Ivanhoe: Difference between revisions

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'''''Ivanhoe: A Romance''''' is an 1819 [[Historical Fiction|historical novel]] by Sir [[Walter Scott]], set in the reign of King [[Richard the Lion Heart]] and largely concerning the long-smouldering antagonism between the [[People of Hair Color|Normans and Saxons]] in the centuries after the Norman Conquest -- an antagonism which, at that date, is highly [[Anachronism Stew|anachronistic]] (one might call it a sort of [[Hollywood History]]) and largely the product of Scott's teeming imagination. In the face of severe criticism by his own contemporaries on this and other historical inaccuracies, Scott himself admitted, "It is extremely probable that I may have confused the manners of two or three centuries," but [[MST3K Mantra|comforted himself]] that "errors of this kind will escape [[Viewers are Morons|the general class of readers]]." And indeed, despite the author's [[Author Tract|Whig history]] limitations and prejudices (which are [[Writer on Board|evident]]), ''Ivanhoe'' is a stirring and colourful tale, with plenty of action, lovable heroes and heroines and hissable villains, and a real feeling for the genuine -- if ''extremely [[Flanderization|exaggerated]]'' -- romance of [[The High Middle Ages]].

 

* A Russian adaptation in 1983, ''The Ballad of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe'' (''Баллада о доблестном рыцаре Айвенго, Ballada o Dovlestnom Ryzare "Ayvenho"'') appeared, directed by Sergey Tarasov, starring Peteris Gaudins as Ivanhoe and featuring songs by [[Vladimir Vysotsky]].

 

* A 1958 television series with Roger Moore as Ivanhoe.

* A 1970 miniseries starring Eric Flynn.

* ''Darkest Knight'', a 2000 Channel 5 adaptation starring Ben Pullen as Ivanhoe and Charlotte Comer as Rebecca.

 

 

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* [[Anticlimax]]: In the trial by combat to determine the fate of Rebecca, Brian de Bois-Guilbert, the invincible [[The Knights Templar|Templar]], is facing Wilfred of Ivanhoe, who is still recovering from his wounds -- but when they actually joust, Bois-Guilbert simply {{spoiler|keels over dead}}, "a victim of his own contending passions," and Wilfred is left standing there, looking awkward.

* [[Arrow Gram]]

* [[Attempted Rape]]: Bois-Guilbert is foiled in this by Rebecca's threatening to throw herself off the tower ''See'' [[Driven to Suicide]]'', below.''

* [[Badass Preacher]]: Friar Tuck

* [[Christianity Is Catholic]]: The setting dictates this, though Sir Walter throws in a number of [[Writer on Board|hints]] that "it ain't necessarily so."

* [[Corrupt Church]]: Sir Walter, being a conventional if not convicted Presbyterian, invented quite a few corrupt churchmen as [[Take That|Take Thats]] against the Roman Catholic Church: the worldly Prior Aylmer, the proud, cruel, and lustful Bois-Guilbert, the ignorant and violent "hedge-priest" Friar Tuck, the unscrupulous Malvoisin, the fanatical Beaumanoir, the greedy and treacherous Abbot Wolfram who betrays Athelstane. Indeed, there is not a single completely ''decent'' cleric in the whole novel.

* [[Courtly Love]]: Played straight by Wilfred and Rowena (and {{spoiler|Rebecca for Wilfred}}; subverted by Athelstane and de Bracy for Rowena; beaten all to hell and back by Bois-Guilbert for Rebecca

* [[The Crusades]]: Where many of the main characters are returning from -- specifically, the Third Crusade.

* [[Hollywood Costuming]]: Scott's descriptions of clothing and armour are wildly at variance with our knowledge of 12th century costume.

* [[Hollywood History]]: At times nearing [[Critical Research Failure]].

* [[Honor Before Reason|Honour Before Reason]]: Wilfred tries to explain this concept to Rebecca, who still insists on Reason before Honour.

* [[Hypocritical Humor]]: Friar Tuck and the Black Knight(I.E. [[Tempting Fate|the King of England]]) have a friendly banter about just ''how'' the Friar had obtained that delicious venison.

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[[Category:Historical Fiction Literature]]

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