Book Description
The epitome of the chivalric novel, Ivanhoe sweeps readers into Medieval England and the lives of a memorable cast of characters. Ivanhoe, a trusted ally of Richard-the-Lion-Hearted, returns from the Crusades to reclaim the inheritance his father denied him. Rebecca, a vibrant, beautiful Jewish woman is defended by Ivanhoe against a charge of witchcraft--but it is Lady Rowena who is Ivanhoe's true love. The wicked Prince John plots to usurp England's throne, but two of the most popular heroes in all of English literature, Richard-the-Lion-Hearted and the well-loved famous outlaw, Robin Hood, team up to defeat the Normans and reagain the castle. The success of this novel lies with Scott's skillful blend of historic reality, chivalric romance, and high adventure.
Customer Reviews:
waterlilly.......2007-09-23
I really enjoyed the book and the characters some of whom were good, others clearly evil, and others a bit of both. Although what characters were good or evil was not always clear. Was Friar Tuck such a good guy? I don't recall a single clergy member that was honest. I felt Rebecca was interesting in that she was brave, kind, courageous, and spirited. Rowenna took a back seat as a hollow character. Bois-Guilbert was truly fascinating. One sees a progression towards introspection in this valueless but brave man of action. You start to hope that he will evolve through love and contact with the good into a true hero. Although some progress seems to be made, where he is morally at the end is unclear. We never can tell if he would have lost the last battle on purpose. Perhaps the book should have been titled "Brian and Rebecca." Ivanhoe was not present during so much of the book and the ending is a bit unhappy and not satisfying. Overall it is a great read.
Far, far better than I expected.......2007-07-12
Ok the ending's a bit deus ex machina and too much of a total victory for the good side, but everything else about this novel is simply superb. I remember hearing back in elementary school (early 1980s) that Ivanhoe was the ultimate medieval adventure novel so I bought a copy second-hand, I think it was the Watermill Classics edition. Never read it, it just stayed on the shelf. The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope was another one that I bought around the same time and never read.
Well when I went to college I'd kept a lot of stuff at my parents' place, including that large collection of Watermill Classics. I'm not exactly sure what they did with those books (because they themselves don't remember), but after I graduated there was no trace of them. So sometime around 1999 I invested around $1000 in a new collection of classics that I'd never gotten a chance to read. Almost all Penguin editions this time. Both Ivanhoe and The Prisoner of Zenda were among these.
Read Zenda in the autumn of last year and gave it four stars, pretty solid adventure novel. Finally got around to Ivanhoe a couple months ago. Completely overwhelmed. The finest adventure novel I've read hands down, and that includes modern ones. The plotting, characterization, humor, drama, politics, it's all there and perfectly realized. With very few exceptions, I sell off fiction novels after reading them. This is one that stays, just so that over the years I have the opportunity to flip back to random passages and delight in Walter Scott's genius.
I have to say that I'm baffled by all the reviews complaining that Scott's prose is cumbersome, stilted, and dense. I found the Penguin edition to be superbly readable. Scott's prose is some of the finest and most lucid that I've ever come across, including novels written recently. In fact, it's the quality of the prose that stood above any other quality in the novel for me.
Though based on historical fact, Ivanhoe is full of fictional embellishments and outright fabrications. This is partly because it was written roughly 750 years after the events described, not exactly a firsthand account! But mostly it's because Scott wrote it for popular enjoyment and not as a dry chronicle. Nevertheless, you will learn a great deal about the medieval period in Ivanhoe, such as fashion, popular sentiment, lifestyles, classes, social mores, etc. Though you generally won't know how much is completely true.
On top of this the story is thrilling and emotional. An absolute gem of a novel.
Remember Chivalry?.......2007-06-11
Classic book about knights, damsels and chivalry. It is difficult to read because it is in 17th century English, but well worth the time to read. The book is an adventure with notable characters such as Robinhood and company, Richard the Lionheart and of course the title character Ivanhoe who are all fighting to keep Richard on his throne. Great read for those who love medieval tales.
great literary piece.......2007-04-29
i tried to read this book back in high school (10th grade, exactly) and i couldn't get past the first chapter. i tried again about 15 years later and drudged through it and still didn't 'get it', because of the way the dialogue was set up. Then, when i took a screen weriting class in college, i became obsessed with the idea of adapting ivanhoe into a screenplay. so, i purchased the book and a copy of the 'cliff notes'. the cliff note helped me to understand the dialoge and the action a lot better and i could not put the book down. i've read it at least a dozen times dirung the last four yers. though i've yet to adapt it, i still enjoy it every time i pick it up. two characters stand out: the independant minded Rebecca and the strong, powerful Richard the Lionhearted. a great read and i recemomend it to anyone whomay be a little older than your high school kid.
Effort, Rewarded: The Joys of Finishing Ivanhoe *SPOILERS*.......2007-03-11
It took me three separate attempts, over the course of my life, to successfully read Ivanhoe. The first two times, I didn't make it past page 50. This third time, I almost stopped again... but, resolutely, I continued on, because I'd heard so many good things about the novel over the years that I knew there'd be reward waiting, just around the corner.
The reason why I had stopped reading the book two-and-a-half times was because the language and syntax seem so very heavy and dense to the modern reader. And, this isn't just a "19th Century British" thing (though that does play a part), but, I believe, a Walter Scott thing. He has a style that seems a little impenetrable, at first. But now, having read the work to completion, I am happy to report the following: that, over time, the reader's "ear" becomes accustomed to Scott's storytelling; and that, the journey, for all of its initial difficulties and obstacles, is absolutely worth it. As advertised, Ivanhoe is a great novel.
Set during the reign of Richard the Lion-Hearted, who is absent from an England suffering under the stewardship of the much-maligned Prince John, Ivanhoe is the tale of Saxon partisans chaffing under the yoke of their Norman masters, and of the romances and battles which result. Wilfred of Ivanhoe, son of a Saxon noble, recently returned from service in the Crusades, becomes embroiled against Norman knights during a tournament, and risks the loss of his lands and lady-love when he is gravely injured and she, kidnapped.
While this happens, we also get to meet a host of widely-diverse characters, some of which are already familiar, such as Robin Hood, Friar Tuck and Allan-a-Dale, and some of whom are new, but wonderful heroes in their own rights, such as Cedric the Saxon Thane, Wamba the Jester, and Issac, the Jewish money-lender and his daughter, Rebecca. To balance such a scope of heroes, we of course need great villains, and Ivanhoe does not disappoint, rounding up (among others) the infamous Prince John and the Order of the Knights Templar.
The plot is a wonderful bit of romantic action, taking us from a tournament, to an attack on a castle, to a trial-by-combat, etc. It's everything you'd expect from a story set in the Robin Hood genre.
I've heard some complaint of Scott's shoddy historical details--that there are anachronisms aplenty to be found throughtout the work. As a one-time history major, I suppose that I'm the sort who ought to care about such things? And yet, I believe that the virtues of this novel, including its exciting plot, complicated characterizations (especially that of the Templar, Brian de Bois-Guilbert) and engrossing narrative voice make any substantial attention given to these temporal flaws a little off-point. We admit that Ivanhoe is not a solid history textbook; it was never meant to be one, and if you're looking to learn the history of the time, you should find something a bit further removed from the fiction aisle. What it was meant to be was an exciting, entertaining, enjoyable novel, and in that, Ivanhoe succeeds admirably.
Beyond just being entertaining, Ivanhoe is also a fairly sophisticated social statement, through Scott's representation of his Jewish heroes, Issac and Rebecca. Rebecca, especially, who never acts as anything less than a saint in the work, and yet is the only hero denied a happily-ever-after ending (an interesting bit of dischord at the end), points up the hypocrisy of religious intolerance rather well. I've heard that there are lots of readers who had hoped that Ivanhoe would wind up marrying Rebecca, instead of the Christian, but rather bland, lady-fair, Rowena. I am of that number, and I suspect that Scott planned it out that way.
In summary, I'm awfully glad that I managed to make myself press on, this third time around. Ivanhoe is a novel that might demand a little patience and perserverance from the modern reader, but stands ready to amply reward the efforts made. I plan on investigating Scott further in the future, and hopefully soon, before my ear once again dulls to his older, but rich and worthy voice.
A true classic and a wonderful read. Five stars.
Book Description
Renowned international scholars examine crucial issues surrounding the Laozi, the third century Chinese classic also known as the Daodejing in this indispensable volume. The work offers diverse interpretations, a wide range of scholarly traditions, and a variety of ways to engage, ponder, and evaluate the Laozi.
Customer Reviews:
Lao Tzu.......2003-05-01
a great book for people who are interested in the philosophy and the practices of the earliest "Daoists". Many of the best modern scholars have contributed essays to this book, such as Liu Xiaogan, Robert Henricks, Harold Roth, Philip Ivanhoe and Isabelle Robinet. Check out the sample pages available above. Liu Xiaogan's 24-page essay examining Ziran ("naturalness and spontaneity") is my personal favourite. I believe that this "concept" is the most important one in all of the Daoist philosophy. Ivanhoe brings to light some aspects of De (Virtue - Power) that previous scholars have overlooked. Isabelle Robinet also wrote a good essay illustrating, by comparison, the various interpretations of many past "experts".
BAO PU
Book Description
This new edition offers expanded selections from the works of Kongzi (Confucius), Mengzi (Mencius), Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu), and Xunzi (Hsun Tzu); two new works, the dialogues Robber Zhi and White Horse; a concise general introduction; brief introductions to, and selective bibliographies for, each work; and four appendices that shed light on important figures, periods, texts, and terms in Chinese thought.
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Overview!.......2003-06-03
I got this book as a textbook for a class that I subsequently dropped, but I decided that as long as I had it, I might as well read it. I'm glad I did! This book is a wonderful overview of the greatest Chinese philosophers. Each section begins with a few pages recounting what is known about each philosopher covered and what their central beliefs are. In addition, the actual texts are heavily footnoted with explanations of the language, pertinant cross references, and other little facts that make the reading both more informative and more enjoyable. This is a wonderful book for anyone who's looking to get a decent understanding of the 'big name' Chinese philosophers, and will help anyone looking to show off at parties ;) Even if you're not taking a class, this is a wonderful book.
An Excellent Overview!.......2003-06-03
I got this book as a textbook for a class that I subsequently dropped, but I decided that as long as I had it, I might as well read it. I'm glad I did! This book is a wonderful overview of the greatest Chinese philosophers. Each section begins with a few pages recounting what is known about each philosopher covered and what their central beliefs are. In addition, the actual texts are heavily footnoted with explanations of the language, pertinant cross references, and other little facts that make the reading both more informative and more enjoyable. This is a wonderful book for anyone who's looking to get a decent understanding of the 'big name' Chinese philosophers, and will help anyone looking to show off at parties ;) Even if you're not taking a class, this is a wonderful book.
An Excellent Anthology!.......2002-09-29
Being interested in Chinese philosophy, I recently purchased this anthology, edited by Drs. P. J. Ivanhoe and Bryan W. Van Norden, which contains excellent translations of the selections of seven classical Chinese thinkers: Mozi, Han Feizi, Kongzi, Xunzi, Mengzi, Laozi, and Zhuangzi.
Despite being a beginner when it comes to Chinese philosophy, I find all the translations to be very readable and the notes and interpretative material, generally, to be sufficient. (more on this later)
The appendices--Important Texts, Important Periods, Important Terms, Important Figures--are also quite helpful if you need further information/clarification on a particular term or figure.
The only two things that disappointed me about this anthology are as follows:
(1) The use of "filial piety" as a transation for xiao (hsiao). The term filial piety was first used by James Legge back in the 1861. And, as scholars such as Dr. David Li have pointed out, Kongzi (Confucius) never in his life spoke about religion. So, why Dr. Slingerland, who translated the Analects section of the book, continues to use it (see Analects 2.7, p.5) mystifies me. (Dr. Van Norden, I believe, in his translation of selections of the Mengzi, also translates xiao as filial piety.)
(2) The notes accompanying Dr. Slingerland's translation of the Analects are, I think, somewhat banal. For example, he points out in 1.9 that Zengzi is a disciple of Kongzi; yet, he does not point out that 2.1 is the Analects first statement regarding government. However, his notes increase in frequency and quality as the translation continues.
I HIGHLY recommend this anthology; it is probably the best anthology and sourcebook of early Chinese philosophy currently available. This book is not only valuable to students and scholars but also general readers because never has there been so many great translations of so many thinkers in one reasonably priced paperback.
The anthology contains the complete "Daodejing of Laozi" which Dr. Ivanhoe has published as separate book, which makes it a even better deal because not only do you get very scholarly and readable translations of all major classical Chinese thinkers, you also get an entire book included within it.
Hopefully, in a future edition of the book, the editors will consider expanding the volume to include translations of selections of Zhu Xi's works (a very important Neo-Confucian), Dai Zhen (whose translated writings have never been published), and the writings of other Chinese philosophers.
- Jeff McCausland
Book Description
A century has passed since the Norman Conquest, and England is still a colony of foreign warlords. Prince John is plotting to seize the throne from his brother, Richard the Lion-Hearted, and Robin Hood and his merry band are making fools out of the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Wilfred, knight of Ivanhoe, the son of Cedric the Saxon, is in love with his father's ward, Rowena. Cedric, however, wishes her to marry Athelstane, a descendant of the royal Saxon line, whom Cedric hopes will restore the Saxon succession.
With a colorful cast of chivalric knights and fair ladies, this action-filled novel comes complete with feats of derring-do, the pageantry of a tournament, and a great flame-engulfed castle - all of which makes it the most enthralling of Scott's creations.
Average customer rating:
- The original historical romance
- If you are dumb, stay away, if you are smart, dive in
- Good story, but very dry reading
- Good story, but very dry reading
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Ivanhoe (Signet Classics)
Walter Scott
Manufacturer: Signet Classics
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ASIN: 0451527992
Release Date: 2001-07-10 |
Book Description
England's past comes alive in this classic tale featuring the disinherited knight Ivanhoe, his fair lady Rowena, and such larger-than-life characters as Richard the Lion Hearted and Robin Hood. A novel of the crusades, chivalry, and courtly love that not only recreated history, but made history as well.
Customer Reviews:
The original historical romance.......2005-12-23
The book that defined the genre. Set in late 12th century England, its cast includes Robin Hood, Friar Tuck, Prince John, Richad Coeur de Lion and the Knights Templar. A novel of chivalry and robber barons, battles and court intrigue, fights for justice and the love of beautiful ladies. What's not to like?
Scott's archaic and flowery language leads many to describe the book as 'dry' or 'boring', but as pointed out by other reviewers it rewards those with the brains and persistence to appreciate it. It makes for a heavy read, but captures the authenticity sought by every period novel.
If you think a 19th century romance must be sanitised or have idealised characters, rest assured. There's no lack of violence or human flaws in Ivanhoe, though modern readers may still find it a tad contrived; but that's part of the period charm. Mandatory reading for those who claim to be history buffs or connoisseurs of English literature.
This Signet edition contains Scott's original footnotes and dedicatory epistle.
If you are dumb, stay away, if you are smart, dive in.......2005-10-11
I have heard that this is "very dry reading" and that the first chapter is "the most boring chapter in Western Civilization." It is obvious to this author that the one who claimed these very drastic condemnations of the brilliant and beautiful writing of the Great Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) is, unfortunately of very little intelligence when it comes to criticizing classic literature.
How sad it is when you are in school and the redneck ignoramous reads to the class trash like Where the Red Fern Grows or the Summer of the Monkeys when they should be reading masterpieces like the incredible novel you see before you. It would produce much more enlightened children with it's vivid descriptions and historical characters such as Richard Coeur de Lion (Richard I or Richard the Lionhearted, whom as I was told by history teachers was bisexual. All part of the Gay conspiracy trying to rewrite history and say that their perversions have been all through history and make it acceptable to be gay. They say people like that were gay when there is absolutely no proof and no way of finding any proof. I question Alexander the Great's homosexuality also. Who were his conquored people? THE GREEKS. What peoples still are bitterly prejudice to the Macedonians? THE GREEKS. Who were the first queers? THE GREEKS.
Getting to the point, this novel is one of the greatest and most influential to Western Literature (and Russian Lit for that matter, for it was Scott who influenced the likes of Pushkin and Lermontov). It also tells an archetype romantic story with the stereotypical definition of a "romance" in it. The main character Wilfred wants to marry a princess named Rowena. When her father refuses, Wilfred sets out on adventures to prove his worth. He meets many of the warring tribes of the Middle Ages such as the Normans and the Templars. This novel is probably the most action packed adventure story unmatched until the likes of Alexandre Dumas, pere with novels such as The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo about twenty years after the publication of Scott's great novel.
So don't let people of very little brain convince you to turn away from magnificent works such as this when they criticize it like a reader of 4th grade level just because of a "dry and boring 1ST CHAPTER when this great novel has so much more in its 400+ pages to offer.
Good story, but very dry reading.......2002-03-12
Sir Walter Scott's tale of "Ivanhoe" is an enjoyable story, but it taxes the readers patience many times over. If you can bear with the very lengthy descriptions, and what has to be the driest, most boring first chapter of any book in Western Civilization, you will actually find yoursel drawn into the story. Two quick notes, you may want Cliff's Notes or an on-line equivalent to help keep straight as to who is who, and to help get a better understanding of the often arcane writing style. Second, this Signet classic version of the book really needs to be re-set for a more modern typeset. This book is still using the typeset from the 1962 printing, and it is very difficult on the eye. Most other classic books have since been re-set to a larger print to make it easier on the eye. "Ivanhoe" should not be an exception. (Note: other editions of "Ivanhoe" available in mass market form ARE available in an easier-to-read print, and the reader may want to consider them over this edition.)
Good story, but very dry reading.......2002-03-12
Sir Walter Scott's tale of "Ivanhoe" is an enjoyable story, but it taxes the readers patience many times over. If you can bear with the very lengthy descriptions, and what has to be the driest, most boring first chapter of any book in Western Civilization, you will actually find yoursel drawn into the story. Two quick notes, you may want Cliff's Notes or an on-line equivalent to help keep straight as to who is who, and to help get a better understanding of the often arcane writing style. Second, this Signet classic version of the book really needs to be re-set for a more modern typeset. This book is still using the typeset from the 1962 printing, and it is very difficult on the eye. Most other classic books have since been re-set to a larger print to make it easier on the eye. "Ivanhoe" should not be an exception. (Note: other editions of "Ivanhoe" available in mass market form ARE available in an easier-to-read print, and the reader may want to consider them over this edition.)
Book Description
Hailed by Victor Hugo as 'the real epic of our age,' Ivanhoe was an immensely popular bestseller when first published in 1819. The book inspired literary imitations as well as paintings, dramatizations, and even operas. Now Sir Walter Scott's sweeping romance of medieval England has prompted a lavish new television production.
In the twelfth century, Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe returns home to England from the Third Crusade to claim his inheritance and the love of the lady Rowena. The heroic adventures of this noble Saxon knight involve him in the struggle between Richard the Lion-Hearted and his malignant brother John: a conflict that brings Ivanhoe into alliance with the mysterious outlaw Robin Hood and his legendary fight for the forces of good.
'Scott's characters, like Shakespeare's and Jane Austen's, have the seed of life in them,' observed Virginia Woolf. 'The emotions in which Scott excels are not those of human beings pitted against other human beings, but of man pitted against Nature, of man in relation to fate. His romance is the romance of hunted men hiding in woods at night; of brigs standing out to sea; of waves breaking in the moonlight; of solitary sands and distant horsemen; of violence and suspense.' For Henry James, 'Scott was a born storyteller. . . . Since Shakespeare, no writer has created so immense a gallery of portraits.'
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful!.......2006-01-22
No wonder this novel is a classic! I'm sure there isn't much I can add to the praises of Ivanhoe. I will just say that I enjoyed it very much. I mostly wanted to comment on the edition that I read.
I purchased The Modern Library Classics (paperback) edition. The quality of the book is fair, for a paperback. There are a few footnotes throughout the book and quite a few notes on the text in the back of the book, some were written by Scott himself. I only found a few of these notes to be helpful; as for the rest, they did nothing to enhance my understanding of the text and some left me with even more questions than when I started. Many of them refer to other books for further explanation.
Also, there are quite a few phrases throughout the story in Latin and French. Some are explained in the text while the rest are left untranslated. I wish their translations would have been included in the above mentioned notes. I wish there had been a pronounciation guide for the names of the characters as well.
I would give the book 5 stars but for the problems I mentioned above. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the middle-ages, knights, chivalry, King Richard, etc...even if you have no particular interest in these things, you should at least give the book a chance. After all, it's a classic and as with most classics, you can hardly ever go wrong.
Is tolerance the lesson?.......2006-01-10
Depending on your tastes Ivanhoe could either be considered a favorite or despised. Make no mistake - for today's average reader "Ivanhoe" is an extremely difficult read. The language was considerd archaic 200 years ago. Also, the reader must have a fair amount of knowledge about the Middle Ages - if you have never heard of the battle of Hasting or why it is significant... this is defintely not the book for you!
Personally, I found "Ivanhoe" to be both enjoyable and enlightening. While I do realize that Sir Walter Scott did make some historical errors - I found his despriction of "the Lists" to be informative.
The quality of the plot for "Ivanhoe" can not be questioned. It has all of the elements for a great read... deceipt, honour, a love triangle, prejuidices, castle sieges and battles to death! Scott's mastery of detail (sometimes a little TOO mastered) engulfs you into the world of the 12th century.
I especially enjoyed the involvement of Robin Hood, Richard The Lionheart and Prince John as main characters. Their historical involvement really helped to hold my interest.
The treatment of Jews is an interesting development throughout "Ivanhoe". Despite all the characters treating people of the jewish faith as sub-human "Ivanhoes" the last three pages show the prejuidices can be overcome and people of different faiths should learn tolerance. This is suprising stuff for the perion in which Sir Walter Scott penned it!
I found "Ivanhoe" to be very enjoyable - and at times a page-turner. The difficulty of the language was a challenge at times (and I am sure their are few plot points that I did miss), but as a whole I would suggest it to all readers who enjoy a bit of a challenge.
Product Description
Meticulously bound in dark brown genuine premium leather, this book features a hubbed spine accented with 22kt gold, copper-colored moiré fabric endsheets, acid-neutral paper, gilded page ends, and a permanently bound-in satin ribbon page marker in goldenrod-yellow. Book dimensions: 6.33 x 9.5 x 1.33 inches.
Book Description
iWorking Virtue/i is the first substantial collective study of virtue theory and contemporary moral problems. Leading figures in ethical theory and applied ethics discuss topics in bioethics, professional ethics, ethics of the family, law, interpersonal ethics, and the emotions. Virtue ethics is centrally concerned with character traits or virtues and vices such as courage (cowardice), kindness (heartlessness), and generosity (stinginess). These character traits must be looked to in any attempt to understand which particular actions are right or wrong and how we ought to live our lives. As a theoretical approach, virtue ethics has made an impressive comeback in relatively recent history, both posing an alternative to, and, in some ways, complementing well-known theoretical stances such as utilitarianism and deontology. Yet there is still very little material available that presents virtue-ethical approaches to practical contemporary moral problems, such as what we owe distant strangers, our parents, or even non-human animals. This book fills the gap by dealing with these and other pressing moral problems in a clear and theoretically nuanced manner. The contributors offer a variety of perspectives, including pluralistic, eudaimonistic, care-theoretical, Chinese, comparative, and stoic. This variety allows the reader to appreciate not only the wide range of topics for which a virtue-ethical approach may be fitting, but also the distinctive ways in which such an approach may be manifested.
Book Description
The Prior Aymer had taken the opportunity afforded him, of changing his riding robe for one of yet more costly materials, over which he wore a cope curiously embroidered. Besides the massive golden signet ring, which marked his ecclesiastical dignity, his fingers, though contrary to the canon, were loaded with precious gems; his sandals were of the finest leather which was imported from Spain; his beard trimmed to as small dimensions as his order would possibly permit, and his shaven crown concealed by a scarlet cap richly embroidered. The appearance of the Knight Templar was also changed; and, though less studiously bedecked with ornament, his dress was as rich, and his appearance far more commanding, than that of his companion. He had exchanged his shirt of mail for an under tunic of dark purple silk, garnished with furs, over which flowed his long robe of spotless white, in ample folds. The eight-pointed cross of his order was cut on the shoulder of his mantle in black velvet. The high cap no longer invested his brows, which were only shaded by short and thick curled hair of a raven blackness, corresponding to his unusually swart complexion. Nothing could be more gracefully majestic than his step and manner, had they not been marked by a predominant air of haughtiness, easily acquired by the exercise of unresisted authority. . . .
Download Description
"Hailed by Victor Hugo as ""the real epic of our age,"" Ivanhoe was an immensely popular bestseller when first published in 1819. The book inspired literary imitations as well as paintings, dramatizations, and even operas. Now Sir Walter Scott's sweeping romance of medieval England has prompted a lavish new television production. "
Customer Reviews:
Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
I loved all that knightly action stuff when I was younger, but I found this quite stultifying, and really had to force myself to finish it. Very, very dry. I may change my mind if I have a look at again, but given the time period, that is probably unlikely.
Sir Walter Scott: the master of the historical romance.......2007-07-02
I'm sort of glad movie producers haven't discovered (and ruined) this great story yet.
This book has nearly every genre packed into it: romance, history (highly fictionalized of course), action, humor, social satire, even some poetry.
Scott's a great writer whose main concern is to give the reader an enjoyable story. I think he successed admirably. At the same time he slips in some important issues to consider (like family and leadership responsibilites, loyalty, and racism). One of the best things I like in Scott is his ability to give some of the more minor characters an individual flair (check out Wamba son of Witless).
I'd recommend the Oxford World's classics edition of the text as it provides many helpful editorial notes as well as an interesting introduction, bibliography, and chonology for Scott.
A Classic Saga Of Love & War In Days Long Past. Worth Reading Time & Time Again. Like Dumas, Scott Reinvisions History........2007-01-01
It was a time of knights, ladies fair, violent jousts, power-hungry villains and lovers sworn to each other. It was the period after the Norman Conquest, in which England became Anglo-Saxon. Like Alexandre Dumas, the great French writer who gave us "The Three Musketeers" & "The Count Of Monte Cristo," Sir Walter Scott reinvisions history the way it should have been (thus the historical inconsistencies) and creates a masterpiece of enduring quality. This story is packed with romance, adventure and a few more surprises. It's never boring. Rated PG for medieval violence.
The words of the wise fool.......2006-03-22
Beside being a great adventure story, full of chivalry and bold intrigue, the real heart of the story is the dialogue, for Sir Walter Scott would not have crafted it with such care if it wasn't the magic that enlivened the characters beyond what the physical reality of the narrative constrained them to (though he did take some liberties there with Ivanhoe's wound and King Richards strength, think of this: he could have instead chosen to give them supernatural powers, and thus to distinguish his honorable cast in a completely different way than through their clever musings). Thus, the mark of a true classic, is what it can tell us about our selves, rather than indulge the base and voyeuristic instinct to live vicariously through the deeds of other people imagined or real, powerful or famous.
And how could anybody miss observing, really, that when it was that a wise thing needed saying, it was the fool who was the quickest to say it!
Considered a Classic for a Reason.......2006-03-22
It's one of those books I always knew I should read but wasn't sure I wanted to. Then my commute changed from 5 minutes to 30 and I discovered books on tape. Glorious! This was suprisingly light-hearted, not the dark and dreary trudgery I expected. It is a wonderful story with engaging characters that make you root for them, scorn them and weep for them. The language is truly magical once you get the rhythm and the narrator's voice makes them all come alive. I cannot recommend this enough, a must have.
Customer Reviews:
"The brilliant but useless character of a knight of Romance".......2007-03-16
The plot of IVANHOE is probably as well known to many American readers as some books of the Bible. Taking the plot for granted, therefore, what else is worth thinking about?
Walter Scott added two elements to the novel form in literature: (1) historical realism or quasi-realism and (2) political reality.
(1) The historical reality of the 1190s and the troubled reign of King Richard the Lion-Heart and his brother Prince John of Anjou is that it was a horrible time to be Jewish in England. Jews were burned, despised and paid huge tribute to rapacious rulers from their treasure. Who captures this social fact better than Scott in IVANHOE? Does even one "Nazarene" treat a Jew even once as unselfishly and uncritically as did the Good Samaritan in Jesus's parable? No, not one. Rowena comes closest but is jealous of the fair Rebecca. Ivanhoe and the villainous templar Brian de Bois-Guilbert love Rebecca. But Bois-Guilbert will not even have her as his mistress if she refuses baptism. And even in Thackeray's spoof of IVANHOE -- REBECCA AND ROWENA -- Ivanhoe himself can only marry Rebecca after she becomes Christian. This novel is the most unsparing criticism of anti-semitism in England before George Eliot's DANIEL DERONDA. Its explicit preaching against hatred of Jews is light but the descriptions, the debates between Rebecca and Bois-Guilbert, the actions make denunciation unnecessary.
(2) IVANHOE is also a political novel. Prince John wants to elevate himself from Regent to King and is preparing to go to York where a coalition of bribed nobles is to depose his older brother Richard I and name John as replacement. Prince John seems to hold all the high cards.
King Richard is presumed to be still a prisoner in Austria. In fact, he has returned in disguise to England and is rallying forces loyal to him. He knows what Prince John is up to but has to kill a few days waiting for his decentralized loyalists to pull themselves together before he nips the conspiracy. With nothing better to do, he disguises himself as the Black (Sable) Knight and takes a laid-back part in the melee on the second day of Prince John's great tourney at Ashby. He also finds time to help Wamba the Jester, Gurth the Swineherd, Robin Hood and his merry men storm the castle of the evil Reginald Front de Boeuf to rescue kidnapped Saxon leaders as well as Rowena, Rebecca and Rebecca's father, the Jewish moneylender Isaac of York.
As the novelist describes King Richard I in Chapter XLI:
"In the lion-hearted king, the brilliant but useless character of a knight of romance was in great measure realised and revived, and the personal glory which he acquired by his own deeds of arms was far more dear to his excited imagination than that which a course of policy would have spread across his government."
Scott shows Prince John and his inner circle using Jewish and extorted Church money to foster disloyalty to Richard. It is a tale worthy of a Bob Woodward expose.
By all means read IVANHOE for sheer fun. It is a great romance of the middle ages. But keep your eye on the history and the politics as well.
great read, difficult language.......2006-12-03
i first read this book in 10th great and i didn't get it. i found a VHS movie and i saw it. i was impressed with the interpretation from book to film. so, at the age of 30(6 years ago) i bought a copy of the book AND the cliffs notes to help me through the difficult dialogue. i found this to be a page turner. it took me all but three days to red the book-even with its level diffculty.
set in 12th century england, vanhoe returns home from the 3rd crusade to reclaim the love of his life and the love of his father. deceit is everywhere and loyalties are questionable. king richard also returns home after being ransomed, only to find his brother, john, trying to usurp the throne. it may be helpful to have some knowledge of the middle ages and the crusades. but it is still an interesting read. the charqacters are well developed and the plot is involving.
Is tolerance the lesson?.......2006-01-10
Depending on your tastes Ivanhoe could either be considered a favorite or despised. Make no mistake - for today's average reader "Ivanhoe" is an extremely difficult read. The language was considerd archaic 200 years ago. Also, the reader must have a fair amount of knowledge about the Middle Ages - if you have never heard of the battle of Hasting or why it is significant... this is defintely not the book for you!
Personally, I found "Ivanhoe" to be both enjoyable and enlightening. While I do realize that Sir Walter Scott did make some historical errors - I found his despriction of "the Lists" to be informative.
The quality of the plot for "Ivanhoe" can not be questioned. It has all of the elements for a great read... deceipt, honour, a love triangle, prejuidices, castle sieges and battles to death! Scott's mastery of detail (sometimes a little TOO mastered) engulfs you into the world of the 12th century.
I especially enjoyed the involvement of Robin Hood, Richard The Lionheart and Prince John as main characters. Their historical involvement really helped to hold my interest.
The treatment of Jews is an interesting development throughout "Ivanhoe". Despite all the characters treating people of the jewish faith as sub-human "Ivanhoes" the last three pages show the prejuidices can be overcome and people of different faiths should learn tolerance. This is suprising stuff for the perion in which Sir Walter Scott penned it!
I found "Ivanhoe" to be very enjoyable - and at times a page-turner. The difficulty of the language was a challenge at times (and I am sure their are few plot points that I did miss), but as a whole I would suggest it to all readers who enjoy a bit of a challenge.
Artists Are Judged On Their Works Not Their Lives.......2005-04-28
In response to the horrible review preceding my own, I feel that a proper review of Sir Walter Scott's 'Ivanhoe', one of the greatest Western novels ever written, is in order as an artist's contribution to the world is measured by his art and not how he lived his life: even artists with maniacal and criminal tendencies such as Richard Wagner or Hector Berlioz were deemed great because of their work and not the wretched lives they led. If one is to follow the previous reviewer's logic then we may as well discount Coolidge, Poe, Baudelaire, Fitzgerald, or Hemingway as literary figures as they all had pretty pathetic lives in one way or another.
The story is set in 12th century England under the rule of Richard The Lion Hearted who spent most of his reign in the Holy Land fighting the Third Crusade. In his absence ruled his brother Prince John whose licentious habits made him unpopular amongst his disenfranchized Saxon subjects. Saxon England had been recently subjugated by the Normans under William The Conqueror of whom Richard and John were his royal descendants. The Normans had low opinions as to their Saxon subjects and imposed their French culture and laws upon them with impunity. Ivanhoe is the champion Saxon knight of an imprisoned Richard The Lion Hearted and is seen as the cause of his King's woes by everyone in England including Cedric, his father, who disinherits him. Returning anonymously to England, Ivanhoe must prove his valor and clear his name before being joined with his promised love, Rowena, who has been betrothed to Lord Athelstane during his absence. In alliance with Prince John against Ivanhoe are the Templar knights whose champion, Sir Brian De Bois-Guilbert, knows the truth of Ivanhoe's innocence but is bound to keep it a secret. In all his woes, Ivanhoe is helped by Rebecca and her father Isaac of York who, as Jews, are as equally outcast as he. Ivanhoe also receives the aid of the mysterious Black Knight who, like him, has some quest which requires his anonymity. The climax comes when Saxons join together with Robin Hood and his Merry Men as well as the Black Knight to fight off the evil Templars and the usurpatious Prince John.
This is one of the greatest romantic novels of Western literature that is filled with action, drama, and passion. Sir Walter Scott is incredibly detailed in all of the traditions, customs, and fashions of the period so that it would seem to be almost a source narrative: he did his research as any true attorney would in preparing his case. Don't be influenced or persuaded by the ridiculous review preceding this one as an artist's life is not a measure of his work, instead, it is but plainly obvious that it is an artist's work that is the measure of his life!
Walter Scott (What a sad life).......2005-02-24
Well the author of Ivanhoe was Walter Scott, he was born Edinburgh in 1771. He was educated at the high school and university of Scottish Bar in 1792. From 1799 until his death he was a sheriff of Selkirkshire, and from 1806 to 1830 he held a well paid office as a principal clerk to the Court of Session in Edinburgh, the supreme Scottish civil court. His dad was a Calvinist lawyer. He was rejected by many women he loved, so those ruin his life in early fifties. His first literary efforts were in the late 1790. He wrote about romantics, historical German poems, and plays. His first original work was a poem named The Lay of the Last Minstrel in 1805. His books were from the Renaissance Era in middle ages.
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