Ivanhoe - Strenghth, Honor , and Chivalry
Uploaded by Prich on Dec 04, 2000
In everybody’s life there is something that makes him strive for success. That something can be money, women, fame, or many other incentives.. To the medieval knights, victory renown and glory are the ambitions they strive for. Breaking a law in this code would be considered a disgrace, and would bring a dishonor that was worse than death itself. However, by applying the Code of Chivalry, the knights in the medieval time displayed certain character traits which would secure success and honor in both battle and morality. In the book Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott, a knight named Ivanhoe illustrates this by devoting his attention to keeping the rules of the Code of Chivalry, which consisted of love of adventure, integrity, and loyalty to the king, to name a few. These character traits of Ivanhoe coupled with strong characters and a realistic setting allow the reader to understand the importance of a strong set of moral guidelines to all individuals of all time periods in spite of Scott’s excessive detail and confusing subplot.
Respect and loyalty are two of the character traits that Ivanhoe not only possesses but also helps the reader to see their importance for a successful life. For example, in the beginning of the book Ivanhoe is known as the Disinherited Knight because his father, Cedric of Saxon, disinherits him; however, even though he is abandoned, he still respects his father and is loyal to him. His respect is shown in the book when the castle burns and someone asks his father whether defeat is visible. Cedric responds by saying, “Not so, by the soul of Hereward.” He then denounces Ivanhoe’s beliefs. Instead of getting angry at Cedric, Ivanhoe shows respect, and brushes the comments off, and leads a successful life as a result. This is a very good example to today’s reader that comes from generations of children having relationship problems with their parents.
Ivanhoe is not only loyal to his real father but to King Richard the Lion Heart as well. When Ivanhoe is disowned by his father, King Richard steps in and adopts him. Ivanhoe attaches himself to the King and follows him into battle for the Crusades. When the King is captured, Ivanhoe has loyalty and sets his eye on freeing him.
Ivanhoe is not the only character that demonstrates loyalty. The reader can also learn a thing or two about having too much loyalty and...