Who Brian de Bois-Guilbert is
Brian de Bois-Guilbert belongs to the world of powerful knights in an England divided by conquest and competing loyalties. He is a Templar, but his religious vows do not prevent his desire for Rebecca from threatening her safety.
The novel places his conduct beside its wider question of what honour means. His role draws attention to the distance between a knight's proclaimed code and his treatment of someone vulnerable.
What Brian de Bois-Guilbert wants
Brian de Bois-Guilbert desires Rebecca, and that desire clashes with both his vows and his ambitions. As the action moves into captivity and a besieged castle, he makes Rebecca's situation especially dangerous.
Brian de Bois-Guilbert and the others in the story
Rebecca's faith exposes her to prejudice, while Brian de Bois-Guilbert's desire adds a further threat.
She meets coercion with courage and judgment, making their conflict more than a matter of personal desire. Through their opposition, the novel contrasts the authority of a powerful knight with the moral courage of someone his society distrusts.
Questions
Who is Brian de Bois-Guilbert in Ivanhoe?
Brian de Bois-Guilbert is a powerful Templar knight whose desire for Rebecca conflicts with his vows and ambitions.
How does Brian de Bois-Guilbert relate to Rebecca?
He desires Rebecca and puts her in danger, while she stands against coercion with courage and judgment.
Is Brian de Bois-Guilbert a good knight?
His conduct challenges the honour associated with knighthood. His treatment of Rebecca shows how rank and religious vows can fail to protect someone from harm.