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Personification
Definition of Setting
Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the city of New York, or it can be an imagined... read full definition
Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the city of New York, or... read full definition
Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the... read full definition
Setting
Explanation and Analysis:
Ivanhoe is set in 12th-century England, a period of history when the country went through a major cultural shift following the Norman Conquest. This historical backdrop is crucial to understanding the novel's exploration of the tensions between the Norman rulers and their Saxon subjects, who existed in mutual suspicion and dislike. It’s also important because it explains the cult of personality surrounding Richard I, who is treated as a savior-like figure by many of the novel’s characters and by Scott's narrator. Scott's depiction of England in this era encompasses a wide range of settings from dense, romantically described forests to imposing castles and quaint little hamlets. These physical settings are not just passive backdrops, however. They reflect and contribute to the novel's exploration of the interior life of a country undergoing profound changes. Everyone—from the serfs in the hovels to the lords in the manors—is being forced to navigate a social world that doesn't always match their expectations.
Related Themes:
