"Ivanhoe" is a classic of world literature. Everyone seems to have heard or known the name of the brave knight, even those who have not read the works of the famous novelist. Therefore, it seems relevant to refer to the famous work of W. Scott. This will explain the success of the novel, and also help to understand the reason for its popularity these days.
A brief overview of the writer's work
Adventurous-adventure themes on a historical background occupy a prominent place in English literature. The famous work that Walter Scott wrote is Ivanhoe. Aivengo characterization is the subject of this review. The Scottish writer became famous as the creator of a series of adventurous adventure novels devoted to the history of medieval England and Scotland.
He began his creative activity with the creation of lyric-epic ballads based on folk songs and Scottish folklore. The young poet was so carried away by ancient legends, tales, ancient songs that he personally engaged in collecting and recording them for several years. The result was the appearance of such wonderful poems as “The Song of the Last Minstrel” (1805), “Virgin of the Lake” (1810), and “Rockby” (1813).
General characterization of the hero
Very soon, Scott turned to large prose. After the release of his new work (Waverly, or Sixty Years Ago, 1814), the writer created one of his most famous novels, Ivanhoe (1819). Here, the author went beyond exclusively Scottish themes, turning to events from English history. The action takes place in the XII century, during the reign of King John of the Landless.
Aivengo, whose characterization is inseparable from the general historical background, cannot be imagined in isolation from its social soil. This hero is a typical representative of the knights of medieval England. He is the son of the head of an old clan who fell out of favor with his father, who drove him out of the house. Since that time, the young man was forced to seek happiness only with his sword and courage. He embarks on wanderings, and here, according to the canon of the genre, many exciting adventures take place with him.
Matching the knight with the characters of the novel
The description of the portrait of the protagonist (which, of course, is beautiful, brave, honest and noble) involves addressing the theme of his relationship with people around him, primarily with his father Cedric Sachs, King Richard the Lionheart, Lady Rowena, Rebekah and, finally, Briand de Boisguillebert . The young man did not have a relationship with Lord Cedric Sachs. Falling in love with his pupil Rowena, Aivengo opposed Cedric's matrimonial plans to arrange her marriage with the offspring of the royal family, which led to a well-known quarrel and subsequent exile. However, the young man still respects his father. Aivengo, the characteristics of which we are considering, is unforgettable and respectful to the parent.
Scott portrays his favorite as a real knight without fear and reproach. He is loyal to the king and ready to the last fight for his cause. Devotion to Richard is one of the main features in his portrait. Aivengo, the characterization of which involves appeal primarily to the love line of a young man and Lady Rowena, is especially interesting when paired with his bride, because it is she who, in fact, is his best friend. The girl unconditionally believes in the decency of her chosen one, despite all the slander of others, numerous rumors and gossip. Young people are soul mates: both are calm, firmly convinced of their righteousness, and with dignity bear the trials that have fallen to their lot.
The restrained Rowena is opposed in the novel by the image of the Jewess Rebekah. She is more impulsive and open: her emotionality manifests itself in the most decisive minutes. Perhaps this is what she caused the sympathy of the protagonist.
The characterization of Aivengo and Briana is perhaps the key point in the description of the characters. The knights converge in the final duel for the honor of the slandered Rebekah, and the advantage was clearly not on the side of the protagonist, who had not yet recovered completely from a previously received wound. However, the moral strength of the young man and his consciousness of his innocence were so great that the enemy could not stand it not only physically but mentally.
Portrait on the background of the era
Aivengo, whose characterization is inscribed in the general historical context of the work, is very realistic. Scott was anxious about reproducing the realities of the distant XII century. It should be noted right away that the figure of the protagonist is a typical image of a knight of that time, though somewhat idealized. Nevertheless, the common features are still quite recognizable even for a layman.
The so-called "sword nobility" fought in the royal troops, where they received a salary. However, often representatives of the noble estate did not find refuge and then began to lead a wandering life. The poorest of them even joined the ranks of the "forest fraternity" - free robbers. Fortunately, nothing happened to our hero, however, from the very beginning of the novel it was obvious that he did not have a permanent haven. It was in this position that a significant part of the chivalry of that time was located, and not everyone had the luck to marry a rich and noble lady, as happened with the hero of the novel.
The success of a work in art
The characterization of Aivengo, briefly presented in this review, should be completed by designating the place of W. Scott's beloved work in fiction. This is perhaps the most popular work of the writer to date, which was filmed both in foreign and domestic cinema. The secret of popularity is explained by the famously twisted plot, complex characters, magnificent color of the era. Undoubtedly, this novel should be considered the most successful creation of the writer.