Ivanhoe · Chapter
Dedicatory Epistle explained
The author, Laurence Templeton, addresses a letter to the Rev.
What happens
The author, Laurence Templeton, addresses a letter to the Rev. Dr. Dryasdust, explaining his motivations and methods for writing a romance set in medieval England. He defends his use of antiquarian materials and his blending of ancient and modern language and manners, arguing that such a license is necessary to make the work accessible and engaging. He also discusses the popularity of Scottish historical novels and expresses a desire to create similar interest in English traditions.
Themes in this chapter
Norman-Saxon Conflict
The epistle sets the stage for exploring the tensions between Norman and Saxon cultures in medieval England.
Power and Tyranny
The author's discussion of historical figures and the destruction of antiquities hints at themes of power and cultural erasure.
Characters to notice
- Sir Arthur Wardour
Mentioned as the jealous keeper of the Anglo-Norman manuscript used as source material.
- Locksley
Referenced indirectly through the mention of Robin Hood as a figure of English tradition.
Key passages
“I am conscious, however, that the slight, unsatisfactory, and trivial manner, in which the result of my antiquarian researches has been recorded in the following pages, takes the work from under that class which bears the proud motto, Detur digniori.”
The author admits that his work may not meet the high standards of serious antiquarian scholarship.
The author humbly acknowledges the limitations of his romance compared to scholarly works.
“The name of Robin Hood, if duly conjured with, should raise a spirit as soon as that of Rob Roy; and the patriots of England deserve no less their renown in our modern circles, than the Bruces and Wallaces of Caledonia.”
English folk heroes like Robin Hood are just as worthy of literary fame as Scottish heroes like Rob Roy, Bruce, and Wallace.
The author argues for the value of English historical traditions in popular literature.
“Our ancestors were not more distinct from us, surely, than Jews are from Christians; they had 'eyes, hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions;' were 'fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer,' as ourselves.”
People of the past shared the same fundamental human experiences and emotions as we do today.
The author justifies his blending of ancient and modern manners by emphasizing the continuity of human nature.