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English Literature books summaryYahoo would dare to mount a horse that was so much stronger than it does. Gulliver explains that the horses are trained from a young age to be tame and obedient. He describes the state of humanity in Europe and is asked to speak more specifically of his own country. Part IV, Chapters 5-12 Summary Gulliver describes the state of affairs in Europe over the course of two years, speaking to the Houyhnhnms of the English Revolution and the war with France. He is asked to explain the causes of war, and he does his best to provide reasons. He is also asked to speak of law and the justice system, which he does in some detail. The discussion then turns to other topics, such as money and the different kinds of food eaten in Europe. Gulliver explains the different occupations in which people are involved, including service professions such as medicine and construction. Gulliver develops such a love for the Houyhnhnms that he no longer desires to return to humankind. However, fate has other plans for him. His Master tells him that he has considered all of his claims about his home country and has come to the conclusion that his people are not as different from the Yahoos as they may first have seemed. He describes all the aws of the Yahoos, principally detailing their greed and selfishness. He admits that the humans have different systems of learning, law, government, and art, but says that their natures are not different from those of the Yahoos. Gulliver wants to observe these similarities for himself, so he asks to go among the Yahoos. He finds them to be very nimble from infancy, but unable to learn anything. They are strong, cowardly, and malicious. The principle virtues of the Houyhnhnms are their friendship and benevolence. They are concerned more with the community than with their own personal advantages, even choosing their mates in order to promote the race as a whole. They breed industriousness, cleanliness, and civility in their young, and exercise them for speed and strength. They have no writing system and no word to express anything evil. A room is made for Gulliver, and he furnishes it well. He also makes new clothes for himself and settles into life with the Houyhnhnms quite easily. He begins to think of his friends and family back home as Yahoos. However, he is called by his Master and told that others have taken offence at his being kept in the house as a Houyhnhnm; he has no choice but to ask Gulliver to leave. Gulliver is very upset to hear that he is to be banished. He builds a canoe with the help of his Master and sadly departs. Gulliver does not want to return to Europe, and so he begins to search for an island where he can live, as he likes. He finds land and discovers natives there. He is struck by an arrow and tries to escape the natives' darts by paddling out to sea. He sees a sail in the distance and thinks of going towards it, but then decides he would rather live with the barbarians than the European Yahoos, so he hides from the ship. The seamen find him and question him, laughing at his strange horse-like manner of speaking. He tries to escape from their ship, and they do not understand why. Gulliver then travels back to England and sees his family. They were certain he was dead, and he is filled with disgust and contempt for them. For a year he cannot stand to be near to his wife and children, and he buys two horses and converses with them for four hours each day. Gulliver concludes his narrative by acknowledging that the law requires him to report his findings to the government, but that he can see no military advantage in attacking any of the locations he discovered; and he particularly wishes to protect the Houyhnhnms. Heart of Darkness by J.Conrad Summary Part I: A ship called the Nellie is cruising down the Thames‹it will rest there as it awaits a change in tide. The narrator is an unidentified guest aboard the ship. He describes at length the appearance of the Thames as an interminable waterway, and then he moves on to describing the inhabitants of the ship. The Director of Companies doubles as Captain and host. They all regard him with affection, trust and respect. The Lawyer is advanced in years and possesses many virtues. The Accountant is toying with dominoes, trying to begin a game. Between them already is the "bond of the sea." They are tolerant of one another. Then there is Marlow. He has an emaciated appearance sunken cheeks and a yellow complexion. The ship drops anchor, but nobody wants to begin the dominoes game. They sit and meditatively at the sun, and the narrator takes great notice of how the water changes as the sun sets. Marlow suddenly speaks, noting that "this also has been one of the dark places of the earth." He is a man who does not represent his class: he is a seaman but also a wanderer, which is disdainful and odd, since most seamen live sedentary lives aboard the ship that is their home. No one responds to the remark, and Marlow continues to talk of olden times when the Romans arrived and brought light, which even now is constantly flickering. He says those people were not colonists but conquerors, taking everything by brute force. This "taking of the earth is not a pretty thing" when examined too closely; it is the idea behind it which people find redeeming. Then, to the dismay of his bored listeners, he switches into narration of a life experience, how he decided to be a fresh water sailor and had come into contact with colonization. After a number of voyages in the Orient and India, Marlow began to look for a ship, but he was having hard luck in finding a position. As a child, he had a passion for maps, and would lose himself in the blank spaces, which gradually turned into dark ones as they became peopled. He is especially taken with the picture of a long coiling river. Marlow thinks to get charge of the steamboats that must go up and down that river for trade. His aunt has connections in the Administration, and writes to have him appointed a steamboat skipper. The appointment comes through very quickly, as Marlow is to take the place of Fresleven, a captain who has been killed in a scuffle with the natives. He crosses the Channel to sign the contract with his employers. Their office appears to him like a white sepulchre. The reception area is dimly lit, and two women sullenly man the area. Marlow notes an unfinished map, and he is going into the yellow section, the central area that holds the river. He signs, but feels very uneasy as the women look at him meaningfully. Then there is a visit to the doctor. Marlow questions him on why he is not with the Company on its business. The doctor becomes cool and says he is no fool. Changes take place out there. He asks his patient whether there is madness in the family. With a clean bill of health and a long goodbye chat with his aunt, Marlow sets out on a French steamer, feeling like an "impostor." Watching the coast as it slips by, our newly named skipper marvels at its enigmatic quality‹it tempts and invites the seer to come ashore, but in a grim way. The weather is fierce, for the sun beats down strongly. The ship picks up others along the way: soldiers and clerks mainly. The trade names they pass on ships and on land seem almost farcical. There is a uniformly somber atmosphere. After a month, Marlow arrives at the mouth of the big river, and takes his passage on a little steamer. Once aboard he learns that a man picked up the other day hanged himself recently. He is taken to his Company's station. He walks through pieces of "decaying machinery" and observes a stream of black people walking slowly, very thin and indifferent. One of the "reclaimed" carries a rifle at "it's middle." Marlow walks around to avoid this chain gang and finds a shade to rest. He sees more black people working, some who look like they are dying. One young man looks particularly hungry, and Marlow goes to offer him the ship biscuit in his pocket. He notices that the boy is wearing white worsted around his neck, and wonders what this is for. Marlow hastily makes his way towards the station. He meets a white man dressed elegantly and in perfect fashion. He is "amazing" and a "miracle." After learning that he is the chief accountant of the Company, Marlow respects him. The station is a muddle of activity. The new skipper waits there for ten days, living in a hut. Frequently he visits the accountant, who tells him that he will meet Mr. Kurtz, a remarkable man in charge of the trading-post in the ivory- country. The accountant is irritated that a bed station for a dying man has been set up in his office. He remarks that he begins to "hate the savages to death." He asks Marlow to tell Kurtz that everything is satisfactory. The next day Marlow begins a 200 mile tramp into the interior. He crosses many paths, many deserted dwellings, and mysterious "niggers." His white companion becomes ill on the journey, which makes Marlow impatient but attentive. Finally they arrive at the Central Station, and Marlow must see the General Manager. The meeting is strange. The Manager has a stealthy smile. He is obeyed, but he does not inspire love or fear. He only inspires uneasiness. The trading had begun without Marlow, who was late. There were rumors that an important station was jeopardy, and that its chief, Kurtz, was ill. A shipwreck on Marlow's boat has set them back. The manager is anxious, and says it will be three months before they can make a start in the trading. Marlow begins work in the station. Whispers of "ivory" punctuate the air throughout the days. One evening a shed almost burns down. A black man is beaten for this, and Marlow overhears: "Kurtz take advantage of this incident." The manager's main spy, a first-class agent, befriends the new skipper and begins to question him extensively about Europe and the people he knows there. Marlow is confused about what this man hopes to learn. The agent becomes "furiously annoyed." There is a dark sketch on his wall of a woman blindfolded and carrying a lighted torch. The agent says that Kurtz painted it. Upon Marlow's inquiry as to who this man is, he says that he is a prodigy, an "emissary of pity and science." They want Europe to entrust the guidance of the cause to them. The agent talks precipitately, wanting Marlow to give Kurtz a favourable report about his disposition because he believes Marlow has more influence in Europe than he actually does. The narrator breaks off for an instant and returns to his listeners on the ship, saying that they should be able to see more in retrospect than he could in the moment. Back in the story, the droning of the agent bores him. Marlow wants rivets to stop the hole and get on with the work on his ship. He clambers aboard. The ship is the one thing that truly excites him. He notes the foreman of the mechanics sitting on board. They cavort and talk happily of rivets that should arrive in three weeks. Instead of rivets, however, they receive an "invasion" of "sulky niggers" with their white expedition leader, who is the Manager's uncle. Marlow meditates for a bit on Kurtz, wondering if he will be promoted to the General Manger position and how he will set about his work when there. Summary Part II While lying on the deck of his steamboat one evening, Marlow overhears a conversation between the Manager and his uncle, leader of the Expedition group that has arrived. Snatches of talk indicate that the two are conferring about Kurtz. The Manager says he was "forced to send him there." They say his influence is frightful, and that he is alone, having sent away all his assistants. The word "ivory" is also overheard. The two men are wondering how all this ivory has arrived, and why Kurtz did not return to the main station as he should have. Marlow believes this fact allows him to see Kurtz for the first time. The Manager and his uncle say that either Kurtz or his assistant must be hanged as an example, so that they can get rid of unfair competition. Realizing that Marlow is nearby, they stop talking. In the next few days, the Expedition goes into the wilderness and loses all their donkeys. As they arrive at the bank below Kurtz's station, Marlow is excited at the prospect of meeting him soon. To Marlow, travelling up the river is like going to the beginning of the world. He sees no joy in the sunshine, however. The past comes back to haunt him on this river. There is a stillness that does not resemble peace. It is alive and watching Marlow. He is concerned about scraping the bottom of his steamship on the river floor‹this is disgraceful for seamen. Twenty "cannibals" are his crew. The Manager and some pilgrims are also onboard. Sailing by stations, they hear the word "ivory" resonating. The trees are massive and make you feel very small. The earth appears "unearthly." The men are monstrous but not inhuman. This scares Marlow greatly. He believes the mind of man is capable of anything. They creep on towards Kurtz. The ship comes across a deserted dwelling. Marlow finds a well-kept book about seamanship. It has notes in a language he cannot understand. Back on the boat, he pushes ahead. Eight miles from Kurtz's station, the Manager decides they will stay put for the evening. No sounds are heard. The sun rises, and "complaining clamor" with "savage discord" fills the air. Everyone fears an attack. One of the black crew members says that the attackers should be handed over to them and eaten. Marlow wonders why he and the other whites have not been eaten. The Manager insincerely worries that something might have happened to Kurtz. Marlow does not believe there will be an attack‹the jungle and fog seem impenetrable. No one believes him. Some men go and investigate the shore. A pattering sound is audible: flying arrows! The helmsman on the ship panics and does not steer properly. The crew is firing rifles into the bushes. A black man is shot and lays at Marlow's feet. He tries to talk and dies before he can get any words out. Marlow supposes that Kurtz has perished in this attack. He is exceedingly upset: talking to the mythical man has become a major point of interest. In a fit of distress Marlow throws his shoes overboard. He tells the listeners on the Thames ship that the privilege of talking to Kurtz was waiting for him. Marlow relates that Kurtz mentioned a girl, and how his shanty was busting with ivory. Kurtz has taken position of "devil of the land." Originally he was well-educated, but he has become entirely native in Africa, participating in rituals and rites. Kurtz is anything but common. Back in the battle, the helmsman is killed. Marlow throws the body overboard. After a simple funeral, the steamer continues moving. Miraculously they spy Kurtz's station, which they had assumed to be lost. They see the figure of a man who resembles a harlequin. This man says that Kurtz is present, and assures them that they need not fear the natives, who are simple people. He speaks with Marlow, introducing himself as a Russian. The book Marlow holds is actually his, and he is grateful to have it returned. The Russian says the ship was attacked because the natives do not want Kurtz to leave with the crew‹he has broadened everybody's mind. Summary Part III: Marlow is astonished at the Russian's words. He is gathering a clearer picture of Kurtz. The Russian says that he has gone so far that he doesn't know if he will ever get back. Apparently he has been alone with Kurtz for many months. His sense of adventure is pure, and glamour urges him onward. The Russian remembers the first night he spoke to Kurtz‹he forgot to sleep, he was so captivated. Kurtz made him "see things." He has nursed this great man through illnesses, and accompanied him on explorations to villages. Kurtz has raided the country by getting the cooperation of the nearby tribe, who all adore him. He loses himself in ivory hunts for weeks at a time, and forgets himself. The Russian disagrees that Kurtz is mad. Even when this bright-eyed adventurer was told to leave by his mentor, he refused to go. Kurtz went down the river alone to make another ivory raid. His illness acted up, so the Russian joined him in order to take care of him. Presently, Kurtz lies in a hut surrounded by heads on stakes. Marlow is not very shocked at the sight. He takes this as an indication that Kurtz lacks restraint in the gratification of his lusts, a condition for which the wilderness is culpable. Marlow assumes that Kurtz was hollow inside and needed something to fill that. The Russian is perturbed by Marlow's attitude of skepticism. He has heard enough about the ceremonies surrounding this revered man. Suddenly around the house appears a group of men. They convene around the stretcher that holds the dying Kurtz. He looks gaunt, and tells the natives to leave. The pilgrims carry him to another cabin, and give him his correspondence. In a raspy voice he says he is glad to meet Marlow. The Manager comes in to talk privately with Kurtz. Waiting on the boat with the Russian, Marlow spies the "apparition" of a gorgeous woman. She glitters with gold, paint, and she looks savage. She steps to the edge of the shore and eyes the steamer. She gestures violently toward the sky, turns and disappears into the thicket. The harlequin man fears her. They overhear Kurtz telling the Manager that he is interfering with plans. The Manager emerges. Taking Marlow aside, he says they have done all they can for Kurtz, and that he did more harm than good to the Company. His actions were too "vigorous" for the moment. Marlow does not agree that Kurtz's method was unsound. To him, Kurtz is a remarkable man, and a friend in some way. Marlow warns the Russian to escape before he can be hanged; he states that he will keep Kurtz's reputation safe. It was Kurtz who ordered the attack on the steamer‹he did not want to be taken away, and thought to fake his death. While Marlow dozes, drumbeats and incantations fill the air. He looks into the cabin that holds Kurtz, and discovers he is missing. Marlow sees his trail, and goes after him. The two men face one another. Kurtz pleads that he has plans. Marlow replies that his fame in Europe is assured; he realizes that this man's soul has gone mad. He is able to bring Kurtz back to the cabin. The ship departs the next day amongst a crowd of natives. Kurtz is brought into the pilot-house of the ship. The "tide of brown" runs swiftly out of the "heart of darkness." The life of Kurtz is ebbing. Marlow is in disfavor, lumped into the same category as Kurtz. The Manager is now content. Marlow listens endlessly to Kurtz's bedside talk. He accepts a packet of papers and a photograph that his friend gives him, in order to keep them out of the Manager's hands. A few evenings later, Kurtz dies, with one phrase on his lips: "The horror!" Marlow returns to Europe, but is plagued by the memory of his friend. He is disrespectful to all he encounters. The Manager demands the papers that Kurtz entrusted to Marlow. Marlow relinquishes the technical papers, but not the private letters and photograph. All that remains of Kurtz is his memory and that picture of his Intended. Kurtz is very much a living figure to Marlow. He goes and visits the woman in the picture. She embraces and welcomes him. She has silently mourned for the past year, and needs to profess her love and how she knew him better than anyone. Marlow perceives the room to darken when she says this. She speaks of Kurtz's amazing ability to draw people through incredibly eloquent speech. The woman says she will be unhappy for life. Marlow states that they can always remember him. She expresses a desperate need to keep his memory alive, and guilt that she was not with him when he died. When the woman asks Marlow what Kurtz's final words were, he lies and says it was her name. The woman weeps in triumph. Marlow states that to tell the truth would be too dark. Back on the Thames River ship, a tranquil waterway leads into the heart of darkness. Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott CHAPTER 1 The novel begins in England during the reign of King Richard I, also known as Richard the Lion-Hearted (1157-1199). Scott provides some historical background for the politics of the time and places the action somewhere near the end of Richard's reign when he is returning from the Crusades. England's Saxon population is under the control of Norman royalty. French has become the forced official language, a fact which both angers and demeans the Saxons, and many landowners have been forced to give their lands to their Norman rulers. When the action of the novel begins, the Norman King Richard I has been captured and held for ransom in Europe. His brother John has assumed power. Though both men are Norman rulers in Saxon populated England, Richard is more popular among the people he rules, known as both fair and courageous; John is aggressive, encouraging his men to steal or destroy everything Saxon. John is content to rule, and even hopes his brother remains imprisoned so that he can become king. Richard's loyal subjects despair of ever seeing him again, and are angry that John and his greedy nobles have been aggressive and relentless in seizing whatever Saxon land they can. A swineherd named Gurth is talking with a jester, Wamba, about the increasing hostility between the native Saxons and the Norman rulers. Both servants work for a loyal Saxon named Cedric. When a storm approaches, they head for home. On their way, they hear horsemen riding toward them. CHAPTER 2 The Norman horsemen catch up with Gurth and Wamba. One of them is a Cisterian monk dressed in fine clothes. The other is a Knight Templar. The two, attended by several others, demand to know where they will be able to stay for the night and ask where Cedric the Saxon lives. Knowing his master Cedric's hatred of Normans, Wamba, with sheer mischief, gives them wrong and confusing directions. However, they soon meet a Palmer, a holy man who has traveled to the Holy Land on a pilgrimage, who takes them safely to Cedric's mansion. CHAPTER 3 Cedric is in his home, Rotherwood, impatiently waiting for his servants to come home. He is also displeased that his ward Rowena is late for supper. His thoughts are interrupted by the blast of a horn. Then the gatekeeper announces that Prior Aymer of the Abbey of Jorvaulx, Brian de Bois- Guilbert, and a small party of men are on their way to the royal tournament at Ashby-de-la- Zouche and want to lodge at Rotherwood for the night. Cedric does not want to entertain these Normans, but his Saxon pride demands that they be offered hospitality; however, he clings to his dignity by refusing to go out to welcome them. Only when they come to him in his hall does Cedric reluctantly welcome them. Cedric counsels Rowena against appearing before the guests. He does not trust the Knight Templar and does not want anything to interfere with his plans to marry Rowena off to the right gentleman. She, however, is keen to hear the latest news from the Holy Land from the Palmer, since she is in love with Ivanhoe, whom she thinks is still fighting in the Crusades. CHAPTER 4 When the richly dressed guests enter Cedric's hall, he receives them politely but without any warmth. He then scolds Gurth and Wamba for being late. When Rowena enters to join in the meal, Bois-Guilbert stares at her beauty. In response, she draws a veil over her face. Cedric notices the interchange and is annoyed with the Templar. The chapter ends with the announcement of a stranger at Cedric's gates. CHAPTER 5 The stranger at Cedric's gate is Isaac of York. Although he is a Jew, Cedric refuses to turn him away into the stormy night. The Norman guests protest at his being admitted and Cedric makes him sit at a separate table. Only the Palmer takes pity on the drenched and exhausted Jew. The Palmer names five knights who have displayed great courage during the Crusades. He also mentions a sixth knight, a great competitor, whose name he cannot remember, though he is actually speaking about himself. The Templar vows to challenge this sixth and unknown Knight at the forthcoming Ashby tournament. CHAPTER 6 On his way to bed, the Palmer is asked to accompany Cedric's servants to the kitchen for more drink and gossip. A message is sent to him by Lady Rowena, demanding his presence. She wants more news of Ivanhoe since she heard the Palmer mention Ivanhoe's courageous exploits. All that the Palmer tells her is that Ivanhoe, having fought bravely, is on his way home. Before going to bed, the Palmer warns Isaac that he has overheard Bois- Guilbert ordering his Moslem slaves to follow Isaac and rob him. Isaac is grateful to the Palmer, and before he escapes, rewards the Palmer with a favor. He sends a letter to his Jewish kinsman asking him to give the Palmer a horse and armor so that he can participate in the Ashby tournament. CHAPTERS 7-9 These chapters are largely descriptive and do little to advance the plot of the story. The busy arena where the knights will display their skill is brilliantly described. The challengers, Bois-Guilbert, Front-de-Boeuf, Grantmesnil, Malvoisin, and Ralph de Vipoint, are introduced and described as seasoned Norman knights. Isaac's daughter Rebecca is also introduced. A stranger, beautifully attired in steel and gold armor, arrives at the arena, challenges Bois-Guilbert, and emerges victorious; Bois- Guilbert feels disgraced. The mysterious knight also wins on the second day of the tournament and crowns Rowena as the Queen of Love and Beauty. CHAPTER 10 As soon as Ivanhoe, in the guise of the Disinherited Knight, reaches his tent on the first day of the tournament, he is presented with the rich armor, weapons, and horses of the knights he has defeated. He accepts his rewards from four of the five knights. He refuses the gifts of Bois- Guilbert, however, and sends a message that he will meet the Templar Knight again in combat on the following day. With some of the money from his rewards, Ivanhoe sends Gurth, who is now his confidante, to Isaac to pay for the horse and armor which he so generously loaned to him for the tournament. Isaac takes the money, but Rebecca secretly sends it back, adding twenty gold coins as a tip for Gurth. CHAPTER 11 On his way back to Ashby, poor Gurth is attacked by four men who steal the money he carries, both his gold coins and that belonging to Ivanhoe. The thieves question him about where he got the money. When Gurth tells about Rebecca's kindness, the thieves refuse to believe that any Jew would return a payment on a loan. Gurth fights with his attackers. When he shows his courage in the conflict, the robbers surprisingly give him back his money and escort him to Ashby. CHAPTER 12 After the combats of the first day at Ashby, the crowds eagerly await the events of the next day. The excitement reaches a fever pitch when the Disinherited Knight is attacked simultaneously by Athelstane, Front-de- Boeuf, and Bois-Guilbert. With the help of another mysterious character, the Black Knight, who comes to his aid, Ivanhoe overcomes his challengers, emerging the victor once again. After the victory, the Black Knight disappears. Rowena crowns the Disinherited Knight, who is now forced to raise his visor and show his face. He is revealed to all as Ivanhoe, Cedric's son. Severely wounded, he faints at Rowena's feet. CHAPTERS 13-15 The revelation that Ivanhoe is the disguised winner of the tournament causes a great commotion and some fear in the minds of the Norman nobles. A castle once belonging to Ivanhoe that John had given to Front-de-Bouef is now the object of much speculation, for many think that Ivanhoe will demand it back. Prince John himself is a bit worried about a confrontation until his advisor Fitzurse informs him that Ivanhoe is severely wounded and probably incapable of protest. When Prince John receives a message that says, "Take heed to yourself, for the Devil is unchained," he turns pale. He guesses that the message means his brother Richard is free, and his own corrupt reign is nearing its end. At the same time, many of his supporters begin to falter in their support of him, and Fitzurse busies himself trying to rally them back to John. The tournament ends with an archery contest, which introduces Robin of Locksley (Robin Hood). Locksley easily defeats Hubert. John is enraged at both Locksley's skill as an archer and his unswerving loyalty to Richard. Cedric also offends John in his surprising expression of support for Richard when he drinks to missing king's health. Prince John has planned to marry Rowena to De Bracy, who is pleased with the idea. Now De Bracy is determined to force the marriage whether Richard has returned or not. He makes plans to ambush Cedric's party as they travel home from the tournament. He will take Rowena and make her his unwilling bride. CHAPTERS 16 & 17 This chapter introduces Friar Tuck, the jolly priest who is one of Robin Hood's men. Earlier in the novel, King Richard proved his valor at Ashby disguised as the Black Knight. After the victory, he quickly disappeared before his identity was questioned. In this scene, he is traveling in the forest when he meets the Clerk of Copmanhurst, who is actually Friar Tuck. The two trust one another; they eat and drink in great companionship. The king and the fat priest get on so well that after supper they decide to sing together. Each chooses a song that makes fun of the other; the priest pokes fun at Crusaders and Richard mocks the priest. CHAPTERS 18 & 19 When Cedric first sees his son wounded, his natural paternal love is revived, but not wishing to reveal this to the spectators at Ashby, he keeps quiet. Later he learns that Ivanhoe is being taken care of by Rebecca and is relieved. Discovering that his swineherd Gurth has been helping Ivanhoe, Cedric has him bound with rope as a punishment. Cedric and Athelstane take their group to Prince John's palace where they have been invited to a banquet. On the way to Prince John's, the group encounters the dog, Fangs, howling. Cedric throws his javelin at it, wounding the dog. Saxons are a superstitious lot, and Cedric believed this howling was a sure sign of an impending danger. Gurth is upset to see the dog wounded and manages to escape his bonds. At Prince John's, Rowena refuses to attend the banquet, which annoys Cedric. He and Athelstane discuss matters of land. Then Cedric broaches the subject of Athelstane's marriage to Rowena. CHAPTERS 20 & 21 As they make their way through the woods, Cedric and his party come upon Isaac and Rebecca accompanying a sick man. Rebecca is crying out loudly for help. Their bodyguard has deserted them in sheer fear of the outlaws who are known to inhabit the woods. Rebecca begs Rowena to help the sick man. The entire party is then attacked by De Bracy and his men, impersonating outlaws. They kidnap the group and take them to Front-de-Bouef at Torquilstone Castle, which once belonged to Ivanhoe until John gave it away. Except for Wamba, who escapes, they are all taken prisoners. Wamba meets Gurth, and they go to find Locksley (Robin Hood). Gurth, Wamba, Locksley, and his men meet up with the disguised King Richard and Friar Tuck. All of them proceed to Torquilstone Castle to aid the prisoners. CHAPTER 22 Isaac of York has been thrown into a dark dungeon in Torquilstone Castle. Front-de-Boeuf demands a ransom of a thousand silver pounds, to which Isaac protests. The Normans threaten him with physical torture, so Isaac requests that his daughter Rebecca be sent with an escort to York to get the money. He is deeply upset when he learns that she has been given to Bois-Guilbert as his own personal captive. Isaac is willing to give up whatever wealth he possesses if only he can get Rebecca back. As his captors begin preparations for torture, the sound of a bugle is heard outside the castle, and Isaac is saved for the moment. CHAPTER 23 Elsewhere in Front-de-Boeuf's castle, De Bracy tries his best to persuade Rowena to marry him. He threatens that if she does not accept him, the lives of Ivanhoe and Cedric will be forfeited. In the conversation, she learns that Ivanhoe is a prisoner in the same castle and breaks down. The bugle call interrupts this scene as well. CHAPTER 24 Rebecca meets the old hag, Urfried, in the little tower where she is imprisoned. Urfried makes the most frightening forecast for Rebecca, recounting her own terrible fate at the hands of Front-de- Boeuf's father. Urfried, however, had submitted to the elder Front- de-Bouef's molestation, accepting the subsequent shame and dishonor. The brave Rebecca looks around for some escape, but finds none. Musing over her fate, she hears footsteps on the stairs. A tall man stands at the door. She offers her jewelry to the man who takes off his cap and reveals himself as Bois-Guilbert. He makes advances at her, which she refuses. Rebecca threatens to kill herself. She would rather die than be dishonored as the old woman Urfried has been. The trumpet call also saves Rebecca, for it summons Bois-Guilbert, who promises to visit her again. CHAPTERS 25-27 The occupants of Torquilstone receive a letter signed by Gurth and Wamba, but sent by the mysterious Black Knight and Locksley; the letter demands the release of the prisoners. Front-de-Boeuf responds to the letter by asking that a priest be sent to hear the confessions of the prisoners before they are put to death. Wamba, dressed in Friar's robes, enters the castle "to hear the confessions of the condemned". When he reaches the place where Cedric and the others are imprisoned, he and Cedric exchange their clothes and Cedric is able to leave the dungeon undetected. Thinking Cedric to be the priest, Front-de-Boeuf gives him a message for Philip Malvoisin. Cedric rejects Front de Boeuf's payment and joins the party outside. Subsequently, Wamba's disguise and Cedric's escape are discovered. It now seems that a clash is inevitable between the Normans inside and the besiegers outside, now joined by Cedric. CHAPTER 28 Using flashback, Scott supplies the necessary information to link various events that have happened. Ivanhoe's actual whereabouts since being injured at the tournament have never been explicitly stated. But here it is revealed that Rebecca took the invalid Ivanhoe on as a charge, promising to use her powers of healing. It is made clear that the sick man she and her father were accompanying when they were kidnapped is Ivanhoe. CHAPTER 29 As the besiegers attack the Castle, Rebecca stands at the window to relate to Ivanhoe the exact sequence of events. He soon falls asleep. Rebecca, left to her own thoughts, tries to sort out her feelings for him. She realizes that she is beginning to love him. CHAPTERS 30 & 31 The battle rages on, with both parties fighting intensely. Front-de- Boeuf is seriously wounded in the battle. As he lies dying, the old hag Urfried accuses him of all kinds of sins, the worst being the murder of his own father. Hungry for revenge for wrongs done to her by his family, she sets fire to the castle. Both she and Front-de- Boeuf die in the flames. The Black Knight saves Ivanhoe and captures De Bracy. Everyone manages to escape to freedom except Rebecca, who is carried away by Bois-Guilbert, the Knight Templar who wants to defile her. In attempting to stop Bois- Guilbert, Athelstane is hit on the head and falls down, apparently dead. CHAPTER 32 Early next morning the freed prisoners and their rescuers, the outlaws, meet in the forest. Robin of Locksley places Cedric on his left and the Black Knight on his right. The booty plundered from the castle is shared equally. Cedric refuses his share, saying that Rowena and he are grateful to Locksley for his help. He offers his share to the Black Knight, who also refuses to take any of the plunder. In gratitude to him for his help, Cedric frees his slave Gurth. De Bracy, now a prisoner, attempts to speak to Rowena but is insulted by Cedric. Athelstane's body is carried in on a stretcher. Then Friar Tuck arrives, leading Isaac by a rope that is tied around his neck. He and the Black Knight engage in a friendly fight over Isaac. The Black Knight wins, and Isaac is set free. Two other men bring in another prisoner, the Prior of Jorvaulx. CHAPTERS 33 & 34 Prior Aymer is frightened when he is brought in to the camp, but is mostly disturbed because his beautiful, expensive clothes are ruined. Isaac is relieved to learn Rebecca is alive and listens carefully when the Prior offers, for an appropriate price, to use his friendship with the Knight Templar to free Rebecca. The Black Knight is pleasantly surprised at the decency with which the outlaws behave. At a banquet hall in the castle of York to which Prince John has invited his nobles, rumors are afoot that Torquilstone Castle has been attacked and captured. Word has it that Front-de-Boeuf and Bois-Guilbert, and perhaps De Bracy too, are dead. John is disturbed but listens to Fitzurse, who reassures him that his unscrupulous reign is invincible. De Bracy dramatically enters the banquet and announces that Richard is in England, Bois-Guilbert has fled with the Jewish girl, and Front-de-Bouef is dead. John is frightened at the news and begins to drink heavily. In his drunken stupor, he realizes that many of his knights are deserting him. He quickly appoints De Bracy High Marshal to secure his loyalty. De Bracy, however, no longer trusts or believes in John. John, in turn, sets spies on De Bracy. CHAPTER 35 Isaac of York is warned by his relation Nathan that Lucas Beaumanoir, Chief of the Order of Templars, is also present at Templestowe, where Rebecca is being held prisoner. Beaumanoir is a rigid knight who is insistent on Templar principles, a cruel enemy to the Moslems, and a strong hater of the Jews. Isaac brings a letter from Prior Aymer to Bois-Guilbert, asking for the Prior's ransom; the Jew is brought to Lucas Beaumanoir. Until Isaac shows up, Beaumanoir is completely unaware of Rebecca's presence in the castle. He is annoyed that Bois-Guilbert is guilty of sequestering Rebecca for immoral purposes, since he is a strict keeper of the Knights Templar rules of celibacy. Isaac is oblivious to the fact that the Prior's letter nastily hints that Rebecca is a "second witch of Endor"; in it, the Prior says Rebecca has cast a spell over the Templar. Malvoisin, the preceptor of Templestowe, seizes on the notion that Rebecca is a witch and defends his friend Bois- Guilbert. In the meantime, Bois-Guilbert finds he is strongly attracted to Rebecca and continues to press her to accept him. Beaumanoir orders a full-scale trial for Rebecca, thinking this is his only chance to save the reputation of the Knight Templar who has acted so out of keeping with the order's rules. Bois-Guilbert's attempts to help Rebecca escape the trial by marrying him are in vain. CHAPTERS 37 & 39 The scene is set for Rebecca's trial. The Grand Master sits opposite a pile of logs, which will form the stake at which Rebecca will be burned alive if she is found guilty. The charges against Bois- Guilbert are read first, but he is excused on the grounds that Rebecca's evil magic has taken away his power of reason. Others testify to the supernatural powers of Rebecca, her healing of Ivanhoe, and her presence and influence at the attack on Torquilstone. The common people are on her side, deeply affected by her beauty and her defense; but it is not a fair trial. Bois- Guilbert tries to save Rebecca by asking for a champion to fight him on her behalf; however, he suspects no one will come to her aid against him. He then tries in vain to convince Rebecca to run away with him. CHAPTERS 40-42 In an earlier chapter, Prince John is seen losing the loyalty of most of his knights except that of Waldemar Fitzurse, who slips out of the banqueting hall to confront King Richard before he takes back his power. On their way to Athelstane's castle of Coningsburgh to bury him, the Black Knight and Wamba are ambushed by Fitzurse and his men. Richard sounds his horn to summon Locksley and his outlaws. With their help, he overcomes and kills his attackers. Only Fitzurse is left alive. The king banishes him forever from England and confiscates his lands. The Black Knight then reveals himself as the rightful King of England. He and Ivanhoe proceed to Coningsburgh. Athelstane, who has only been knocked unconscious and not killed, now rises to tell his story. Ivanhoe rides on, prepared and ready to champion Rebecca's fate. CHAPTER 43 Rebecca's trial attracts a large crowd, including many of Robin Hood's men. Just as her situation seems hopeless, for no champion has offered to defend Rebecca, Ivanhoe rides into the arena. He challenges those who accuse the beautiful Jewess. Brian de Bois- Guilbert becomes an unwilling participant in the fight as a representative of the people who accuse Rebecca; Beaumanoir and the Knight Templars demand his obedience and loyalty. It is an exciting and hard-fought battle, but Bois-Guilbert is finally killed. Ivanhoe has saved Rebecca. CHAPTER 44 Richard, having intended to champion Rebecca himself, is detained by the Earl of Essex who warns him of John's evil plans. He arrives at the trial too late to fight, but brings with him a troop of soldiers and arrests Albert Malvoisin for plotting with John against him. He gives Lucas Beaumanoir the choice of exile or death, and Beaumanoir chooses exile. Richard then banishes all the traitors except John, who is sent to his mother with a warning. Athelstane gives up his claim to Rowena and retires from public life. Rowena and Ivanhoe are married. Before departing from England with her father forever, Rebecca visits Rowena to thank her. Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H.Lawrence Summary Lady Chatterley's Lover begins by introducing Connie Reid, the female protagonist of the novel. She was raised as a cultured bohemian of the upper-middle class, and was introduced to love affairs--intellectual and sexual liaisons--as a teenager. In 1917, at 23, she marries Clifford Chatterley, the scion of an aristocratic line. After a month's honeymoon, he is sent to war, and returns paralyzed from the waist down, impotent. After the war, Clifford becomes a successful writer, and many intellectuals flock to the Chatterley mansion, Wragby. Connie feels isolated; the vaunted intellectuals prove empty and bloodless, and she resorts to a brief and dissatisfying affair with a visiting playwright, Michaelis. Connie longs for real human contact, and falls into despair, as Страницы: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 |
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