Ivanhoe Essay, Research Paper

In any novel, I enjoy the fighting scenes. The fighting scenes are usually the climax of the story. Therefore, the strengths in Ivanhoe would be the fighting. The first instance would be at the tournament. The tournament is an extremely important point of the story. At the tournament, Rebecca, Athelstane, and Waldemar Fitzurse are all introduced into the novel. The disinherited knight wins the tournament and unmasks himself as the character Ivanhoe. The second instance would, of course, be the fighting at the end of the novel. This is where Rebecca is sentenced to die for committing the art of sorcery, however the character Ivanhoe defeats Brian de Bois-Guilbert and frees Rebecca. There is extended fighting throughout the rest of the ending and Ulricha sets fire to the castle. Then at the resolution of the fight the character Ivanhoe marries Rowena; Rebecca and her father leave the country.

During these fighting scenes in Ivanhoe the most action and importance is brought about. These scenes made you want to keep reading and made you wonder what would happen next, unlike the rest of the novel. The fighting scenes were clearly the strength of this story.