Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Ivanhoe, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Merits of Chivalry
Disguise and Discovery
Inheritance and Displacement
The Vulnerability and Power of Women
History vs. Romance
Summary
Analysis
The newcomers are Wilfred of Ivanhoe and Gurth. King Richard greets them as himself, not the Black Knight, and cheerfully explains the outcome of Fitzurse’s treasonous attack. Ivanhoe chides Richard for risking himself in knight-errantry when the fate and wellbeing of the kingdom depend on his life; Richard points out that Ivanhoe disobediently risked his own life by following him instead of recuperating at the priory. Besides, he feels confident in his disguise, which remains necessary until his supporters have finished preparing to ride with him against John.
Ivanhoe’s worry does not constitute a critique of chivalry in itself, but it does suggest that there are limits to chivalry’s utility and benefit in the world. The king risking his life exceeds these boundaries because the wellbeing and livelihood of everyone in the kingdom depends on the king. The abuses that Prince John and the other Norman nobles perpetuate during Richard’s absence on Crusade prove as much.
Themes
Ivanhoe, well aware of the futility of trying to dissuade the strong-willed King Richard, holds his peace, as Richard turns to Robin Hood and asks what the outlaw can provide for a meal. Only, Robin Hood answers somewhat shamefacedly, poached venison. Richard takes the news in good cheer, and the company prepares to meet at one of the outlaws’ camps. Richard seems to be in a better mood having an adventure in the forest than he would have been retaking his rightful throne attended by his nobles; novelty and adventure are the joys of his life, and he possesses the character of a knight errant more than a king.
Because all deer in the royal forests belong to the king, Robin Hood openly admits his guilt. But, in light of his support—and all too aware of the vicious Norman rule which necessitated it—Richard forgives him, just as he forgave the Cleric. The Saxons are beginning to find that their Norman overlord is welcoming and treating them well, confirming Richard’s suitability for the throne. Templeton’s aside here confirms and amplifies the critique Ivanhoe made of his sovereign and friend a moment before; although the book generally paints Richard in a good light, his devotion to a life of chivalry had real historic consequences, which Templeton cannot deny. Of his 10-year reign, Richard only spent about six months in England; the rest of the time saw him on various military campaigns, including the disastrous Third Crusade and attempts to regain his family’s traditional territory in France. His absence—and the excessive taxes he levied to support his armies—contributed to a period of unrest in England.
Themes
Under the shade of a large oak tree, the woodsmen-outlaws share a hearty meal with King Richard, their awe for their rightful sovereign soon replaced with cheerful conviviality. Robin Hood becomes anxious to end the feast before one of his men can accidentally insult the king; he has one of his men sneak into the forest and blow Philip Malvoisin’s call on a bugle. The woodsmen jump up and take their arms, then swiftly disperse into the forest in chase. With the clearing emptied, Robin Hood confesses the ruse to Richard, who feels a flash of annoyance before recognizing the wisdom of the outlaw’s action.
Seated under the symbolic oak and sharing a meal, Robin Hood and King Richard demonstrate what a unified Saxon-Norman country might look like. Still, the book cannot usher in a golden age of English identity yet—that would be contrary to the historical records on which it is based. And while Richard has been in a forgiving mood up to this point, now that he’s revealed himself, he has a duty to uphold the law and custom.
Themes
As King Richard grudgingly prepares to break off his adventures and ride for Coningsburgh, Robin Hood assures him that the outlaw band will keep an eye on the forest roads and assist if the king encounters any other ambushes. Shaking hands and promising not only royal pardon and friendship, but a relaxing of the harsh laws that drove Robin Hood and his companions to their current state of anarchy, Richard departs. His untimely death, Templeton informs readers, prevented him from following through on these promises. And if readers wish to learn about Robin Hood’s fate, they can read it in other books.
Having made peace with Robin Hood and his Saxon outlaws, King Richard prepares to mend bridges with other, more important and less friendly Saxons, like Cedric. The work of unifying the kingdom will not happen overnight but will require ongoing effort and compromise. Unfortunately, as Templeton informs readers, Richard will not see this work through, since he died within five years of his triumphant return to England.
Themes
Get the entire Ivanhoe LitChart as a printable PDF.
The stately and ancient fortress of Coningsburgh sits on a picturesque hill. In Templeton’s time, a thick wall will surround it, built long after King Richard’s day. A plain black banner, without a coat of arms because the Saxons haven’t yet adopted heraldry, signifies the castle’s state of mourning, and everyone within bustles about preparing for the funeral feast. Inside the gates, local peasants and minor Norman nobles help themselves to the feast being laid out; peddlers, minstrels, bards, returned crusaders, jesters, and jugglers mill around the castle-yard as Richard, Ivanhoe, Gurth, and Wamba arrive. A steward greets them and ushers them inside with all due solemnity.
As the book draws toward its happy conclusion—a moment of unity anticipating the eventual reconciliation of Saxon and Norman elements of English culture—Templeton’s informative asides become more frequent. This one pointedly remarks on the ways the past influences the present, since early 19th-century readers (and modern 21st-century readers for that matter) can still visit this castle, although it looks different today than it did in King Richard’s era. Ironically, Templeton’s description of the castle also demonstrates the limits of his own historical approach; although well into the 19th century the castle was widely believed to have been built by the Saxons, modern archaeology has determined that it was likely built by the Normans in the 11th century.
Themes
