Ivanhoe (Famous Translation with Illustrations)

Author: Walter Scott
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The outstanding achievements of realism in this book are mainly reflected in the author's skill in revealing major social contradictions and struggles through the conflicts of character traits. He is also adept at using techniques such as detailed descriptions and vivid portrayals to recreate the life scenes and customs of that historical era, depicting lively and exciting historical scenes full of vitality. For example, the description of the siege of Toot Hill Castle, which occupies more than one-third of the novel, serves as a case in point. The battle unfolds in a tense, thrilling, and intense atmosphere, gripping the readers. The battle is vividly depicted through the words of Rebecca, adding to its dramatic effect. This war was a life-and-death struggle between the armed forces of the uprising peasants, led by Robin Hood (with the participation of King Richard of Normandy and the Saxon feudal lord Cedric), and the Norman feudal lords. To some extent, it reflects the intense class struggle of the time and is one of the most brilliant scenes depicted in the entire book. Scott's characters generally fall slightly short of his vivid portrayals of historical events and life due to the lack of profound psychological descriptions. However, the ordinary characters from the people—Giles the serf, the clown Wamba, the outlaw Robin Hood, and the Jewish woman Rebecca—are skillfully with a unique blend of fantasy and reality, shining with brilliance. Ivanhoe (1819) is Scott's most famous novel and also one of his finest historical novels depicting medieval life. In China, a classical Chinese translation titled The Saxon Story of the Knights of the Round Table was published as early as 1905 by Lin Shu and Wei Yi, followed by several subsequent vernacular translations, all of which were abridged and adapted versions. The story of the novel takes place during the time when King Richard I of England, known as the Lionheart, was imprisoned abroad in the late 12th century. King Richard, fond of war and glory, launched the Third Crusade in 1191. Due to the disintegration of Christian states participating in the crusade, he was forced to retreat shortly after. During his return journey, a storm struck, and Richard, disguised as a commoner with a few followers, took a route through Vienna to return to England, but was captured by the Duke of Austria and imprisoned in a castle on the Danube for over a year. He was eventually released in 1194 after paying a substantial ransom. The outstanding achievement of the novel Ivanhoe lies in its realistic and vivid recreation of the historical period of feudalism's full bloom in late 12th-century England, reflecting the complex contradictions of the society at the time in a comprehensive and profound manner. Since the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, the Anglo-Saxon nation suffered oppression from the foreign conquerors, with most peasants becoming serfs, and the original Saxon feudal lords were also bullied by the Norman feudal aristocracy. The ruling class at the time consisted mainly of two classes: feudal lords and clergy. Within the feudal lords, a system of knightly fiefdoms was established. By the late 12th century, after over a century of rest and recovery, the feudal lords had consolidated their rule in their respective domains and were becoming increasingly arrogant and complacent, some merging territories while others openly rebelled against the king. To satisfy their luxurious lifestyles, they continuously exploited and oppressed the peasants, forcing some to resort to extreme measures, such as Robin Hood and his band of outlaws in this novel. The church, meanwhile, was an independent force directly under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church, owning one-third of the land in the nation. Powerful factions within the church, such as the Knights Templar in this novel, even dared to oppose the monarchy. These sharp and complex social contradictions are vividly depicted and reflected in the novel, such as the struggle for the throne between the Norman ruling group, represented by Prince John, and King Richard I, the conflict between the Saxon nobles, represented by Cedric, and the Norman nobles, represented by Brienne de Chatillon, as well as the class conflict and struggle between the oppressed peasants, led by Robin Hood, and the Norman feudal lords, such as Fran de Bek. While depicting some romantic scenes of tournaments and duels, the author does not idealize medieval society but instead uses vivid language to expose the corruption and decadence of the feudal lords and clergy, and profoundly remarks in the book: "The description in this novel has not fully revealed the dark and tragic reality of that era."