Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, a romantic story set in Medieval England; embodies the definition of how a novel’s themes are applied to human life. The representation of Jews in Ivanhoe, through the character Rebecca, outlines the most important themes within the novel such as chivalry, romance, and centuries long English Anti-Semitism.
Many interpret Ivanhoe as a solely Anti-Semitic work, focusing on the rituals of the Templar Knight, highlighted in the concluding chapters of Ivanhoe. The Templar Knights are described and consisted of a secret society of Christian militant men dressed in white, condemning any of dark-complexioned skin; all traits and rituals of the Ku Klux Klan. The Ku Klux Klan’s very name echoes the romantic “clans” in
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Rebecca, for both Ivanhoe and Bois-Guilbert, is Jerusalem itself; an irresistible, chivalric quest that ends with a duel to the death. It is understandable that Ivanhoe would not present as much affection to Rowena, as he does to Rebecca throughout the novel. In comparison, readers find that Rowena seems disappointing to Ivanhoe after experiencing the seductions of Rebecca’s beauty and exotic nature. And it is Rebecca who is the object of Ivanhoe’s and Bois-Guilbert’s desires, which provides the climax of action within the novel. Ivanhoe’s restless, half-dead ride to rescue Rebecca, prepared to desert Rowena even at the moment of their betrothal, reinforces his militant and chivalric identity; “he shows us that the impediments to his union with Rowena have never been important. It is the impossible union with Rebecca that drives him, and with it the real action of the novel” (xxi). However, Bois-Guilbert attempts to break his chivalric self-love by means of his passion for Rebecca, “yonder girl hath wellnigh unmanned me.” (pg. 401-402) In the end, Bois-Guilbert, through his death, renounces his knighthood and chivalry but forever declares his love for Rebecca. Rebecca presents the theme of romance in different forms. To the characters’ Bois-Guilbert and Ivanhoe, Rebecca is the symbol of white man’s attraction and resistance to
“If the path before you is clear, you're probably on someone else's.” (Joseph Campbell). Every character walks through an astringent journey throughout their lifetimes. This journey can be viewed as the Hero’s Journey. Undertaking the journey of the hero can elevate the character achievement. The protagonist of The Catcher in the Rye--Holden Caulfield with no exception undergoes the journey. Holden’s journey ventures beyond what he is able to endure, forcing him into the unknown territory. Holden received the quest call to adventure, and responded to the call for the journey when he left Pencey prep school. Holden accepted the call, faced his challenges struggling through hardships and oppression, with helps from the guidance, he then
On the surface Rebecca appears to demonstrate the conventions of the romantic genre. The storyline includes a heroine, who is thinks herself to be very plain “with straight, bobbed hair and youthful, unpowdered face, dressed in an ill-fitting coat and skirt…”, as well as a hero, who the heroine believes is
Learning that Hugh has not been home yet, Deborah rushes off to the mill with food for him, her fatigue vanished in the face of her desire to care for Hugh. It soon becomes even more apparent to infer from Deborah’s “painful eagerness” to please him that she is in love with Hugh (8). In these opening pages we see not only Deborah’s affection for Hugh, but that this affection is merited: for we see also Hugh’s gentle nature as he does what he can to protect Janey and to care for Deborah by sending her to sleep on the warm iron ash until he can take her home at the end of his shift (8). Yet, as Deborah watches Hugh work, she acknowledges that “in spite of all his kindness, . . . there was that in her face and form which made him loathe the sight of her. . . . [D]own under all the vileness and coarseness of his life, there was a groping passion for whatever was beautiful and pure” (9). The initial use of Deborah as a focal character, then, allows the revelation of Hugh as a kind human being who is loved by those to whom he shows kindness; it also establishes his artistic love of beauty and thus strengthens the effect of his kindness to the hunchbacked Deborah.
Rebecca Nurse then proves herself an honest character that is well respected through the plot of the story. She is so well respected that even male figures throughout the play respect her advice. This is shown when Rebecca gives honest advice to John Proctor saying “No, you cannot break charity with your minister. You are another kind, John. Clasp his hand, make your peace” (Miller 181). This is important to Rebecca Nurse as a character because it entails an honest opinion that John should just make peace with Reverend Parris rather than fight fire with fire against him. In addition, when Goody Nurse is convicted of witchcraft, Reverend Hale knows that Rebecca is a very honest and trustworthy person and that in the end she would not be convicted in a trial of witchcraft. This evidence is essential when analyzing Rebecca considering the fact that she was able to Justify in the short time she was with Reverend Hale the honest and trustworthy women she is. All in all, Rebecca Nurse manifests herself as an individual who is can always give her honest opinion and is well respected.
Sir John A. Macdonald was one of Canada's founding fathers. He is most remembered as being Canada's first Prime Minister, running the government from July 1, 1867 until November 5, 1873. Macdonald would become Prime Minister once again on October 17, 1878 and would stay in this position until June 6,1891. While he was leader of the country he faced his own share of political obstacles, including Confederation, the Metis rebellion and threats of an American he is among the greatest leaders Canada has ever seen and played a significant part in the forming of Canada as a country.
Agnes’s spiritual ‘atonement’, helping to ‘guide her home’ is regularly influenced by the state of the weather and natural occurrences on the landscape. Agnes is offered two experiences of redemption in the novel. One being predominately religious, aided by reverend Toti and the other being sense of belonging and acceptance to a family. In this heavily Christian society, Agnes is given a ‘spiritual advisor,’ who takes on the responsibility to ‘save her.’ As Agnes’ begins to confide in Toti and learn to rely on him the weather gradually becomes increasingly ‘miserable’ rendering it difficult for the two to meet. At the climax of the novel, ‘travelling to Kornsa in this unfit weather’ has resulted in Toti’s ‘fever’ leaving Agnes ‘scared’ and deprived of her confidant. Despite Toti representing her divine redemption, the two form an alliance stemming from predominately companionship, demonstrated when Toti ‘forgot’ his New Testament at home when going to meet Agnes. Additionally, Agnes is emotionally redeemed when experiencing a sense of belonging at Korsna. Amidst the natural process of childbirth occurring in the landscape Agnes aids the ‘newborn’ by recognizing it is in ‘breach.’ This
“High Holy Days” is a poem in which the author, Jane Shore, conveys the emergence of an innocent youth into a cruel and anti-Semitic world. It is told from a point of reflection on a childhood memory but as if it was presently occurring. This poem primarily focuses on Judaism along with the prejudice experienced by the Jewish community. The speaker is characterized as a child on the cusp of a transition in maturity and attitude. This plays a key role in understanding the text. While the speaker appears to be merely a child, no greater than thirteen-years-old, she is presented with feelings of great responsibility to lead her people and “defend them against the broken windows” (Shore 59) and “the spray-painted writing on the walls,” (Shore
John Demos’s nine point portrait of a witch is one way to analysis the case of Rebecca Nurse. To do so, one must first evaluate and understand the history of Rebecca Nurse and her role in the Salem in the late 1600’s. Rebecca Nurse was the wife of Francis Nurse, a farmer who became wealthy after buying and tending a large plot of land between Salem Village and Salem Town. Together they had eight children, and as a family they were prosperous. Connecting this information to Demos’s portrait of a witch, Rebecca Nurse falls under the first four points made in his sketch. These first two points are that she was “female” and that she was of “middle age”. However, the latter point is slightly inaccurate because Nurse was older than sixty years. The final two points that Rebecca Nurse falls under in Demos’s portrait of a witch are that she was of “English” and “Puritan” descent and culture, and that she was “married”, with little or no children. Again, the latter point is not fully accurate because Rebecca Nurse, while married, had, in fact, eight children in her lifetime. The significance of these traits of Rebecca Nurse agree, for the most part, with the
p.127 Rebecca is a pillar of the church and if she is given the opportunity to speak then she will show the town what a righteous woman she is by her prayers and then the town will turn on those that have condemned these righteous and respectable people.
Starting off in Sighet - a quiet and simple town located in Transylvania - Eliezer and his family live untouched and anxiety free. No suspicion of their world crumbling down is present; even with warnings from Moishe the Beadle pleading “Jews, listen to me! That’s all I ask of you. No money. No pity. Just listen to me!” (Page 7), the Jews of Sighet are left carefree. Anxiety does not come until many decrees are passed and a very, very real threat is brought upon the
With religion being a very prominent factor in the lives of the characters in this story, the narrator neglects to realize that this factor will make it nearly impossible for them to be together. With the inability to realize this, mixed with his teenage hormones, this causes him to be engulfed by his objectification of Manegen’s sister. “My body was like a harp and her words and gestures were like fingers running along the wires” (Joyce, 217). He allows her to control him so heavily; simply by the way she moves or speaks, he doesn’t allow himself to live his own life as the person he truly is. By not allowing himself to see anything else past this girl he is idealizing, he shuts himself off from the rest of the things in his life, the more important things, such as work and school.
The Holocaust becomes the center of this. Whether it be at his Hebrew school, where Jewish history shaped not only the curriculum they learn. But, also as a collective identity shared by a new and contemporary Jewish generation. While still being connected to the past. This is a struggle for Mark, who does not even identify himself as Jewish for most of the story, He is continuously challenged with where to place himself in this new world, as a second-generation immigrant to Toronto. For Mark, being a young Latvian Jew is not easy.
"Against you? Against him and all authority! Why, then I must find it and join it. He does not mean that. He confessed it now! I mean it solemnly, Rebecca; I like not the smell of this "authority. " No, you cannot break charity with your minister. You are another kind, John. Clasp his hand, make your peace." (27-28) She is an example of strength and resolve for those who choose not to confess, even though it means going to their death.
Furthermore, Rebecca reflects the conventions of the romantic genre by showing that the heroine?s first impressions of the hero were incorrect. She had first viewed him as ?hard? and ?sardonic? due to his remarks at Mrs Van Hopper, ?He got up at once, pushing back his chair. ?Don?t let me keep you,? he said. ?Fashions change so quickly nowadays they may even have altered by the time you get upstairs.?? However, following her first breakfast with Maxim, she realises that she was wrong and says, ?I had ill-judged him, he was neither hard nor sardonic, he was already my friend of many years.? The first impression of Maxim only lasts over one coffee with Mrs Van Hopper however is fixed soon after when he sends the heroine a note which reads, ?Forgive me. I was very rude this afternoon.? It is evident that as soon as she receives this note, her opinions of the hero change. She also elaborates on her feelings the next morning when Maxim invites her
As the play proceeds the Ratcatcher also takes upon a number of different characters such as the Nazi Border Official, the English Organiser, the Station Guard, etc. All of these are portray threatening and patronising characters that stereotype her or simply authoritative figures. This reflects the author’s attempt to present to the reader the different viewpoints of the society about the Jews and refugees such as Eva.