M arina PAVLOVA, Moscow
Walter Scott "Ivanhoe"
Materials for studying the historical novel in the 7th grade
The “historical” block of the MIROS Literary Education Program in the 7th grade opens with the study of the novel by the English romantic writer W. Scott “Ivanhoe”. As part of this block, students will have to understand the features of the genre of the historical novel, reflect on the features of the perception and image of “long gone days” by V. Scott, A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov.The first question that should be asked to the guys is: what makes us attribute to the historical genre such different works as the novels "Ivanhoe" and "The Captain's Daughter", the poem "The Song about the Merchant Kalashnikov" (all these works are studied in one block)?
The action of the novel "Ivanhoe" takes place in the XI century, the events of the Pugachev rebellion, which formed the basis of The Captain's Daughter, are removed by more than sixty years from the time of its writing, in "The Song about the Merchant Kalashnikov" Lermontov immerses the reader in the era of the reign of Ivan the Terrible. Obviously, the main thing is that historical works are created much later than the era described in them. This gives the authors the opportunity to look at historical events from a certain time distance, to comprehend what happened in a new way. The writers rely on the historical documents they have studied, and the realities of the past arise in the work, folk life and customs are described in detail. The author defends an individual view of the events of the distant past, is based on his own historical concept, in one way or another expresses his attitude to real historical characters. Nevertheless, remoteness in time does not remove the relevance of the problems of a historical work. Home > Lesson
I AM GOING TO THE LESSON
Marina PAVLOVA, Moscow
Walter Scott "Ivanhoe"
Materials for studying the historical novel in the 7th grade
The “historical” block of the MIROS Literary Education Program in the 7th grade opens with the study of the novel by the English romantic writer W. Scott “Ivanhoe”. As part of this block, students will have to understand the features of the genre of the historical novel, reflect on the features of the perception and image of “long gone days” by V. Scott, A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov.
The first question that should be asked to the guys is: what makes us attribute to the historical genre such different works as the novels "Ivanhoe" and "The Captain's Daughter", the poem "The Song about the Merchant Kalashnikov" (all these works are studied in one block)?
The action of the novel "Ivanhoe" takes place in the XI century, the events of the Pugachev rebellion, which formed the basis of The Captain's Daughter, are removed by more than sixty years from the time of its writing, in "The Song about the Merchant Kalashnikov" Lermontov immerses the reader in the era of the reign of Ivan the Terrible. Obviously, the main thing is that historical works are created much later than the era described in them. This gives the authors the opportunity to look at historical events from a certain time distance, to comprehend what happened in a new way. The writers rely on the historical documents they have studied, and the realities of the past arise in the work, folk life and customs are described in detail. The author defends an individual view of the events of the distant past, is based on his own historical concept, in one way or another expresses his attitude to real historical characters. Nevertheless, remoteness in time does not remove the relevance of the problems of a historical work.
Reflecting on the features of the genre, we can compare the historical novel with the ancient Russian chronicle or the Western European chronicle. What do they have in common and how do they differ?
First of all, the narration is about the events of the past, but the annals and the chronicle give the impression of an independent objective narration. The chronicler does not compose anything, he talks about what, in his opinion, really happened. He tells consistently and in detail, trying to create a systemic, holistic picture of the world. The chronicle resembles a personal diary, but it is not dedicated to the life of an individual, but to the history of some lands, the reign of European sovereigns and the life of the people in different periods of government. Fiction and historical facts are closely intertwined in a historical novel, real historical figures and fictional characters act.
So, in the process of studying the novel by W. Scott, we will try to figure out from what point of view the author considers history, how history and fiction are intertwined in the novel, how the Middle Ages appears to the reader in the image of the English romantic writer. 
Speaking about the novel "Ivanhoe", one should also think about what signs of a chivalric romance can be found in it. Students are already familiar with fragments of the article by A.D. Mikhailov "The Novel and Tale of the High Middle Ages" (the article in full was published in the 22nd volume of the BVL "Medieval Novel and Tale"). Thus, the features of the genre of the historical novel in comparison with the annals (chronicle) and the chivalric romance of the Middle Ages will become more obvious to students.
Students will note the similarity of the knight Ivanhoe with the heroes of a chivalric novel. Scott's novel performs a "popular science" function, reporting historical information about the life of medieval England, it combines stories about the crusade and the code of chivalry, in the center of the novel is a love affair. Then we invite the students to think about why the novel "Ivanhoe" is not a chivalric novel. Firstly, because it was written in the 19th century, and not in the Middle Ages, and secondly, there is nothing fantastic or magical in it, but a picturesque picture of historical events arises before the reader. The novel is based on the traditional for V. Scott interweaving of love and political intrigues. In the center of the story is a couple in love - the knight Ivanhoe and Lady Rowena, whose fate and well-being depend on the course of history.
What determines the happiness of lovers? From what turn historical events will take, who will win in the historical conflict. Who are its participants? The conflict unfolds between two warring camps: the Normans, who conquered England at the end of the 11th century, and the Anglo-Saxons, who have owned it for several centuries and, in turn, ousted the tribes of the Britons. Against the backdrop of picturesque historical events, a hero acts, faithful to the code of honor, in any situation acting according to a sense of duty and remaining faithful to his beautiful beloved. What actions, consistent with the knightly code of honor, does Ivanhoe perform? Under the mask of a pilgrim-pilgrim, he is the only one who, taking pity on the weak old moneylender Isaac, gives him a place at the hearth; anonymously challenges the knight of the Temple, the invincible Boisguillebert; stands up for the honor of the son of Cedric (that is, for his own, but again anonymously); saves Isaac from robbery and death; wins several duels of the Knights Templar; fights alongside Richard the Lionheart; takes part in the crusade; saves the beautiful Rebekah, throughout the novel without betraying the knightly notions of honor.
Built on a fascinating solving of sequentially emerging riddles (the secret of the son of Cedric Sax, the secret of the pilgrim, the secret of the Knight Disinherited, the secret of the Black Knight), the novel combines intrigue, picturesque spectacle and philosophical understanding of events. As homework for one of the lessons, the students were asked to write out from the novel (or mark in the text) the definitions of knightly honor and the components of the code of honor of medieval knights (ch. 10, 28, 29). Here's what we found out:
The duty of a true knight is to be a supporter of the weakest party.
Strict concepts of knightly honor forbade any violence against a knight who was in a helpless state.
It is difficult for a person who is experienced in knightly exploits to remain inactive, like some monk or woman, while others around him perform valorous deeds. “After all, battle is our daily bread, the smoke of battle is the air that we breathe! We do not live and do not want to live otherwise than surrounded by a halo of victory and glory! These are the laws of chivalry, we swore to fulfill them and sacrifice for them everything that is dear to us in life.
H 
the reward of a knight is glory, it will perpetuate the name of the hero.
The chivalrous spirit distinguishes a valiant warrior from a commoner and a savage, he teaches to value his life incomparably lower than honor, to triumph over all hardships, worries and suffering, not to fear anything but dishonor.
Chivalry is the source of the purest and most noble affections, the support of the oppressed, the protection of the offended, the bulwark against the arbitrariness of the rulers. Without him, noble honor would be an empty phrase.
Freedom finds its best patrons in knightly spears and swords.
What act is impossible for a true knight? Who violates the laws of chivalry?
The worst crime of a knight is betrayal of honor and duty. Crime is punishable by death (Font de Boeuf and Brian de Boisguillebert), punishment is inevitable.
Which of the heroes of the novel, except for Ivanhoe, can be called a true knight? Of course, this is Richard the Lionheart. What feats does he perform? Romantic Richard Plantagenet is most attracted to the life of a simple knight-errant, he is most dear to the glory that he wins alone with his firm hand and sword, rather than a victory won at the head of a hundred thousandth army. It is about him that Rebekah, watching the battle from the tower, says: “He rushes into battle, as if at 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 defeat hundreds of people.” Then you can read to the students an excerpt from chapter 41, in which W. Scott himself speaks about the difference between the historical prototype and its literary counterpart. Why does a real historical character change so much under the novelist's pen?
The true knight Ivanhoe, who did not exist in reality, and the true knight Richard the Lionheart, whose historical appearance, to put it mildly, did not quite correspond to the romantic image, are necessary for Walter Scott to embody his own ideas in the novel, and he is well aware that the real Richard I was not at all a romantic knight without fear and reproach.
Of particular interest in the novel are female characters. Let the students name the heroines, thanks to which the plot moves, find their portraits, describe the characters. Invite students to recall the image of the heroine of a romantic work. What qualities of romantic heroines are characteristic of Rebekah and Rowena? Which heroine makes you the most sympathetic?
If the blond lady Rowena is a fairly typical romantic image of a beautiful lady for whom the knight performs his exploits and who brilliantly plays the role of a well-deserved reward in the finale, then the image of the beautiful Jewess Rebekah is more complex. By virtue of her origin, placed in a special position, the brave and generous Rebekah expresses an attitude to the events that is worthy of the mouth of her creator. So, she accompanies the description of the exploits of Richard with the exclamation: “Let him go, God, the sin of bloodshed!”, obviously differently (in comparison with Ivanhoe) assessing the military exploits of the English king. Entering into an argument with Ivanhoe, with whom she is secretly in love, Rebekah calls chivalric exploits a sacrifice to the demon of vanity and self-immolation before Moloch. Unlike most heroes who dream of feats of arms, Rebekah heals wounds and heals the sick. Rebekah also has her own notions of honor, she reproaches Boisguillebert that he is going to betray his Order and his faith for her sake. It is she who, in a situation of choice between life and death, leads philosophical disputes with an indomitable templar about the role of fate. She owns the words, clearly ahead of their time, that "people often blame the fate of the consequences of their own violent passions." She is able to objectively (and poetically) evaluate the character of her cruel kidnapper Boisguillebert: “You have a strong soul; sometimes noble and great impulses flare up in it. But it is like a neglected garden belonging to a negligent owner: weeds have grown in it and drowned out healthy sprouts. She is not destined to be happy: Rebekah embodies the author’s idea that “self-denial and the sacrifice of one’s passions for the sake of duty are rarely rewarded and that the inner consciousness of duties performed gives a person a true reward - peace of mind, which no one can either take away or give ".
So, each hero received what he deserved: Richard the Lionheart - glory and memory of his descendants, Ivanhoe - glory and beloved, but Rebekah, who refused her unfortunate passion, received the highest reward - peace of mind. The fate of heroes who do not follow the code of honor has already been said above.
Researchers of V. Scott's work note that that in his novels the writer comprehends the philosophical ideas of historical development. From Scott's point of view, history develops according to special laws, society goes through periods of cruelty, gradually moving towards a more moral state of society. These periods of cruelty are associated with the struggle of the conquered peoples with their conquerors. As a result, each next stage of development, reconciling the warring, makes society more perfect. The terrible fruits of the conquests are described in chapter 23, where the Saxon Chronicle is quoted (the description of “terrible deeds” echoes the description of the brutal suppression of the rebellion in Pushkin's The Captain's Daughter - see omitted chapter).
As a result, each next stage of development, reconciling the warring, makes society more perfect. It is no coincidence that the novel "Ivanhoe" ends with the wedding of Ivanhoe and Rowena, and the noble Normans and Saxons present at the wedding understand that "by peaceful means they could achieve much greater success than as a result of unreliable success in an internecine war", "they saw in the union of this couple the guarantee of the future peace and harmony between the two tribes; since that time these warring tribes have merged and lost their distinction.” Invite students to explain, using the text from the last chapter, why Ivanhoe and Rowena's wedding ends both the love and political storylines of the novel.
In order to summarize what was learned in the lessons on the novel by W. Scott "Ivanhoe", you can use materials that include the text of W. Thackeray's famous parody "Rebekah and Rowena".
A peculiar continuation-parody of the English satirist writer William Thackeray (1811-1863) "Rebekah and Rowena" appears in print thirty years after the publication of "Ivanhoe". It is overtly burlesque and satirizes what Thackeray vehemently rejects in historical romance novels. The objects of parody are the romanticization of history, the main plot moves, the romantic style and romantic pathos, and, first of all, the characters of the characters, their sublime feelings. All these features of the romantic historical novel are reduced and ridiculed, and the subsequent actions of the characters are explained by their new, modern (sometimes very vulgar) “bourgeois” values.
In one of his letters, Thackeray defines his views as follows: "The art of the novel is to depict Nature - to convey with the greatest fullness a sense of reality." And again: “From my point of view, a frock coat should be a frock coat, and a poker a poker, and nothing else. It is not clear to me why a frock coat should be called an embroidered tunic, and a poker - a red-hot tool from pantomime. Thackeray is a supporter of realism, making strict demands on art. He does not accept the poetry of Byron and Shelley, finding in them too sublime, exaggerated, and therefore false feelings. The deviation from the naturalness and simplicity of the image causes its condemnation and ridicule.
To work on the final lesson you can distribute to each student (or in groups) fragments of the text of the parody and offer to answer the following questions: What and who is Thackeray laughing at? What is he parodying? How does he make the reader laugh? How do the characters of the characters and their actions change in the parody? How does the author explain these changes? Find Scott's possible answer to Thackeray's parody in the preface to Ivanhoe (note that W. Scott could not read Rebekah and Rowena, since the parody appeared after his death).
In the future, the materials obtained in the study of W. Scott's novel "Ivanhoe" can be used when working on "The Captain's Daughter" by A.S. Pushkin. It is known that Pushkin highly appreciated the novels of W. Scott, and his archive contains a short article dedicated to the Scottish novelist.
You can give students assignments revealing the connection between the historical works of V. Scott and A.S. Pushkin (this work will help to better understand the originality of Pushkin's approach to history in The Captain's Daughter):
1. Ivanhoe and Grinev. Write down the rules of noble honor from Pushkin's novel, compare them with the code of a true knight in the novel "Ivanhoe".
“I involuntarily clutched the hilt of my sword, remembering that the day before I had received it from her hands, as if in defense of my dear. My heart was on fire. I imagined myself to be her knight. I was eager to prove that I was worthy of her power of attorney, and I began to look forward to the decisive moment ”(Grinev).
"Keep honor from a young age." (Epigraph. Given by the publisher.)
“Serve faithfully to whom you swear; obey the bosses; do not chase after their affection; do not ask for service; do not excuse yourself from the service; and remember the proverb: take care of the dress again, and honor from youth ”(parting words from the elder Grinev).
“I am a natural nobleman; I swore allegiance to the empress: I cannot serve you”; “What will it be like when I refuse service, when my service is needed?”; “The duty of honor required my presence in the army of the empress” (Grinev).
“With disgust, I looked at the nobleman, wallowing at the feet of a runaway Cossack” (Grinev about Shvabrin).
“Execution is not terrible ... But a nobleman should change his oath, join with robbers, murderers, runaway serfs! .. Shame and disgrace to our family!” (senior Grinev).
2. Find in the chapter "Pugachevshchina" Grinev's reasoning, arguing with Scott's idea about the laws of development of society. (Society goes through periods of cruelty, gradually moving towards a more moral state. These periods of cruelty are associated with the struggle of the conquered with the conquerors. As a result, each next stage of development, reconciling the warring, makes society more perfect.)
“When I remember that this happened in my lifetime and that I have now lived up to the meek reign of Emperor Alexander, I cannot help but marvel at the rapid success of enlightenment and the spread of the rules of philanthropy. Young man! if my notes fall into your hands, remember that the best and most lasting changes are those that come from the improvement of morals, without any violent upheavals.
3. Epigraphs to chapters.
Compare several epigraphs to chapters in Ivanhoe and several epigraphs in The Captain's Daughter. What is their role?
4. Folk ballads and folk songs by Scott and Pushkin.
Compare the role of pastiches of folk ballads included in the text in the novel "Ivanhoe" and folk songs in "The Captain's Daughter". For example, Ulrika's song (Chapter 31) and the song "Don't make noise, mother green oak forest..." (Chapter 7 "Uninvited Guest").
5. How are Gurt (slave, then free squire Ivanhoe) and Savelich similar? What is the difference?
6. What is common in the principles of construction of novels by Scott and Pushkin?
Obviously, in the center of the story is a couple in love, whose fate depends on the turn of historical events, two warring camps, between which the hero is located. “Two camps, two truths, one destiny” - so aphoristically writes A.N. Arkhangelsky in the book "Heroes of Pushkin". Compare the two meanings of the tale told by Pugachev to Grinev. Pugachev: “Than eating carrion for three hundred years, it’s better to drink living blood once, and then what God will give!” Grinev: "But to live by murder and robbery means for me to peck at carrion."
7. What does Ivanhoe believe in and what does Grinev believe in? Who do you think is more free?
8. What is the role of chance in the novels of W. Scott and A.S. Pushkin?
What accidents control the fate of Ivanhoe? A chance meeting with Brian Boisguillebert and the prior, whom he takes to his father's house; accidentally meets in his father's house with Isaac and his daughter; by chance, the Black Knight is at the tournament and saves Ivanhoe; the witnesses of the tournament accidentally recognize the name of the Disinherited Knight... and so on.
What accidents control the fate of Grinev? Accidentally caught in a snowstorm, he is accidentally rescued by a black-bearded man who accidentally turns out to be Pugachev, Pugachev accidentally recognizes Savelich and pardons Pyotr Andreevich, Grinev accidentally finds out that Masha is in the hands of the traitor Shvabrin ... and so on.
(For more on the poetics of chance, see the book by A.N. Arkhangelsky "Pushkin's Heroes".)
Training and metodology complexD History of foreign literature of the 19th century. Romanticism.: Educational and methodological complex of the discipline / Comp.: M.A. Kovaleva; Biysk ped. state un-t im. V. M. Shukshin.
The “historical” block of the Literary Education Program in the 7th grade opens with the study of the novel by the English romantic writer W. Scott “Ivanhoe”. As part of this block, students will have to understand the features of the historical novel genre, reflect on the peculiarities of perception and depiction of “long gone days” W.Scott, A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov.
The first question that should be asked to the guys is: what makes us attribute to the historical genre such different works as the novels "Ivanhoe" and "The Captain's Daughter", the poem "The Song about the Merchant Kalashnikov" (all these works are studied in one block)?
The action of the novel "Ivanhoe" takes place in the XI century, the events of the Pugachev rebellion, which formed the basis of The Captain's Daughter, are removed by more than sixty years from the time of its writing, in "The Song about the Merchant Kalashnikov" Lermontov immerses the reader in the era of the reign of Ivan the Terrible. Obviously, the main thing is that historical works are created much later than the era described in them. This gives the authors the opportunity to look at historical events from a certain time distance, to comprehend what happened in a new way. The writers rely on the historical documents they have studied, and the realities of the past arise in the work, folk life and customs are described in detail. The author defends an individual view of the events of the distant past, is based on his own historical concept, in one way or another expresses his attitude to real historical characters. Nevertheless, remoteness in time does not remove the relevance of the problems of a historical work.
Reflecting on the features of the genre, we can compare the historical novel with the ancient Russian chronicle or the Western European chronicle. What do they have in common and how do they differ?
First of all, the narration is about the events of the past, but the annals and the chronicle give the impression of an independent objective narration. The chronicler does not compose anything, he talks about what, in his opinion, really happened. He tells consistently and in detail, trying to create a systemic, holistic picture of the world. The chronicle resembles a personal diary, but it is not dedicated to the life of an individual, but to the history of some lands, the reign of European sovereigns and the life of the people in different periods of government. Fiction and historical facts are closely intertwined in a historical novel, real historical figures and fictional characters act.
So, in the process of studying the novel by W. Scott, we will try to figure out from what point of view the author considers history, how history and fiction are intertwined in the novel, how the Middle Ages appears to the reader in the image of the English romantic writer.
Speaking about the novel "Ivanhoe", one should also think about what signs of a chivalric romance can be found in it. Students are already familiar with fragments of the article by A.D. Mikhailov "The Novel and Tale of the High Middle Ages" (the article in full was published in the 22nd volume of the BVL "Medieval Novel and Tale"). Thus, the features of the genre of the historical novel in comparison with the annals (chronicle) and the chivalric romance of the Middle Ages will become more obvious to students.
Students will note the similarity of the knight Ivanhoe with the heroes of a chivalric novel. Scott's novel performs a "popular science" function, reporting historical information about the life of medieval England, it combines stories about the crusade and the code of knightly honor, in the center of the novel is a love affair. Then we invite students to think about why the novel "Ivanhoe" is not is a chivalric novel.Firstly, because it was written in the 19th century, and not in the Middle Ages, and secondly, there is nothing fantastic or magical in it, but a picturesque picture of historical events appears before the reader.The novel is based on the traditional W. Scott intertwined love and political intrigues.In the center of the story is a couple in love - the knight Ivanhoe and Lady Rowena, whose fate and well-being depend on the course of history.
What determines the happiness of lovers? From what turn historical events will take, who will win in the historical conflict. Who are its participants? The conflict unfolds between two warring camps: the Normans, who conquered England at the end of the 11th century, and the Anglo-Saxons, who have owned it for several centuries and, in turn, ousted the tribes of the Britons. Against the backdrop of picturesque historical events, a hero acts, faithful to the code of honor, in any situation acting according to a sense of duty and remaining faithful to his beautiful beloved. What actions, consistent with the knightly code of honor, does Ivanhoe perform? Under the mask of a pilgrim-pilgrim, he is the only one who, taking pity on the weak old moneylender Isaac, gives him a place at the hearth; anonymously challenges the knight of the Temple, the invincible Boisguillebert; stands up for the honor of the son of Cedric (that is, for his own, but again anonymously); saves Isaac from robbery and death; wins several duels of the Knights Templar; fights alongside Richard the Lionheart; takes part in the crusade; saves the beautiful Rebekah, throughout the novel without betraying the knightly notions of honor.
Built on a fascinating solving of sequentially emerging riddles (the secret of the son of Cedric Sax, the secret of the pilgrim, the secret of the Knight Disinherited, the secret of the Black Knight), the novel combines intrigue, picturesque spectacle and philosophical understanding of events. As homework for one of the lessons, the students were asked to write out from the novel (or mark in the text) the definitions of knightly honor and the components of the code of honor of medieval knights (ch. 10, 28, 29). Here's what we found out:
The duty of a true knight is to be a supporter of the weakest party.
Strict concepts of knightly honor forbade any violence against a knight who was in a helpless state.
It is difficult for a person who is experienced in knightly exploits to remain inactive, like some monk or woman, while others around him perform valorous deeds. "After all, battle is our daily bread, the smoke of battle is the air that we breathe! We do not live and do not want to live otherwise than surrounded by a halo of victory and glory! These are the laws of chivalry, we swore to fulfill them and sacrifice everything for them We value our lives."
The reward of a knight is glory, it will perpetuate the name of the hero.
The chivalrous spirit distinguishes a valiant warrior from a commoner and a savage, he teaches to value his life incomparably lower than honor, to triumph over all hardships, worries and suffering, not to fear anything but dishonor.
Chivalry is the source of the purest and most noble affections, the support of the oppressed, the protection of the offended, the bulwark against the arbitrariness of the rulers. Without him, noble honor would be an empty phrase.
Freedom finds its best patrons in knightly spears and swords.
What act is impossible for a true knight? Who violates the laws of chivalry?
The worst crime of a knight is betrayal of honor and duty. Crime is punishable by death (Font de Boeuf and Brian de Boisguillebert), punishment is inevitable.
Which of the heroes of the novel, except for Ivanhoe, can be called a true knight? Of course, this is Richard the Lionheart. What feats does he perform? Romantic Richard Plantagenet is most attracted to the life of a simple knight-errant, he is most dear to the glory that he wins alone with his firm hand and sword, rather than a victory won at the head of a hundred thousandth army. It is about him that Rebekah, watching the battle from the tower, says: “He rushes into battle, as if at a merry feast. More than one muscle force controls his blows - it seems as if he puts his whole soul into every blow inflicted on the enemy. This is terrible and a majestic spectacle when the hand and heart of one person defeats hundreds of people". Then you can read to the students an excerpt from chapter 41, in which W. Scott himself speaks about the difference between the historical prototype and its literary counterpart. Why does a real historical character change so much under the novelist's pen?
The true knight Ivanhoe, who did not exist in reality, and the true knight Richard the Lionheart, whose historical appearance, to put it mildly, did not quite correspond to the romantic image, are necessary for Walter Scott to embody his own ideas in the novel, and he is well aware that the real Richard I was not at all a romantic knight without fear and reproach.
Of particular interest in the novel are female characters. Let the students name the heroines, thanks to which the plot moves, find their portraits, describe the characters. Invite students to recall the image of the heroine of a romantic work. What qualities of romantic heroines are characteristic of Rebekah and Rowena? Which heroine makes you the most sympathetic?
If the blond lady Rowena is a fairly typical romantic image of a beautiful lady for whom the knight performs his exploits and who brilliantly plays the role of a well-deserved reward in the finale, then the image of the beautiful Jewess Rebekah is more complex. By virtue of her origin, placed in a special position, the brave and generous Rebekah expresses an attitude to the events that is worthy of the mouth of her creator. So, she accompanies the description of the exploits of Richard with the exclamation: “Let him go, O God, the sin of bloodshed!”, obviously differently (compared to Ivanhoe) evaluating the military exploits of the English king. Entering into a dispute with Ivanhoe, with whom she is secretly in love, Rebekah calls knightly exploits sacrifice to the demon of vanity and self-immolation before Moloch. Unlike most heroes who dream of feats of arms, Rebekah heals wounds, heals the sick. Rebekah also has her own ideas about honor, she reproaches Boisguillebert that he is going to betray his Order for her sake and her faith. It is she who, in a situation of choice between life and death, conducts philosophical disputes with an indomitable templar about the role of fate. She owns the words, clearly ahead of their time, that "people often blame the consequences of their own violent passions on fate." She is able to objectively (and poetically) assess the character of her cruel captor Boisguillebert: “You have a strong soul; sometimes noble and great impulses flare up in it. But it is like a neglected garden belonging to a negligent owner: weeds have grown in it and drowned out healthy shoots” She is not destined to be happy: Rebekah embodies the author's idea that "self-denial and the sacrifice of one's passions for the sake of duty are rarely rewarded and that the inner consciousness of duties performed gives a person a true reward - peace of mind, which no one can either take away or give".
So, each hero received what he deserved: Richard the Lionheart - glory and memory of his descendants, Ivanhoe - glory and beloved, but Rebekah, who refused her unfortunate passion, received the highest reward - peace of mind. The fate of heroes who do not follow the code of honor has already been said above.
Researchers of V. Scott's work note that that in his novels the writer comprehends the philosophical ideas of historical development. From Scott's point of view, history develops according to special laws, society goes through periods of cruelty, gradually moving towards a more moral state of society. These periods of cruelty are associated with the struggle of the conquered peoples with their conquerors. As a result, each next stage of development, reconciling the warring, makes society more perfect. The terrible fruits of the conquests are described in chapter 23, where the Saxon Chronicle is quoted (the description of "terrible deeds" echoes the description of the brutal suppression of the rebellion in Pushkin's The Captain's Daughter - see omitted chapter).
As a result, each next stage of development, reconciling the warring, makes society more perfect. It is no coincidence that the novel "Ivanhoe" ends with the wedding of Ivanhoe and Rowena, and the noble Normans and Saxons present at the wedding understand that "by peaceful means they could achieve much greater success than as a result of unreliable success in an internecine war", "they saw in the union of this couple the guarantee of the future peace and harmony between the two tribes; since that time these warring tribes have merged and lost their distinction.” Invite students to explain, using the text from the last chapter, why Ivanhoe and Rowena's wedding ends both the love and political storylines of the novel.
In order to summarize what was learned in the lessons on the novel by W. Scott "Ivanhoe", you can use materials that include the text of W. Thackeray's famous parody "Rebekah and Rowena".
A peculiar continuation-parody of the English satirist writer William Thackeray (1811-1863) "Rebekah and Rowena" appears in print thirty years after the publication of "Ivanhoe". It is overtly burlesque and satirizes what Thackeray vehemently rejects in historical romance novels. The objects of parody are the romanticization of history, the main plot moves, the romantic style and romantic pathos, and, first of all, the characters of the characters, their sublime feelings. All these features of the romantic historical novel are reduced and ridiculed, and the subsequent actions of the characters are explained by their new, modern (sometimes very vulgar) "bourgeois" values.
In one of the letters, Thackeray defines his views as follows: “The art of the novel is to depict Nature - to convey with the greatest completeness a sense of reality.” And more: “From my point of view, a coat should be a coat, and a poker a poker, and nothing different. It is not clear to me why a frock coat should be called an embroidered tunic, and a poker - a red-hot tool from pantomime. Thackeray is a supporter of realism, making strict demands on art. He does not accept the poetry of Byron and Shelley, finding in them too sublime, exaggerated, and therefore false feelings. The deviation from the naturalness and simplicity of the image causes its condemnation and ridicule.
To work on the final lesson you can distribute to each student (or in groups) fragments of the text of the parody and offer to answer the following questions: What and who is Thackeray laughing at? What is he parodying? How does he make the reader laugh? How do the characters of the characters and their actions change in the parody? How does the author explain these changes? Find Scott's possible answer to Thackeray's parody in the preface to Ivanhoe (note that W. Scott could not read Rebekah and Rowena, since the parody appeared after his death).
In the future, the materials obtained in the study of W. Scott's novel "Ivanhoe" can be used when working on "The Captain's Daughter" by A.S. Pushkin. It is known that Pushkin highly appreciated the novels of W. Scott, and his archive contains a short article dedicated to the Scottish novelist.
You can give students assignments revealing the connection between the historical works of V. Scott and A.S. Pushkin (this work will help to better understand the originality of Pushkin's approach to history in The Captain's Daughter):
1. Ivanhoe and Grinev. Write down the rules of noble honor from Pushkin's novel, compare them with the code of a true knight in the novel "Ivanhoe".
“I involuntarily clutched the hilt of my sword, remembering that the day before I had received it from her hands, as if in defense of my beloved. My heart burned. I imagined myself to be her knight. decisive moment” (Grinev).
"Take care of honor from a young age." (Epigraph. Given by the publisher.)
“Serve faithfully to whom you swear; obey your superiors; don’t chase after their affection; don’t ask for service; don’t excuse yourself from service; and remember the proverb: take care of your dress again, and honor from youth” (parting words from the elder Grinev).
“I am a natural nobleman; I swore allegiance to the empress: I cannot serve you”; “What will it look like when I refuse to serve, when my service is needed?”; “The duty of honor required my presence in the army of the Empress” (Grinev).
“With disgust I looked at the nobleman, wallowing at the feet of a runaway Cossack” (Grinev about Shvabrin).
“Execution is not terrible ... But a nobleman should change his oath, join with robbers, murderers, runaway serfs! .. Shame and disgrace to our family!” (senior Grinev).
2. Find in the chapter "Pugachevshchina" Grinev's reasoning, arguing with Scott's idea about the laws of development of society. (Society goes through periods of cruelty, gradually moving towards a more moral state. These periods of cruelty are associated with the struggle of the conquered with the conquerors. As a result, each next stage of development, reconciling the warring, makes society more perfect.)
“When I remember that this happened in my lifetime and that I have now lived up to the meek reign of Emperor Alexander, I cannot help but marvel at the rapid success of enlightenment and the spread of the rules of philanthropy. Young man, if my notes fall into your hands, remember that the best and most durable the changes are those that come from the improvement of morals, without any violent upheavals.
3. Epigraphs to chapters.
Compare several epigraphs to chapters in Ivanhoe and several epigraphs in The Captain's Daughter. What is their role?
4. Folk ballads and folk songs by Scott and Pushkin.
Compare the role of pastiches of folk ballads included in the text in the novel "Ivanhoe" and folk songs in "The Captain's Daughter". For example, Ulrika's song (Chapter 31) and the song "Don't make noise, mother green oak forest..." (Chapter 7 "Uninvited Guest").
5. How are Gurt (slave, then free squire Ivanhoe) and Savelich similar? What is the difference?
6. What is common in the principles of construction of novels by Scott and Pushkin?
Obviously, in the center of the story is a couple in love, whose fate depends on the turn of historical events, two warring camps, between which the hero is located. “Two camps, two truths, one fate,” A.N. Arkhangelsky writes so aphoristically in the book “Pushkin’s Heroes.” Compare the two meanings of the tale told by Pugachev to Grinev. Pugachev: “Than eating carrion for three hundred years, it’s better to drink living blood once and then what God will give!” Grinev: "But to live by murder and robbery means for me to peck at carrion."
7. What does Ivanhoe believe in and what does Grinev believe in? Who do you think is more free?
8. What is the role of chance in the novels of W. Scott and A.S. Pushkin?
What accidents control the fate of Ivanhoe? A chance meeting with Brian Boisguillebert and the prior, whom he takes to his father's house; accidentally meets in his father's house with Isaac and his daughter; by chance, the Black Knight is at the tournament and saves Ivanhoe; the witnesses of the tournament accidentally recognize the name of the Disinherited Knight... and so on.
What accidents control the fate of Grinev? Accidentally caught in a snowstorm, he is accidentally rescued by a black-bearded man who accidentally turns out to be Pugachev, Pugachev accidentally recognizes Savelich and pardons Pyotr Andreevich, Grinev accidentally finds out that Masha is in the hands of the traitor Shvabrin ... and so on.
(For more on the poetics of chance, see the book by A.N. Arkhangelsky "Pushkin's Heroes".)
9. What do you think, can it be attributed to the novel by V. Scott "Ivanhoe" and the novel by A.S. Pushkin's "The Captain's Daughter" is a well-known principle of the French novelist Dumas Father ("Three Musketeers" and so on): "History is the nail on which I hang my picture." Argue your point of view.
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Scott is the originator of the historical novel genre. A. S. Pushkin called Walter Scott a Scottish sorcerer. “The artist cannot confine himself to the dry facts of history, he is obliged to combine the truth of history with fantasy, the purpose of which is to captivate the reader, to make him empathize with the characters of the novel” (W. Scott)
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The writer's early childhood was spent on his grandfather's farm, where he was sent after a serious illness (polio), as a result of which he remained lame for life. When Scott was 7 years old, he was sent to school in Edinburgh, after which Scott entered the University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh at that time was called "Northern Athens". It was here that Walter met the idol of his youth, the great Scottish poet Robert Burns. At the age of 21, V. Scott received a lawyer's title and began to work in court. Having married Charlotte Charpentier, the daughter of a French immigrant, Scott settled near the estate of his patron the Duke of Beauclue, thanks to which he received the post of sheriff of one of the districts. Traveling on the affairs of his district, Scott recorded the memories of people - eyewitnesses of the turbulent events of the past, ballads and songs. He also worked on the book The Life and Works of Swift.
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In 1814, Scott stumbled across passages from his old, unfinished manuscript and completed it within three weeks. It was the Waverley novel. Since then, he has published his novels under the pseudonym "author of Waverley". His fame grew with each new work, among which were the novels of the so-called Scottish cycle: “The Puritans”, “Rob Roy”, “The Legend of Montrose”, etc. After 1819, the action of W. era. The novels Ivanhoe (1820) and Quentin Dorward (1823) brought well-deserved fame to the writer.
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Robin Hood and his comrades, as well as images of the swineherd Gurt and the jester Wamba, about which the writer Balzac said: “Two phrases of the swineherd and the jester in Ivanhoe explain everything: the country, the stage, and even again arrived Templar and wanderer. The romance of folk images, the spirit of the Robin Hood freemen with the greatest force introduce the reader to bygone times.
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In the center of the story is a couple in love - the knight Ivanhoe and Lady Rowena, whose fate and well-being depend on the course of history.
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The reward of a knight is glory, it will perpetuate the name of the hero. The chivalrous spirit distinguishes a valiant warrior from a commoner and a savage, he teaches to value his life incomparably lower than honor, to triumph over all hardships, worries and suffering, not to fear anything but dishonor. Chivalry is the source of the purest and most noble affections, the support of the oppressed, the protection of the offended, the bulwark against the arbitrariness of the rulers. Without him, noble honor would be an empty phrase. Freedom finds its best patrons in knightly spears and swords. What act is impossible for a true knight? Who violates the laws of chivalry?
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Questions How are history and fiction intertwined in the novel, how does medieval England appear in the novel? Which of the heroes of the novel can be called a true knight? What qualities of romantic heroines are characteristic of Rebekah and Rowena? Which character do you like the most and why? Why is Rebekah expressing her attitude to current events? What descriptions of crowd scenes do you remember the most?
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Why does the marriage of Ivanhoe and Rowena symbolize in the novel the guarantee of future peace and harmony between the two warring tribes? Compare the ending of Scott's novel with the end of the love story of Romeo and Juliet, the heroes of Shakespeare's tragedy. Compare the novel "Ivanhoe" with the novel by A. S. Pushkin "The Captain's Daughter". What is common in the construction of the novels of Scott and Pushkin?
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Compare: Ivanhoe and Grinev “I involuntarily clutched the hilt of my sword, remembering that the day before I had received it from her hands, as if to protect my dear. My heart was on fire. I imagined myself to be her knight. I was eager to prove that I was worthy of her power of attorney, and I began to look forward to the decisive moment ”(Grinev). "Keep honor from a young age." (Epigraph. Given by the publisher.) “Serve faithfully to whom you swear allegiance; obey the bosses; do not chase after their affection; do not ask for service; do not excuse yourself from the service; and remember the proverb: take care of the dress again, and honor from youth ”(parting words from the elder Grinev). “I am a natural nobleman; I swore allegiance to the empress: I cannot serve you”; “What will it be like when I refuse service, when my service is needed?”; “The duty of honor required my presence in the army of the empress” (Grinev). “With disgust, I looked at the nobleman, wallowing at the feet of a runaway Cossack” (Grinev about Shvabrin). “Execution is not terrible ... But a nobleman should change his oath, join with robbers, murderers, runaway serfs! .. Shame and disgrace to our family!” (senior Grinev).
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What do you think, can it be attributed to the novel by V. Scott "Ivanhoe" and the novel by A.S. Pushkin's "The Captain's Daughter" is a well-known principle of the French novelist Dumas Father ("Three Musketeers" and so on): "History is the nail on which I hang my picture." Argument your point of view.
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; disregarding 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 still reveled in victory, and the other suffered from the consequences of his defeat ... Almost without exception, the Saxon princes and the 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 the glory won in solitude is dearer than the 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 were actually 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 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. 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.
