Section I, Introduction, Dedicatory Epistle and chapters 1 through 2 Summary

Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott is a classic novel that combines history with fiction to create a truly engaging tale of chivalry and oppression. The contention between the Normans and the Saxons creates a spellbinding story that ultimately ends in the acceptance of the Norman King Richard in lieu of a Saxon ruler. Simultaneously, Ivanhoe deals with regaining his father's acceptance after his disinheritance. Ivanhoe is a tale that is memorialized as one of the greatest novels ever written.

In the Introduction, the narrator attests to the popularity of the Waverly novels and expresses his need to explore different types of composition rather than limit himself to purely Scottish subjects. He admits his likelihood to fail if he continues attempting to add the novelty of attraction to themes about...