A Review of Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott

Sir Walter Scott was quite a colorful figure, not only was he a novelist, but a Presbyterian Elder that became Scottish Episcopalian near the end of his life. Sir Scott also read frequently from Jane Austin, and was an admirer of her works.
Sir Walter Scott is one of my favorite writers. His works include Ivanoe, The Talisman, Rob Roy, among many others. But of all his works, Ivanhoe is the most well known.
 The story of Ivanhoe is quite well known, even to those that never read the book, so I need not say of it's plot and subplots here. That said I will proceed on a few minor details about the book that I like very much, and of my influence from it.
 I saw the 1950s version of Ivanhoe when I was about seven years old at a friend's house. It was immediately a favorite of mine, and I would read the novel when I was about sixteen. Ivanhoe has always been an inspiration to my love of knighthood in general, and to my own Crusade Novels that I am still working on.
 Ivanhoe covers such themes as antisemitism, racism, pride, courage, loyalty, and witch hunting.
 To me, the story of the Anglo-Saxon knight though, and the English 12th century culture he lives in, with all the historical larger than life figures: King Richard the Lion-heart, King John, and Robin Hood, are not all that is appealing to the story, but also the vivid picture of details Sir Walter Scott gives of even small things, like the tapestries on the castle walls.
 Ivanhoe actually popularized Robin Hood in Modern English literature. Ivanhoe was also written before Howard Pyle's own novel on Robin Hood.
 Ivanhoe is technically not Medieval Literature, as it was not written during Medieval Times. That said, it is certainly one of the greatest novel works of the Medieval Ages. The novel Ivanhoe was especially influential on Dixie. Southern Confederates in years to come, would see themselves as chivalrous knights like as romanticized by Scott's great classic.
 The plot of Ivanhoe is one I am have quite familiarized myself with, and as I said I won't cover here. That said you need to check out, and read it!
 This is defiantly a book I could read every year!

''Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all that ye do be done in love. ''
1 Corinthians 16: 13-14

''Teach your children poetry; it opens the mind, lends grace to wisdom and makes the heroic virtues hereditary. '' -Sir Walter Scott


 I love Ivanhoe, don't miss out on this great work!  Have a good week!