This quotation from the novel’s first chapter employs foreshadowing and the rhetorical strategy of ethos, shaping the reader's perception of the characters and the political landscape of England. Through their portrayal of King Richard as a savior and Prince John as a usurper, the narrator establishes themselves as the moral authority on Richard’s benevolence and John’s bad intentions, and on the basis of that moral authority, tries to persuade the reader to agree:
The condition of the English nation was at this time sufficiently miserable. King Richard was absent a prisoner, and in the power of the perfidious and cruel Duke of Austria. Even the very place of his captivity was uncertain, and his fate but very imperfectly known to the generality of his subjects, who were, in the mean time, a prey to every species of subaltern oppression. Prince John [...] was using every species of influence with the Duke of Austria, to prolong the captivity of his brother Richard, to whom he stood indebted for so many favours.
The passage sets up a clear contrast between King Richard and Prince John to shape the reader's understanding of the political situation in England at the time. Here, the narrator portrays King Richard as the unquestioned, rightful king, currently held prisoner by the Duke of Austria. The narrator argues that the Duke is “perfidious and cruel” to imprison Richard, because his subjects suffer in his absence. Given this impact, the fact that Prince John tries to extend his brother's captivity for his own benefit makes him seem doubly villainous.
The narrative voice in the passage uses a tone of authority to paint Richard as a good and just ruler and John as the opposite, foreshadowing that conflicts will arise between the two "sides" as the novel progresses. While Richard is gone the Saxons are “a prey to every species of subaltern oppression,” meaning that the people of England are not given a voice or any power while he’s absent. This influences the reader to see Richard's rule as legitimate and John's actions as wrongful. Ivanhoe’s narrator tells readers that England is in a bad state because Richard is not there to protect his people from oppression. John's schemes to keep Richard away are highlighted to make the reader dislike him and feel that he is not fit to rule. Employing ethos in this way is meant to guide the reader to agree with the narrator that Richard should return, and that John is not only unsuitable for the role but also immoral.
