The wonderful 'Ivanhoe' is part of mainstream culture as no other Walter Scott novel is, if only through the (not a patch on the book) film. Very many people's entire idea of the medieval era comes from this novel, not to mention their idea of the Robin Hood story and the relationship between King Richard and his 'bad' brother John. Most later books and films on the subject have followed Scott's interpretation of the period, although some of his history is a little wobbly, as we know.An example is his depiction of a still-polarised England one hundred years after the Conquest, which was probably not the case among the 'common' people at least. Those quibbles aside, it is a book which contains all the adventure, colour and gripping scenes one could ask for.
Favourite character? Rebecca - thoughtful and complex. Honourable mention to Wamba - foolish and wise.
' In these glades I am monarch - they are my kingdom; and these my wild subjects would reck but little of my power, were I, within mine own dominions, to yield place to mortal man.' - Robin of Locksley.
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