queen of love and beauty.

Throughout the novel, the Normans call the Saxons pigs, mocking their ideals and traditions. In response, the Saxon people composed a proverb.

Norman saws on our oaks,

Norman yoke on our shoulders,

Norman spoons in English porridge,

Normans rule our homeland,

Until we drop all four,

There will be no fun in the native country.

The cup of people's patience is full, which is why the culmination of the novel was the episode of the capture of the castle. In this scene, the author showed the unity of the king, Saxon feudal lords, servants and even forest robbers. All united for one goal - to repel a common enemy.

Loxley

Robin Hood is the hero of medieval English folk ballads, the leader of forest robbers (Fig. 6).

Rice. 6. Robin Hood

According to legend, he acted with his gang in Sherwood Forest near Nottingham - robbed the rich, giving the spoils to the poor.

Robin Hood was born in the village of Loxley, hence his middle name - Robin of Loxley.

Historians are still arguing whether the hero had his own historical prototype. In addition, even if such a person lived, most likely, he existed at the beginning of the XIV century, during the reign of Edward the Second.

However, Walter Scott uses fiction and places his hero in the era of the end of the XII century. There are many facts against this. For example, in the novel, Loxley is involved in a shooting competition. Historians say that such competitions began to be held in England no earlier than in the 13th century.

An interesting scene is the parting of the Black Knight and the leader of the forest robbers Loxley.

“Sir knight,” answered the robber, “each of us has his own secret. I leave you to judge me as you please. I myself have some guesses about you, but it is very possible that neither you nor I hit the target. But since I do not ask you to reveal your secret to me, do not be offended if I do not reveal mine to you.
- Forgive me, brave yeoman, - said the knight, - your reproach is just. But it may happen that we will meet again and then we will not hide from each other. And now, I hope, we will part friends?
“Here is my hand in friendship,” said Loxley, “and I can safely say that this is the hand of an honest Englishman, although now I am a robber.
“Here is my hand,” said the knight, “and know that I consider it an honor to shake your hand.” For whoever does good, having an unlimited ability to do evil, is worthy of praise not only for the good done, but also for all the evil that he does not do. Goodbye, brave robber!
»

So the king of England Richard the first and the legendary Robin Hood, the leader of a gang of forest robbers, said goodbye.

The finale of the novel is optimistic: good has triumphed, the enemy has been defeated. That is what differs literary work from historical chronicle. Therefore, A. Dumas, the author of many historical novels, in particular the well-known work "The Three Musketeers", argued: "History is the nail on which I hang my picture."

Bibliography

1. Literature. 8th grade. Textbook at 2 o'clock Korovin V.Ya. and others - 8th ed. - M.: Education, 2009.

2. Samarin R. / Walter Scott and his novel "Ivanhoe" / R. Samarin. - M., 1989. - p. 3-14.

3. Belsky A.A. / Walter Scott // Brief literary encyclopedia: In 8 volumes / A.A. Belsky - T.6. - M.: Sov. Encyclopedia, 1971. - 900 p.

Homework

1) Write an essay comparative characteristic Ivanhoe and Richard the Lionheart.

2) Answer the questions and complete the tasks:

1. Describe the acquaintance of a Jew and a disinherited knight.
2. Which of the knights who were the hosts of the tournament participated in the duel?
3. Who won, who lost?
4. What is the attitude of others towards the Jew? What is his real character?
5. How much money did a knight's servant give without an inheritance to a Jew for armor and a horse?
6. What prize/reward goes to the winner of the first day of the tournament?
7. How did Rowena and the disinherited knight accept the prince's invitation to come to the castle for a feast in honor of the first day, and why?
8. Who was declared the winner of the second day of the tournament? What did he excel in?
9. What happened when the Queen of the Tournament crowned a disinherited knight? Why?
10. Did you recognize him at the tournament? And why?
11. Describe Ivanhoe's relationship with his father
12. Which of the archers won, what did the loser say?
13. Why is Ivanhoe a knight without an inheritance?
3) Describe one of the characters in the novel. Consider the differences between historical character and the corresponding hero. Try to emphasize in your answer the signs of that distant era. Do not forget to say about how you see the attitude of the author to the hero.

Publisher:

Hurst, Robinson, and Co.;
Archibald Constable and Co.

in Wikisource

Ivanhoe is Scott's first novel set outside of Scotland. The events are dated to 1194 - 130 years after the Battle of Hastings, as a result of which the Saxons were subjugated by the Normans.

background

Ivanhoe is the first novel in which Scott addresses purely English culture, depicting the Saxon-Norman feud during the reign of Richard I. J. G. Lockhart in his Life of Walter Scott (eng. Life of Sir Walter Scott; 1837-1838) suggests that the decision to turn to medieval England was prompted by the writer's "afternoon conversation" with his friend William Clerk, which drew Scott's attention to the hostility between the two peoples of England. The clerk noted that the words used to name breeds of livestock, in English language have Anglo-Saxon roots (for example, sheep- "sheep" pig- "pig", cow- “cow”), and borrowed from French terms are used to refer to the dishes prepared from them ( mutton- "mutton ", pork- "pork ", beef- "beef "). This illustration of the subordination of the Saxons to the Norman landowners is mentioned in Ivanhoe.

Scott wanted the novel to be published without attribution. He was curious whether the public would recognize "the author of Waverley", and besides, he hoped to publish "Ivanhoe" and the next novel "The Monastery" one by one in order to compete in the literary field with himself. He was persuaded to abandon this plan by the publisher Archibald Constable, who feared that the two novels would hurt each other's sales.

Plot

At the conclusion of the third crusade, many knights return to Europe. King Richard the Lionheart held prisoner by Duke Leopold of Austria. Prince John sows confusion in the country between the Normans and the Saxons and intrigues against the king, hoping to gain power. Cedric of Rotherwood, a wealthy landowner, in the hope of reviving the former power of the Saxons intends to put Sir Athelstan, a descendant of King Alfred, at their head. The apathetic Athelstan does not inspire confidence in anyone, and Cedric, in order to give even more weight to his figure, dreams of marrying him to his pupil, the beautiful Lady Rowena, whose ancestor is also King Alfred the Great. But on the way to cherished dream the old thane got up his son Wilfred Ivanhoe, who fell in love with Rowena. Cedric, true to his ideal, expelled him from his father's house and disinherited him.

Two servants of Cedric, the swineherd Gurt and the jester Wamba, meet the prelate Aimer and the knight-templar Brian de Boisguillebert, who is heading with his retinue to the jousting tournament in Ashby. Caught on the road by bad weather, the knight and prior are to Cedric. A pilgrim returning from the holy land and a Jew Isaac from York also receive shelter in the house of a hospitable thane. Boisguillebert, who returned from Palestine, talks about the battles for the Holy Sepulcher. Pilgrim talks about the tournament in Acre, where the winners were knights of Saxon origin, but he is silent about the name of the sixth knight. Boisguillebert declares that it was Wilfred Ivanhoe who defeated him himself and declares that Ivanhoe will defeat him next time. At the end of the meal, Lady Rowena, Cedric's pupil, asks the pilgrim about the fate of her beloved Ivanhoe. Pilgrim reports that Ivanhoe is moving to England through the unfriendly lands of France, but it is not known when he will arrive.

In the morning, the pilgrim raises Isaac and informs him that in the evening he heard the templar Brian de Boisguillebert order his Palestinian slaves to seize the Jew and take him to the castle of Front de Boeuf. Pilgrim and Isaac leave Cedric's estate. Having reached Ashby, the grateful Isaac informs the pilgrim that he saw his knight's spurs and offers him to borrow a war horse, weapons and knightly armor for the upcoming tournament from one of his friends.

The tournament starts in Ashby. All the nobility of England came to the tournament, including Prince John and his entourage. The prince publicly shows his insolence and dislike for the Saxons. Five instigator knights challenge everyone to a fight. Everyone agrees to fight only with blunt weapons, no one dares to call the templar. A certain Knight Deprived of Inheritance appears, as he called himself. He defeats all the instigators one by one and is proclaimed the winner of the first day of the competition, he has the honor to choose among the noble ladies the Queen of love and beauty. The winner chooses Lady Rowena.

In the evening, the servants of the vanquished come to the tent of the winner, along with the horses and armor of the owners, who, according to the rules of the tournament, go to the winner. The warrior refused to accept the armor of Brian de Boisguillebert, and took only half the amount for the weapons and horses of other knights. Then he sent his squire Gurta to the house of the Jew Isaac to give money for his armor. The Jew accepted the money, but when Gurt was leaving, the daughter of the Jew Rebecca stopped him in the yard and gave him a bag with a lot of money, explaining that her father Isaac was in greater debt to the knight.

On the second day of the tournament, a massive battle takes place. The detachment led by Brian de Boisguillebert fought with the detachment of the knight of the Disinherited. During the battle of the side, most of the warriors dropped out, and at the end the knight Deprived of Inheritance was left to fight alone with Boisguillebert, Athelstan and Front de Boeuf. At the last moment, a knight in black armor, who had previously taken a passive part in the battle, arrived in time to help him, for which the audience called him the Black Sloth. He unhorsed Fron de Boeuf and Athelstan, and as a result defeated the detachment of the Knight of the Disinherited. Prince John recognized the Black Sloth as the hero of the day, but he disappeared somewhere from the lists. Then the prince had to again recognize the winner of the knight of the Disinherited. The winner knelt before the Queen of Love and Beauty, Lady Rowena, to receive an honorary crown from her. When the knight took off his helmet, Rowena recognized her beloved Ivanhoe in the knight, but he was wounded in the side and, having lost strength, fell in front of her feet. In the course of the confusion that arose, the Jew and his daughter Rebecca, who had the skills of healing, picked up the knight on a stretcher and took him to their home in Ashby. The next day, competitions for the common people were to be held, but Prince John received a letter from the French king, reporting that King Richard was returning from captivity. Competitions were held on the same day, they were won by Yeoman Loxley. In the evening, Cedric and Athelstan attended a feast at Prince John's, which was attended by other noble Normans. Lady Rowena did not go to the feast. Prince John and the assembled Normans offended the Saxons, who left the feast in anger.

De Bracy, the leader of the mercenaries in the service of the prince, together with the templar and Fron de Boeuf, attacked Cedric's procession and captured Cedric, Athelstan, Rowena, Isaac with his daughter and Ivanhoe, whom they carried in a stretcher. The escaped Wamba and Gurt met Locksley, who ordered to gather people, and he went to the chapel of Father Took. There he found the Black Sloth who arrived yesterday, he agreed to help the yeomen. At this time, Athelstan and Cedric agreed to pay a ransom for release, de Bracy could not succeed with Rowena, the templar failed with Rebecca, although he liked the girl's courage. Isaac refused to pay the Fron de Boeuf when he learned that his daughter was with the templar.

The Normans are challenged by the yeomanry, but their pride keeps them from letting the captives go, even though they only have a handful of men to defend the castle. Wamba, under the guise of a monk, sneaks into the castle and replaces Cedric; he, leaving the castle, talks with the old woman Urfrida, recognizing in her Ulrika - the daughter of his friend Torkil Wolfganger, whose family was slaughtered by the de Befs. The yeomen go on the assault, Front de Boeuf, defending the palisade, receives a mortal wound from the hand of the Black Knight. He and Cedric cut down the entrance gate, Ulrika sets fire to the castle, the wounded Fron de Boeuf burns to death. De Bracy opens the gate to slay the Black Knight, but loses and is captured by him. The templar, having collected the remnants of the people and, having slain Athelstan, breaks out of the castle.

The yeomen divide the booty, de Bracy returns to the prince and reports that Richard has returned, this is the Black Knight, the prince orders Fitz-Urs to ambush him. Richard almost dies, but Locksley comes to his aid. Cedric, Richard and Ivanhoe drink at the wake of Athelstan, suddenly Athelstan is alive. He swears allegiance to Richard, yields to Rowan Ivanhoe and is going to hang the monks who almost killed him.

At this time, the grand master of the order, the formidable Luke Beaumanoir, appears in the preceptory of the Templestowe templars, where Boisguillebert has taken refuge. Having learned from Isaac that the templar brought Rebecca, Beaumanoir decides that she has bewitched him and arranges a trial. To shield Boisguillebert, the others confirm this version. Rebecca demands God's judgment and throws down the gauntlet. Boisguillebert must defend the order, and the exhausted Ivanhoe on a tired horse comes to Rebecca's defense. However, in the duel, Boisguillebert dies from his own passions. Rebecca is released and leaves with her father for Granada. It turns out that Athelstan actually survived, but he refuses all Cedric's persuasion to marry Rowena. As a result, Cedric reluctantly agrees to the marriage of Rowena with Ivanhoe. Ivanhoe is married to Rowena.

Characters

Ivanhoe, opera by Arthur Sullivan

  • Wilfred Ivanhoe - knight, protagonist
  • Brian de Boisguillebert - templar, Ivanhoe's main enemy
  • Rebekah - daughter of a Jewish usurer
  • Isaac of York - Reekka's father, Jewish pawnbroker
  • "Black Knight", "Black Lazy" (fr. Le Noir Faineant) - Richard I the Lionheart
  • Loxley - leader of the free yeomen, Robin Hood
  • The Hermit - Brother Took
  • Rowena - Ivanhoe's lover, Cedric's niece
  • Cedric Sax - Ivanhoe's father
  • Athelstan - descendant last king Saxon dynasty
  • Prince John - Crown Prince and brother of King Richard
  • Reginald Fron de Boeuf - baron who owns the estate of Ivanhoe
  • Waldemar Fitz-Urs - an influential nobleman in the retinue of Prince John, who wants to become chancellor; his daughter Alicia is considered the first beauty in the court of Prince John.
  • Prior Aimer - prior of the abbey of St. Mary in Jorveau
  • Maurice de Bracy - Johnite Knight
  • Luca Beaumanoir - fictional Grand Master of the Knights Templar
  • Conrad Mont-Fitchet - Beaumanoir's confidante
  • Albert Malvoisin - Rector of the Templestow Preceptory
  • Philippe Malvoisin - local baron, brother of Albert
  • Gurth - Cedric Sacks' swineherd
  • Wamba - court jester to Cedric Sachs
  • Ulrika - Captive of Fron de Boeuf

Adaptations

  • 1952 film directed by Richard Thorpe, three Oscar nominations.
  • 1982 film directed by Douglas Camfield.
  • The Ballad of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe is a Soviet film directed by Sergei Tarasov.

Notes

Links

The work of Walter Scott milestone in the development of the literary process in England, reflecting the transition from romanticism to realism.

The creative method and style of Scott's novels is a complex phenomenon. Scott relied on the achievements of the writers of the 18th century, considering Fielding his teacher. However, he lived in a different era, and his work marked new stage in the development of the novel. Not inferior to its predecessors in artistic skill. Scott surpasses them not only in the depth of his historical concept, but also in a more perfect way of building a novel and revealing characters. Romanticism in Scott's work is uniquely combined with pronounced realistic tendencies. The researchers note that Scott included the "romantic" in the circle of the real.

IN world literature Walter Scott entered as the creator of the historical novel.

With his characteristic depth, Scott depicted the life of various eras, from the Middle Ages to the time when he himself lived. Scott saw the "secret of life" of his contemporary society in its transitional character.

The writer lived at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, in that critical era when feudal relations were replaced by bourgeois ones. Feudal-patriarchal Scotland was a thing of the past; it was replaced by bourgeois-landowner Scotland. The change of epochs sharpened interest in the past, in history, gave rise to the desire to understand the patterns of its development. Scott's greatness and strength lies in the fact that in his work he combined the study of history with a philosophical understanding of the events of the past and the brilliant artistic skill of a novelist.

Walter Scott was born in the capital of Scotland

Scott's father was a famous lawyer. The future writer devoted himself to the study of jurisprudence immediately after graduation. Working in his father's office, he became acquainted with Scottish and English law. A short legal practice associated with traveling around the country, the work of the secretary of the Edinburgh court and the sheriff of one of the districts of Scotland - all this helped the young Scott get acquainted with life and did not pass without a trace for the future novelist. The past of the homeland aroused keen interest in Scott. He begins to collect Scottish folklore, writes down ballads and songs, visits places of historical events, studies the history of Scotland, England and other European countries.

Folk art inspired Scott to create romantic ballads

However, it was only preparatory stage to the creation of famous novels.

In his novels, Walter Scott addressed significant historical events. He showed the clash of social forces in different eras. Scott, more deeply than any writer before him, revealed the role of social conflicts in the history of mankind.

Great is the merit of the writer, who was able to show popular movements, to create significant popular characters. With all the logic of the events unfolding in his novels, Scott emphasized the dependence of the fate of the individual on the course of history; he had the ability to reveal the character of each actor as a character determined by the historical era. At the same time, he perfectly conveyed the peculiarities of people's life, their customs and mores, the flavor of the country and era.

The originality of Scott's historical novels is determined by his ideological position. The worldview of the writer was contradictory. He held conservative views, supported the Tory government and was a supporter of constitutional monarchy. Objectively, Scott recognized the right of the people to fight against oppression, but he was afraid of revolutionary changes, and he was frightened by the idea of ​​democracy.

During his life, Scott wrote 28 novels, several novels and short stories. Many of his novels are devoted to the history of Scotland: these are the so-called Scottish novels ("Rob Roy") and the history of the past of England in the novels "Ivanhoe", "Quentin Dorward" and others.

And yet, the main thing in Scott's novels is not the depiction of everyday life and customs, but the depiction of history in its movement and development. In the preface to Ivanhoe, Scott wrote that in order to reproduce the historical past, it is not at all necessary to use archaic language and make human feelings primitive. He stressed that the novelist must view history from the standpoint of a man of his time. Scott consistently adhered to this point of view in his work. The problems of his novels are always significant, and no matter what era he writes about, he comprehends it from the point of view of modernity. Each of Scott's novels opens up to the reader a whole world of important historical events and great human feelings. In their unity, his novels constitute a grandiose panorama of the life of England and Scotland over several centuries, from the end of the 12th to the beginning of the 19th century.

The action of the novel "Ivanhoe" is connected with the history of the establishment of feudal relations in medieval England. The events take place at the end of the 12th century. It was a period of struggle between the Anglo-Saxons, who had lived on the territory of England for several centuries, and the conquerors - the Normans, who took possession of England at the end of the 11th century. The struggle was complicated by social contradictions between the serfs and the feudal lords (both Normans and Anglo-Saxons). In the same period, there was a struggle for the centralization of royal power, the struggle of King Richard against the feudal lords. Scott's novel represents this difficult era.

Diverse gallery actors novel: representatives of the old Anglo-Saxon nobility (Cedric, Athelstan), Norman feudal lords and knights (Fron de Boeuf, de Malvoisin, de Bracy), peasant slaves (Gurt and Wamba), churchmen (Abbé Aymer, Grand Master Luca Beaumanoar, monks), King Richard the Lionheart, leading the fight against the feudal clique led by his brother Prince John. Scott gives sharp social characteristics feudal oppressors, paints a realistic picture of the cruelty of feudal orders and mores.

Already at the very beginning of the story, the contrast between beauty majestic nature and living conditions of the people. Two human figures appear against the backdrop of a forest landscape; around the neck of each of them are put on metal rings, "like a dog collar, tightly sealed." One says: "Gurth, son of Beowulf, born slave of Cedric of Rotherwood"; on another, "Wamba, son of Whitliss the Brainless, slave of Cedric of Rotherwood." Peasant slaves are talking about the state of affairs in the country. “We only have the air that we breathe,” Gurt says, “and it was not taken from us because otherwise we would not be able to do the work heaped on our shoulders.”

in folk scenes and folk characters the connection between Scott's work and the folklore tradition was clearly manifested. First of all, this is felt in the image of Robin Hood, created on the basis of folk legends. In keeping with folk ballads and songs, Scott described Robin Hood as a true folk hero, a fighter against injustice. In the traditions of English folk art, scenes of archery, a duel with clubs in the forest are written. In the spirit of folk poetry, images of the brave shooters of Robin Hood are also given, in particular, the cheerful joker and joker, the reckless monk Tuk, who fights on the side of the peasants. A lover of drink and plenty of food, Took brings to mind Shakespeare's Falstaff

Scott created a new hood. thinking of the literature of the new time. The philosophy of history moved forward. S. made a turning point, opened to the Europeans their own history, the past, the world of the Middle Ages. The creative method is a complex combination of the prevailing beginning of romanticism with pronounced tendencies of realism. Fiction in the novels is associated with the beliefs of peoples and the peculiarities of their worldview in each of the eras described. Dignity ist. of Scott's novel – description connection technique privacy from history. events. S. never put the individual over society, he emphasized the dependence of the fate of the individual person on the course of history. "Ivanhoe" (1819), the action of the novel at the end of the 12th century, the struggle between the Anglo-Saxons and the Norman conquerors. The Normans win, which is historically natural, victory means the victory of a new common. order. Paints a realistic picture of cruel feuds. orders and manners. The Middle Ages in the novel is a bloody and gloomy period. The image of King Richard is idealized, this is Scott's conservatism, this led to romanticization. The people and their leaders are realistically conveyed - Robin Hood (Loxley). But on a masterfully recreated history. against the background, when compared with the gallery of original and brilliant images, the central characters - Ivanhoe, Rowena - lose. Lots of history. Details, details - history. coloring

Walter Scott is characterized by a special composition of novels - he brings to the fore the life of the people, shows the real picture life. More vividly reproduces the picture of historical events. Ivanhoe is a multifaceted action-packed novel with many characters representing different layers of that time. The novel contains fictional characters and real historical figures. Reliability is given by descriptions of the situation, clothing, folklore. Realism is combined with a romantic beginning, which manifests itself in an interest in the Middle Ages.

Ivanhoe is a novel about the Middle Ages from the time of Richard the Lionheart. The story goes slowly, tells in detail about the heroes of the novel, detailed details. Richard the Lionheart appears in the novel as the Black Knight, but his secret is only revealed at the end. The characters are described quite romantically.

Ivanhoe in any situation, he acts according to a sense of duty, remains faithful to his beloved Rowena. He took pity on Isaac, gave him a place at the hearth, wins several duels between the knights of the templars, saves the beautiful Rebekah, without betraying the knightly notions of honor. That is, Ivanhoe is presented as an ideal romantic hero, with virtually no flaws.

Love Ivanhoe. He is in love with Rowena, but his fate decreed that he met Reveka, who is perhaps superior to Rowena, she is more courageous, noble. But since Ivanhoe is the perfect romantic hero, he cannot forget his beloved despite the fact that he thinks about Reveka.

There is another romantic hero - Richard the Lionheart. Romantic Richard is more attracted to the glory of a wandering knight than to victory at the head of a hundred thousandth army. The true Richard the Lionheart historical figure, was not a romantic hero at all, but Walter Scott introduced him precisely as another romantic hero, which follows the concepts of knightly honor. In those days, knightly concepts forbade violence against a helpless knight. It is difficult for a knight to remain inactive when valorous deeds are being performed around him. Ivanhoe, despite being wounded, followed Richard to help him. The worst crime is betrayal of honor and duty. The construction of the novel. The author, as a result, punished the criminals with death, from the fact that they did not act according to the rules of chivalry.

Very bright female images . The image of Rebekah is more vivid than the blond Lady Rowena, who is a typical image of a beautiful lady. And the image of Rebekah is more complex, sent to a special position due to her origin, she is more proud, courageous, courageous. She evaluates the battle under the castle walls differently. Ivanhoe believed that knights should rush into battle, but for her it was scary. She is secretly in love with Ivanhoe. She heals wounds, heals the sick. She has her own concepts of honor, it is she who, in a situation of choice between life and death, argues with the templar about fate. She is able to objectively and poetically evaluate the character of her captor Boisguillebert. She is not destined to be happy. It embodies the author's idea that self-sacrifice cannot be rewarded. The image of Rowena is a little vague compared to Rebekah, she does not endure all difficulties so steadfastly, when she finds out that she will have to marry the unloved, she begins to cry. And Reveka acted more boldly in a similar situation - she wanted to throw herself off a great height - she is more courageous and her image is more multifaceted.

Briand de Boisguillebert. A very bright image. Appears as a stern, tough person. You can see his attitude to the church, his faith. Despite his title of a sacred person, he speaks rather vulgarly about the Saxon princess Rowena, not at all as a clergyman. And we don't see him as a positive character. But then he falls in love with Rebekah, his inner struggle is visible. He is ready to give up his title, name, he is ready to abandon himself, to disgrace himself for the sake of his passion. At the tournament, when Rebekah's life is being decided, he approaches her and makes a last attempt to run away with her, but she refuses and, which may not be very plausible, dies later from emotional experiences, which clearly shows a romantic line (he dies). As a result, Richard received the memory of his descendants, Ivanhoe - the love of his beloved, Rebekah - a clear conscience.

Biography of Walter Scott

Walter Scott was born in Scotland, in the city of Edinburgh, in the family of a lawyer. From early childhood he was fond of history. The future writer had a phenomenal memory: he easily remembered dates, events, names, titles.

After leaving school, the writer worked for several years in his father's law office. During this period, he reads a lot, and a lot - in the original language. Walter Scott was fluent in French, Spanish, Italian, German and Latin. In the nineties of the XVIII century, Scott was fond of German romanticism. He entered literature primarily as a poet.

In 1811, Walter Scott purchased 100 acres of land on the south bank of the River Tweed, once owned by Melrose Abbey. On this site, Scott set about building a mansion in the old Scottish baronial style, calling it Abbotsford (Fig. 2).

Rice. 2. Abbotsford Mansion

Scott turned the Abbotsford estate into a kind of museum of Scotland's past. The mansion was built according to the design of Scott himself. Construction was completed in 1824. From 1826 until his death in 1832 Walter Scott lived and worked permanently in Abbotsford.

In 1813, while sorting through his manuscripts, Walter Scott unexpectedly stumbled upon a manuscript of a novel that he began writing in 1805. After rereading the manuscript, he decided to continue working on it. In the shortest possible time, literally in a year, Walter Scott writes his first historical novel, Waverley. From this moment begins the worldwide fame of the writer as the author of a historical novel.

In Scotland, in the very center of Edinburgh, there is an unusual monument - this majestic building consists of a sixty-meter-high lancet arch, which resembles a Gothic medieval cathedral (Fig. 3). Under the arch, on a pedestal to which steps lead, is a statue of Walter Scott in white marble. The writer sits with a book in his hand. Next to him is a beloved dog that faithfully looks at the owner. In the niches of the tower there are figures of the heroes of W. Scott's books.

Rice. 3. Monument to Walter Scott

“I erected a monument to myself not made by hands ..” - these lines are from the famous poem by A.S. Pushkin is the best match for Walter Scott. He lives on in his great works.

Among the many works of Scott, perhaps the most popular was the novel "Ivanhoe". The novel takes place in England in the 12th century. The conflict unfolds between two warring camps: the Normans, who conquered England at the end of the 12th century, and the Anglo-Saxons, who have owned the territory of the country for several centuries. For the novel, as for all of Scott's work, the interweaving of political and love intrigue is characteristic. Reporting information about medieval England, the author tells us about knightly honor, love, and fidelity.

Against the backdrop of picturesque historical events, the hero acts - Ivanhoe, faithful to the code of honor, in any situation acting according to a sense of duty and remaining faithful to his beautiful beloved. He wins the duels of the Knights Templar, fights with Richard the Lionheart, takes part in the crusade, protects the defenseless, fights for his love.

Thus, through a fictional story about the brave knight Ivanhoe, a historical era is presented - the life of England in the 12th century.

The historical flavor of the era is created in the novel using the following techniques:

1. direct historical comment,

2. details of the era (interior, clothes, traditions),

3. the presence of historical characters.

Let's work with the text and select quotes that recreate the era. First of all, we will pay attention to direct historical commentary, which is the main device in historical prose. We have already encountered this device in the works of Pushkin and Gogol. However, if the direct historical commentary of the named authors was rather concise, then in the novel by Walter Scott we see a detailed account of events, the author draws us the historical situation that developed in England in the 12th century. So, let's turn to the text. Here is what is said about feudal fragmentation.

“... in time, the events described in it refer to the end of the reign of Richard I, when the return of the king from a long captivity seemed a desirable, but already impossible event to desperate subjects who were subjected to endless oppression by the nobility. The feudal lords, who had received exorbitant power in the reign of Stephen, but were forced to submit to the royal authority of the prudent Henry II, now again outraged, as in former times; ignoring the weak attempts of the English council of state to limit their arbitrariness, they fortified their castles, increased the number of vassals, forced the entire district into obedience and vassalage…»

The confrontation between the Anglo-Saxons and the Normans (indigenous people and conquerors):

“The conquest of England by the Norman Duke William greatly increased the tyranny of the feudal lords and deepened the suffering of the lower classes. Four generations could not mix together the hostile blood of the Normans and Anglo-Saxons or reconcile the common language and mutual interests of the peoples hated by each other, of which one was still reveling in victory, and the other was suffering from the consequences of its defeat ... Almost without exception, Saxon princes and Saxon nobility were either exterminated or deprived of their possessions; the number of small Saxon owners, who retained the lands of their fathers, was also small. The kings constantly sought, by legal and illegal measures, to weaken that part of the population that experienced an innate hatred of the conquerors. All monarchs of Norman origin had a clear preference for their fellow tribesmen.».

The position of the common people:

“At that time, the English people were in a rather sad situation ... Many peasants, driven to despair by the oppression of the feudal lords and the merciless application of laws on the protection of forests, united in large detachments that ruled in forests and wastelands, not at all afraid of local authorities. In turn, the nobles, playing the role of autocratic rulers, gathered around themselves whole gangs, not much different from robber gangs ... It is not surprising that under such difficult conditions of existence, the English people experienced great disasters in the present and had every reason to fear even worse in the future. . On top of all the evils, some dangerous contagious disease has spread throughout the country. Having found fertile ground for herself in the difficult conditions of life of the lower strata of society, she claimed many victims, and the survivors often envied the dead, delivered from impending troubles.».

Thus, in detailed, direct historical commentary, Walter Scott describes the situation in 12th-century England. It is against this background that the main events of the novel unfold. Speaking about the historical novel, we also noted the great role of the description of the situation and the clothes of the characters. Walter Scott pays great attention to this, he describes in detail the appearance of his heroes. Let's take an example.

“His clothes consisted of one leather jacket, sewn from the tanned skin of some animal, fur up; from time to time, the fur was so worn out that it was impossible to determine from the few remaining scraps which animal it belonged to. This primitive robe covered its owner from the neck to the knees and replaced all parts of ordinary clothing for him. The collar was so wide that the jacket was put on over the head, like our shirts or old chain mail. To make the jacket fit snugly to the body, it was pulled over by a wide leather belt with a copper clasp. A bag was hung from the belt on one side, and a ram's horn with a pipe on the other. A long wide knife with a horn handle protruded from his belt; such knives were made right there, in the neighborhood, and were already known then under the name of Sheffield. On his feet this man had sandal-like shoes with bearskin straps, and thinner and narrower straps wrapped around the calves, leaving the knees bare, as is customary among the Scots.».

We can easily recognize Gurt the swineherd in the illustration and we are convinced that the artist reproduced his appearance quite accurately according to the description (Fig. 4).

Rice. 4. A.Z. Itkin. Illustration for the book "Ivanhoe"

Let's name the events of the novel.

1. Crusades

2. Knight tournaments

3. Knights Templar

4. Competitions of archers

5. Abduction of Rowena (Saxon) by the Normans

6. Torture of the Jew Isaac

7. Judgment of Rebekah

8. Forest robbers

So, we have examined the role of historical commentary and detailed description of clothing in a historical novel. An equally important role in the work of this genre is played by a historical character. The main historical figure in Walter Scott's novel "Ivanhoe" was the English king Richard the Lionheart. His image in the novel is covered with a halo of mystery and romanticism. He appears incognito, first under the name of the Black Knight, and then under the name of the Knight of the Padlock. At first, he is perceived by readers as a simple knight-errant, to whom glory won in solitude is dearer than glory at the head of a huge army. However, in this image there is both physical and moral strength, and gradually it is revealed. Let's see what characterization Rebekah gives him, watching the siege of the castle.

“He rushes into battle, as if to a merry feast. More than just muscle power controls his blows - it seems as if he puts his whole soul into every blow inflicted on the enemy. This is a terrible and majestic sight when the hand and heart of one person defeats a hundred people.».

Such traits as courage, generosity and nobility, in fact, were characteristic of the king of England. But, undoubtedly, the image of Richard is far from the historical truth, who in the novel by W. Scott looks like a charming, simple man and a wise warrior who cares about the interests of his people, sincerely loving his subjects. In the historical, authentic Richard, the features of court education were intertwined with the repulsive cruelty and greed of the feudal lord. The history of Richard's wars and raids is full of disgusting facts that strongly contradict the attractive image created by W. Scott. The real Richard the Lionheart was not so close to the common people of England, did not lead them to assault feudal castles, did not judge so fairly and wisely (Fig. 5).

We have repeatedly read various historical works and paid attention to the role of fiction. The author, talking about the events of the past, first of all tries to express his attitude and view of these events. This happened with W. Scott's novel Ivanhoe. The author's task is not to create a real historical character, but to convey his attitude towards him and, more importantly, the attitude of the common people towards him. That is why the novel is based not only on historical chronicles, but also on folk ballads. We know that folklore reflects the people's true view of events. A specific example can be given - the episode when the Black Knight comes across the hut of a hermit monk in the forest, gets to know him, sings songs with him. This episode is taken from a folk ballad.

Rice. 5. Richard the Lionheart

Recall that the main theme of the novel "Ivanhoe" is the depiction of the struggle between the Anglo-Saxons - the local population - and the Norman conquerors. The writer himself is on the side of the Anglo-Saxons. That is why, with the help of fiction, he wanted to show the unity of the king, local feudal lords and the common people. The author endows his Saxon heroes with the best features - courage, honesty, nobility. This is how we see Cedric Sax, Æthelstan, Ivanhoe. The positive characters of the novel are opposed to the Norman knights. These are people without shame and conscience, capable of the lowest and meanest deeds in order to achieve their own selfish goals. The scenes of the abduction of Rowena, the imprisonment of Rebekah, the torture of the Jew Isaac are disgusting. Tragic is the fate of Urfrida, who became a victim of the arbitrariness of the Normans.

“I was born,” she said, “not at all such a miserable creature as you see me now, my father. I was free, happy, respected, loved and loved myself. Now I am a slave, unhappy and humiliated. While I was beautiful, I was the plaything of the passions of my masters, and since my beauty faded, I became the object of their hatred and contempt. Is it any wonder, my father, that I have come to hate the human race, and most of all the tribe to which I was indebted for such a change in my destiny? Can a frail and shriveled old woman, pouring out her anger in impotent curses, forget that she was once the daughter of the noble thane of Thorquilstone, before whom thousands of vassals trembled?

The image of Urfried became direct evidence of a long history of humiliation and oppression of the Saxons. Reading the work, we come across other examples of the disrespectful attitude of the Normans towards the Saxons. So, for example, during the knightly horizontal bar, Prince John was very unhappy that he defeated Ivanhoe, and the Saxon Rowena was elected queen of love and beauty.

Throughout the novel, the Normans call the Saxons pigs, mocking their ideals and traditions. In response, the Saxon people composed a proverb.

Norman saws on our oaks,

Norman yoke on our shoulders,

Norman spoons in English porridge,

Normans rule our homeland,

Until we drop all four,

There will be no fun in the native country.

The cup of people's patience is full, which is why the culmination of the novel was the episode of the capture of the castle. In this scene, the author showed the unity of the king, Saxon feudal lords, servants and even forest robbers. All united for one goal - to repel a common enemy.

Loxley

Robin Hood is the hero of medieval English folk ballads, the leader of forest robbers (Fig. 6).

Rice. 6. Robin Hood

According to legend, he acted with his gang in Sherwood Forest near Nottingham - robbed the rich, giving the spoils to the poor.

Robin Hood was born in the village of Loxley, hence his middle name - Robin of Loxley.

Historians are still arguing whether the hero had his own historical prototype. In addition, even if such a person lived, most likely, he existed at the beginning of the XIV century, during the reign of Edward the Second.

However, Walter Scott uses fiction and places his hero in the era of the end of the XII century. There are many facts against this. For example, in the novel, Loxley is involved in a shooting competition. Historians say that such competitions began to be held in England no earlier than in the 13th century.

An interesting scene is the parting of the Black Knight and the leader of the forest robbers Loxley.

“Sir knight,” answered the robber, “each of us has his own secret. I leave you to judge me as you please. I myself have some guesses about you, but it is very possible that neither you nor I hit the target. But since I do not ask you to reveal your secret to me, do not be offended if I do not reveal mine to you.
- Forgive me, brave yeoman, - said the knight, - your reproach is just. But it may happen that we will meet again and then we will not hide from each other. And now, I hope, we will part friends?
“Here is my hand in friendship,” said Loxley, “and I can safely say that this is the hand of an honest Englishman, although now I am a robber.
“Here is my hand,” said the knight, “and know that I consider it an honor to shake your hand.” For whoever does good, having an unlimited ability to do evil, is worthy of praise not only for the good done, but also for all the evil that he does not do. Goodbye, brave robber!
»

So the king of England Richard the first and the legendary Robin Hood, the leader of a gang of forest robbers, said goodbye.

The finale of the novel is optimistic: good has triumphed, the enemy has been defeated. This is what distinguishes a literary work from a historical chronicle. Therefore, A. Dumas, the author of many historical novels, in particular the well-known work "The Three Musketeers", argued: "History is the nail on which I hang my picture."

Bibliography

1. Literature. 8th grade. Textbook at 2 o'clock Korovin V.Ya. and others - 8th ed. - M.: Education, 2009.

2. Samarin R. / Walter Scott and his novel "Ivanhoe" / R. Samarin. - M., 1989. - p. 3-14.

3. Belsky A.A. / Walter Scott // Brief literary encyclopedia: In 8 volumes / A.A. Belsky - T.6. - M.: Sov. Encyclopedia, 1971. - 900 p.

Homework

1) Write an essay comparing Ivanhoe and Richard the Lionheart.

2) Answer the questions and complete the tasks:

1. Describe the acquaintance of a Jew and a disinherited knight.
2. Which of the knights who were the hosts of the tournament participated in the duel?
3. Who won, who lost?
4. What is the attitude of others towards the Jew? What is his real character?
5. How much money did a knight's servant give without an inheritance to a Jew for armor and a horse?
6. What prize/reward goes to the winner of the first day of the tournament?
7. How did Rowena and the disinherited knight accept the prince's invitation to come to the castle for a feast in honor of the first day, and why?
8. Who was declared the winner of the second day of the tournament? What did he excel in?
9. What happened when the Queen of the Tournament crowned a disinherited knight? Why?
10. Did you recognize him at the tournament? And why?
11. Describe Ivanhoe's relationship with his father
12. Which of the archers won, what did the loser say?
13. Why is Ivanhoe a knight without an inheritance?
3) Describe one of the characters in the novel. Think about the differences between a historical character and a corresponding hero. Try to emphasize in your answer the signs of that distant era. Do not forget to say about how you see the attitude of the author to the hero.


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