Ivanhoe

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

4.6

Word count: 296K words
Chapters: 30

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 (4/4) by Walter Scott. Author: Scott, Walter, 1771-1832. Language: French. Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature. Release Date: Dec 9, 2010

Editor's review

Ivanhoe is Walter Scott's representative historical novel, set in late-12th-century England amid conflict between Saxons and Normans, interwoven with tournaments, abduction, disguise, and revealed identity. The record shows this version is the fourth volume of a French translation, so readers should note the language and volume information. Scott's strength lies in grounding historical conflict in specific human relationships, setting romance and adventure alongside period customs; it is both a good story and a feel for the tensions of medieval social structure. Its value is not precise historical scholarship but a novelistic imaginative picture of an era. Read it as historical romance, not source material, and focus on characters' choices between community and loyalty. It suits readers who like classic adventure narrative and are willing to enter a long text; those seeking fast pace or modern psychological portrayal may find the exposition heavy. Learn the broad historical background first, then follow the plot.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Classic literature readers who enjoy historical romance and adventure
General readers interested in medieval England and chivalric culture
Readers willing to take on a long novel and enjoy exposition and ensemble characters
Beginners studying Scott's historical novel style

Not a good fit for

Readers who need a Chinese or English version and cannot read French
Readers who prefer fast-paced, strongly suspenseful modern genre fiction
Historical researchers expecting strict source scholarship rather than literary imagination

Reading tips

Learn the background of late-12th-century England's peoples and royal power before entering the plot.
Note that this version is the fourth French volume; confirm volume and language match before reading.
Read tournament and forest scenes as period custom and watch characters' shifts in identity.
Slow down at long expository passages and track the main characters' positions and choices.

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 version in Chinese or English?

The record shows the language is French and this is the fourth volume. If you cannot read French, find a complete Chinese or English translation so that language and volume do not hinder your reading.

Can I read the fourth volume without the first three?

Not advisable. The fourth volume usually continues earlier plot and relationships, and starting there can lose the thread. Confirm the whole structure and read in order or choose a complete single-volume edition.

Is this book suitable as historical source material?

It is a historical novel, not a source; characters and plot involve literary invention. Use it for period atmosphere and imagined conflict, but consult professional histories for specific facts.

What if the exposition feels too heavy?

Scott's narrative pace reflects his era; grasp the main characters and central conflict first and skim customs descriptions as background. If it still does not suit you, try an abridged edition or read an introduction first.

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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.