Ivanhoe

Scott, Walter, 1771-1832Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.5

Word count: 263K words
Chapters: 27

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Ivanhoe (2/4) by Walter ScottAuthor: Scott, Walter, 1771-1832,Language: French, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Nov 15, 2010

Editor's review

Ivanhoe is Walter Scott's landmark work that pioneered the historical novel. Set in late twelfth-century England, it revolves around the conflict between Saxon nobles and Norman rulers, combining chivalric romance, tournaments, questions of identity, and political intrigue. This volume is the second of four parts in the Project Gutenberg electronic edition, and its language is marked as French; readers therefore encounter a French text, not the English original or a Chinese translation. Its value lies in observing how Scott's narrative comes across in a French context, and it is also suitable as comparative material for textual or translation studies. It is best approached as a long historical narrative that requires patience: the opening chapters are dense with character relationships and shift scenes frequently, so readers are advised first to sort out the two camps—Saxon and Norman—and the positions of the main characters, then to grasp the rhythm of the climactic passages such as the tournament and the siege. Those seeking light entertainment should note the language barrier and the sense of incompleteness created by the part structure.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with French reading ability who want to encounter Scott's fiction
Literature students studying the origins of the historical novel and Romantic narrative
Readers interested in medieval English chivalric culture and tournament scenes
Researchers needing public-domain electronic texts for textual or translation comparison

Not a good fit for

General readers unable to read French who expect a Chinese or English translation
Readers who want a complete single-volume story and dislike the breaks between parts
Readers who prefer fast-paced plots and lack patience for lengthy historical exposition

Reading tips

First read a character list or work out the Saxon–Norman alignments yourself before entering the narrative proper.
Focus on the two climaxes—the tournament and the siege of the castle—and compare how characters' positions change before and after.
If French is difficult, follow along with an English or Chinese translation chapter by chapter.
Note that this is one of four parts; continue with the other parts afterward to avoid mistaking the story for unfinished.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book the English original or a French version?

According to the Project Gutenberg page, the language of this book is French, and it is one part of the electronic edition of the work. Readers therefore read a French text, not the English original; those who need an English or Chinese version should look for the corresponding translation or original edition.

Why is it marked as the second part—will the story be incomplete?

The work is released in four parts, and this entry is the second part, covering only some chapters of the work. Read on its own, it feels as if the plot begins mid-stream and lacks continuity; it is advisable to read the parts in order or first confirm whether the other parts are available.

Can I read this book without any French?

Direct reading is not really recommended. The main text is in French, and a lack of basics will seriously hinder understanding of dialogue and narrative progression. If you are simply interested in the story of Ivanhoe, choose the English original or a reliable Chinese translation, and use this book for comparison.

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About the author

Scott, Walter, 1771-1832 Author

Walter Scott (Scott, Walter, 1771-1832) was a British writer known for his historical novels and narrative poetry. The library holds 94 of his works, including the representative Ivanhoe and Waverley Or ‘Tis Sixty Years Since — Complete, as well as The Heart of Mid-Lothian, Volume 2. His historical novels often draw on the history of Scotland and England, weaving real historical events into the fates of fictional characters, with unhurried plotting and vivid characterization; they exercised a profound influence on the development of the European historical novel. Ivanhoe, set in medieval England, is among his most widely read works. Publicly available information on his nationality, dates of birth and death, and other biographical details is limited, so no speculation is offered here.