I do not think Black-and-White Morality fits here. Most of the bad guys have some redeeming qualities. De Bracy respects the honour code of chivalry (for example, he does not tell Bois-Guilbert and Front-de-Boeuf that Ivanhoe is his prisoner to protect him, he refuses Bois-Guilbert’s offer to rescue him after the siege of Torquilstone) and he sincerely regrets abducting Rowena when he realizes she does not love him. Bois-Guilbert’s love for Rebecca is sincere and his valor is real (as noted below even Rebecca notes that he has some qualities). Beaumanoir truly thinks that he does the right thing (he truly thinks that Bois-Guilbert was cursed by Rebecca). On the other side, Robin Hood and his men hold the innocuous Aymer and even Isaac to ramson. A drunken Friar Tuck even mauls Isaac. Cedric is a prejudiced man against every Norman. He disowns his own son because he fights for a Norman king. And he throws Gurth in chains because he helped Ivanhoe. So, many good guys have a dark side and many bad guys have a good side.
Edited by CyrilPMG
I completely disagree that Rebecca is the Dark Feminine. She is as good as Rowena( if not better). She puts her religion and morality above everything, she does nothing to seduce men( yes, she is beautiful but she doesn't use her beauty, noway), she sees healing people as sense of her life, she expresses no jealousy towards Rowena( and even gives her gifts!). Just compare Rebecca with Scarlett O'Hara( typical Dark Feminine). Rebecca has no "dark feminine" traits. She subverts this trope at most.
Bois Guilbert IMO is more of a Byronic Hero than a simple villain. Even Rebecca says as much. Quoting- "There are noble things which cross over thy powerful mind; but it is the garden of the sluggard, and the weeds have rushed up, and conspired to choke the fair and wholesome blossom."
Removed from main page, as there is a cleanup effort on one of the pages linked here underway and I am not sure what to do with this entry:
- The Jester: Wamba is Cedric's jester. His role allows him to calm tense situation. For example, when Prince John orders Isaac to sit with the Saxons at Ashby, Wamba dares to stop Isaac and Prince John fogives him, because he is a jester.
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