There’s a school of thought that views the Middle Ages as a dark gulf between the Classical Age and the rebirth of reason known as the Renaissance. The Middle Ages were, to paraphrase science fiction author David Brin, an unhappy time of small-mindedness and fear, marked by the squabbles of petty nobles, ignorance, superstition, and religious persecution.Thus, any historical fiction that dares emit a whiff of romanticism of the age is viewed by some as anathema, a whitewashed but corrupted view of “reality”.
But as time marches on and new discoveries and scholarship come to light, we’ve realized that these times weren’t quite as dark and backwards as we once believed. And that allows us to revisit old works of art like Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe with a fresh perspective. My recent re-read of Scott’s 1819 classic of historical fiction reminded me of the following reasons why it’s still relevant and worth re-reading.
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I seem to remember much like Fennimoor Cooper, Mark Twain had nothing good to say about Scott either.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, I enjoyed Scott's middle ages themed novels immensley.. but had he written them like Bernard Cornwell I probably wouldn't have bothered reading them. It comes to a point where the dirt and pain becomes too much, and I'd prefer to just read a History book.
Ivanhoe is one of my all time favorites. Here's a review I wrote a while back (no link - it was online but has since vanished):
ReplyDeleteDuring a trip to Scotland many years ago, I stood on the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle and looked out over the city. A huge, elaborate monument dominated the skyline. For what king or conqueror was this amazing tower built? Later that day, I walked up to the base of the structure and found that it wasn’t for a hero at all…at least not in the traditional sense of the word. It was a memorial to Scotland’s favorite novelist – Sir Walter Scott.
I first read Ivanhoe as a child, loving the action in a medieval setting. Ivanhoe returns to an England in chaos, with Robin Hood fighting the Knights Templar in the absence of King Richard. I loved knights charging and merry men storming castles. Then, as a teenager, I loved the romance, the love triangle the hero finds himself snared in. In fact, we can blame Ivanhoe for centuries of copycat historical romances.
Now, as an adult I read it for Scott’s gift for dialogue and description. I read it for the themes of sacrifice and loyalty that play throughout. Ivanhoe’s forbidden love with Rebecca, a Jewish girl, may seem tame today, but we forget that at the time Scott was pushing the boundaries of social mores. The fact that his first readers still felt the tragedy of their unfulfilled relationship is a testament to Scott’s power.
Once in a while I will pull Ivanhoe off the shelf and think of that monument in Edinburgh. I think of the devotion the Scottish people have for their writers and hope someday every culture will value literature so highly. And I page through Sir Walter Scott’s masterpiece, treasuring every word.
Awesome post (and story) Eric, thanks for sharing. I love this bit you wrote:
ReplyDeleteNow, as an adult I read it for Scott’s gift for dialogue and description. I read it for the themes of sacrifice and loyalty that play throughout. Ivanhoe’s forbidden love with Rebecca, a Jewish girl, may seem tame today, but we forget that at the time Scott was pushing the boundaries of social mores. The fact that his first readers still felt the tragedy of their unfulfilled relationship is a testament to Scott’s power.
It is a wonderful book.