The Difference Between Bestsellers & Classics: Conflict & Theme in Ivanhoe

The question of birthing peace in a world plagued with conflict and war has absorbed the minds of numerous prominent men and women throughout history. It is such a universally relevant issue, in fact, that many philosophical works tackle this theme. However, one need not be necessarily philosophical to explore these themes, as Sir Walter Scott demonstrates in his chivalrous and romantic, yet subtle and insightful adventure novel, Ivanhoe. Set in the days of the Norman King Richard the Lionhearted, a Saxon-born knight must navigate through a country riddled with prejudice and political unrest in order to return to a home riven by cultural rivalry. Thus, amid the romantic intrigue and gallantry, the novel cradles far more.

Although Ivanhoe is primarily a romance, Scott uses the events in Ivanhoe to expose the pride and prejudice underlying the divisions and conflict in the novel. Through seemingly coincidental concurrences, Scott causes clashing cultures to depend upon each other, sometimes succeeding, but ultimately failing to bring absolute peace due to the ineradicable inherent pride of Medieval English culture.

Scott’s attempts at resolution involve forcing the contending cultures to depend upon each other in uncomfortable or inconvenient circumstances. Take for instance the complicated relationship of Rowena, Cedric, and his son, Ivanhoe. Though Ivanhoe loves Rowena, his father denies them leave to marry because, in his inextinguishable zeal for the Saxon cause, he would have Rowena marry another noble of purer Saxon lineage in hopes of “reawakening the Saxon royal line” (SparkNotes) and even refuses to acknowledge “the disobedient youth, [Ivanhoe] who...relinquishes the manners and customs of his fathers” as his son. (177) However, Ivanhoe’s return from the Crusades forces these key characters together.

This familial struggle mirrors the social conflict between Saxons and Normans, just as the relationship between Ivanhoe, Issac, Rebecca and the Templar Brian de Bois Gilbert reflects the friction between Jews and Gentiles. These, too, Scott binds together by needs and desires. Ivanhoe rescues the Jewish Issac, and in return, Isaac equips his savior with both “horse and armor” (66), and they continue to aid one another after the tournament. This partnership becomes crucial when the Templar abducts Rebecca and Ivanhoe - for whom Rebecca harbors an unrequited love - rescues her in a subsequent duel. To add to this, the novel incorporates the political conflict between Ivanhoe, King Richard, Cedric, and Prince John - in other words, Saxons, Normans in favor of King Richard, and Normans in Favor of Prince John - a volatile issue which the returning Crusaders must navigate and even pacify with astuteness in order to return to England.

However, the success of each of these partnerships largely depends on the characters’ philosophy and means of obtaining peace. Some, such as Ivanhoe and Isaac, Rowena, Cedric, and Ivanhoe, as well as Cedric and Richard, succeed. Yet the relationships of Rebecca, Ivanhoe, and the Templar do not - at least superficially. If one closely observes all the characters’ methods of obtaining peace, the majority of the conflicts mitigated required a triumph over the other party. Ivanhoe must earn Cedric’s respect before Cedric cedes his “obstinacy [in favor of]... the pride which he could not help nourishing in the fame of his son.” (556) Richard reconciles the dissensions and disorder in his kingdom through might, daring anyone to “look around [them], and see [if they can] find another to be put into the scale against [him].” (525) Even Isaac supports Ivanhoe because he owes the knight his life. In contrast, Rebecca loves without expectation and amends without violence. Where Richard externally unites through war, issuing a wake of bitterness, Rebecca internally heals with love, clearing a path for change. However, though she achieves peace for herself, Rebecca never obtains all her goals.

Ivanhoe’s climax satisfactorily resolves the central conflict, yet its subtly discordant last episode with Rebecca probes one to search for a deeper resolution. By the novel’s conclusion, Ivanhoe and Rowena marry with Cedric’s blessing, King Richard genially forgives Prince John, and Ivanhoe saves Rebecca from imminent doom, yet Rebecca and Isaac must leave England for Spain because, as Rebecca explains to Rowena, “the people of England are a fierce race, quarreling ever with their neighbors or among themselves, and ready to plunge the sword into the bowels of each other. Such is no safe abode for the children of my people.” (559) They may have achieved peace, however, their pride and violent culture will not permit it to last long. And the only means by which the English regain peace involves excessive bloodshed. They live for pride; they die for glory. Therefore, they will never truly gain peace. Rebecca leaves because she realizes they will never change, and external restraint or conquest can never fix an internal problem.

Seemingly, Scott failed to reconcile all divisions entailed in the novel. However, authors often employ negative or incomplete resolutions to direct readers to the beating heart of every novel: theme. Therefore, Scott's resolution points not to the superficial settling of contending cultures, but the consequences of the chasmic pride underlying the divisions and conflict exposed in the novel. Scott's attempts at unifying cultures comprise of partial success, in which the pride preventing these partnerships, in turn, impede peace. However, this theme transcends Medieval English culture. Scott's deft use of historical fiction to subtly expose the pride inherent in every culture allows his readers to see their society from a new dimension. His rollicking tales impart more than mere thrills: they impart truth.

This is what separates a beguiling bestseller from a captivating classic: like Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe.

Works Cited:

Scott, Sir Walter. Ivanhoe (AmazonClassics Edition). Kindle Edition.

Scott, Sir Walter. Ivanhoe. Modern Library, 2001.

SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Ivanhoe.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. n.d.. Web. 11 Feb. 2020.