21 h 47 minAudiobook14 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 21 h 47 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What is a knight's honour worth in a land where power offers little protection from cruelty?
In Walter Scott's Ivanhoe: A Romance, a disinherited Saxon knight returns to an England divided by conquest and rival loyalties. Wilfred of Ivanhoe serves King Richard and loves Rowena. His father, Cedric, sees both choices as obstacles to his hopes for the Saxons.
At the tournament at Ashby, concealed identities turn contests of strength into something more dangerous. Meanwhile, Isaac of York and his daughter Rebecca face religious prejudice that wealth cannot keep away. As travellers become captives and a castle comes under siege, noble claims of honour meet the test of cruel deeds.
What you’ll discover
- Honour under pressure Follow Ivanhoe as loyalty, love, and his father's disapproval pull him in different directions.
- Courage beyond the sword Meet Rebecca, a skilled healer whose judgment and courage stand against prejudice and coercion.
- The tournament at Ashby Enter a public contest where concealed identities sharpen the tensions between knights and nobles.
- Outlaws beyond the walls Discover forest fellowship that offers a contrast to the world of wealthy, powerful lords.
- Love against political hopes See how Rowena's love for Ivanhoe conflicts with Cedric's plans for her marriage.
Who will love it
Readers who love tournaments, castles and outlaws, and anyone drawn to stories of loyalty, disguise and honor. If you enjoy bold heroes and a vivid medieval England, this story offers all of it.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A joke exposes a divided England
- Kindness crosses the lines of hatred
- A hidden knight unsettles the powerful
- Rebecca gives more than money
- False outlaws turn travel into captivity
- Loyalty matters more than noble birth
- Prejudice reveals courage and broken honor
- Disguise and humor expose hidden truths
- Divided loyalties put character to the test
Who’s who
- Wilfred of IvanhoeA young knight home from the Crusade who fights unnamed in the lists, loves Rowena, and is cut off from his proud Saxon father.
- Cedric of RotherwoodA stubborn Saxon lord who clings to the old customs, guards his ward Rowena, and dreams of restoring his people.
- Lady RowenaCedric's royal-blooded ward, admired by all, who stands by the absent Ivanhoe whatever pressure is placed on her.
- RebeccaIsaac's learned, courageous daughter, a healer who helps a wounded knight and refuses every threat to her honor.
- Isaac of YorkA Jewish moneylender who survives by cunning and fear while a deep love for his daughter drives his every move.
- Brian de Bois-GuilbertA proud, fearless Templar who wants glory and power, and whose desire for Rebecca tempts him to break his vows.
- GurthCedric's swineherd, a bondsman whose steady loyalty to Ivanhoe leads him into danger and toward freedom.
- WambaCedric's jester, whose sharp jokes hide courage and who will put his own neck at risk for his master.
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Ivanhoe: A Romance in 25 languages, side by side, paragraph by paragraph, once the book texts are online: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
Ivanhoe: A Romance
by Walter Scott · 1819
A swineherd, a jester and a nameless knight rise against Norman lords in a forest England at war with itself.
Challenging10–20 hours to read20 languages
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“'Ivanhoe,' let it be granted, is no longer a work for men, but it still is, or still ought to be, delightful reading for boys.”
In short
Why does a pig become pork once it reaches a noble's table? Two Saxon servants ask that question in a forest clearing in the opening chapter, and their joke holds the whole book.
Ivanhoe: A Romance at a glance
- Reading time
- About 12 h 20 min9 h 50 min fast, 14 h 45 min slow
- Length
- 176,700 words
- Library level
- Challenging long sentences, a rich vocabulary
- First published
- 1819by Walter Scott
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Two Saxon servants show how conquest splits language
The story opens in a great forest, while King Richard is held captive abroad and England slides into lawlessness. Four generations after the Conquest, Normans and Saxons still hate one another. The Normans rule, speak French, and hold the castles. The Saxons farm the land and speak the older English tongue.
In a clearing we meet Gurth the swineherd and Wamba the jester. Each wears a metal collar engraved with the name of his master, Cedric of Rotherwood. Gurth is sullen and fierce. Wamba jingles the bells on his cap and cannot keep still.
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- 15-minute summary
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Details
- First published
- 1819
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 14 h 10 min
- Level
- Challenging
Cite this edition
Scott, Walter. Ivanhoe: A Romance. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/ivanhoe-a-romance.
Scott, W. (2026). Ivanhoe: A romance. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/ivanhoe-a-romance (Original work published 1819)
Scott, Walter. Ivanhoe: A Romance. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/ivanhoe-a-romance.
@book{scott2026ivanhoe,
author = {Scott, Walter},
title = {Ivanhoe: A Romance},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/ivanhoe-a-romance},
note = {First published 1819}
}
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What is Ivanhoe about?
It is set in England near the end of Richard the Lionheart's reign. Normans and Saxons clash, Prince John schemes for the throne, and a knight, an outlaw band and a Jewish healer are drawn into tournaments, a siege and a trial.
Is Ivanhoe a true story?
No. Scott invented the main characters and the plot, though Richard I, Prince John and the Norman Conquest are real history. The book dates from 1819, and the author mixes real background with adventure and romance.
Who is the Disinherited Knight?
He is a masked champion who appears at the Ashby tournament with a shield showing an uprooted oak and the word Desdichado. He hides his face and beats five challengers. His name becomes clear as the story moves on.
The author
Walter Scott
1771–1832 · Scottish novelist and poet
Walter Scott (1771–1832) was a Scottish novelist, poet and playwright. He was born in Edinburgh and lived in Scotland, including at Abbotsford near Melrose, where he died. He wrote Marmion (1808), The Lady of the Lake (1810), Waverley (1814), Rob Roy (1817) and Ivanhoe (1819).
“Take care: the Devil is unchained!”
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