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45medieval knighthood. Scott's irony is not mostly expressed verbally, but through situations his heroes and heroines happen to be in. Scott suggests to distinguish his novels on Middle Ages, based on historical knowledge of his time, from medieval romances on chivalry, based on writers' fancy and fantasy. He consecutively destroys the main myths on ideal knights and especially the nature of their "supreme" love to their ladies.
Key-words: Scott, medievalism, irony, medieval romance, ideal knight.
УДК 821.111.09-311.6
CONTROVERSY OF SPIRIT AND BODY: THE IMAGE OF BRIAN DE BOIS-GUILBERT IN WALTER SCOTT'S 'IVANHOE'
Boris M. Proskurnin
Doctor of Philology, Professor of World Literature and Culture Department
Perm State National Research University
614990, Russia, Perm, Bukirev str. 15. [email protected]
Walter Scott's novel "Ivanhoe" in under analysis. It is analyzed as the example of peculiar to the writer blending of romanticism, sentimentalism, and realism with quite obvious prevailing of the first. There is the image of Brian de Bois-Guilbert in the centre of the analysis; the image is constructed on the basis of the contrast of spiritual and corporeal. When picturing the image of Bois as a person of strong but vicious passions, Scott is close to Shakespearean power of character, his image is in a typological line with the images of Hugo's Claude Frollo, Corsair by Byron or Frankestein by Mary Shelley. The author of the essay shows artistic means with which the image is depicted.
Key-words: Scott, medieval England, historical novel, genre, romanticism, realism, character, image.
'Ivanhoe', written in the end of 1819, is the first novel of Scott which is set in the medieval England. Robin Mayhead in his monograph of 1968 argues that 'Ivanhoe' and 'Kenilworth' (1821) were Scott's greatest success with the reading public of the age' [Mayhead 1968: 3]. Jerome de Groot in his 'Historical Novel' (2010) includes 'Ivanhoe' in the number of six Scott's novel which 'are generally taken to be the point at which the 'historical novel' is thought to have originated as a form' [de Groot 2010: 17].
О Проскурнин Б.М., 2012
Russian literary critics agree with their foreign colleagues when speak about this novel as a work which opens the definite period in the writer's career. By Russian literary historians' understanding, his best novels of the 1820s keep all merits of Scott's ways of depicting history through characters, and at the same time they bring much new and interesting in his creative work. The first and obvious thing is broadening of the subject area: in 'Ivanhoe' for the first time Scott writes not about Scotland. We know that of 17 novels written in the period between 1819 and 1832 only six are connected with Scotland. Scott himself wrote about the subject of 'Ivanhoe' as 'fresh topic' which he had 'the happiness to light upon' [Scott 1976: 4]. He wrote in his Introduction to the novel (this Introduction was written in September 1830), that 'the present author felt, that, in confirming himself to subjects purely Scottish, he was not only likely to weary out the indulgence of his readers, but also greatly to limit his own power of affording them pleasure' [Scott 1996: 4].
His Scottish novels showed quite clearly his understanding of history as progress moved not by radical measures but by gradual changes, and what is more, all critics agree that his Toryism became stronger in the period to which 'Ivanhoe' belongs. It's quite remarkable that the final period of his literary career starts with the novel where Scott, as Ian Duncan in Introduction to the World Classics novel's edition of 1996 points out, 'undertakes a conservative capture of the radical myth of the Norman yoke' [Scott 1996: xiv]. Duncan rightly writes: 'The last stages of composition of 'Ivanhoe' coincided with an escalation of Radical reform agitation and government repression, the most violent of which was the 'Peterloo massacre' of August 1819, when cavalry troops attacked a Manchester crowd. Scott supported the most draconian measures of government (he praised the judicious conduct of the Manchester officials), wrote a series of anti-Radical pamphlets (...), and started organizing a loyalist militia in his district of the Borders'[Scott 1996: xv). One of Scott's intentions in writing 'Ivanhoe', by Duncan, was 'the need to build a popular cultural resistance to Radical ideology' [Scott 1996: xiv-xv]. Here we have to remember Hegel's ideas: 'The Spirit of our times is better to report to the Present, taking counsel with the Past and the Future in order free and from itself to define laws and goals of action' [Гегель 1969: 241]. Marylin Butler states in her 'Romantics, Rebels, and Reactionaries', that thematically 'Ivanhoe' is Scott's most contemporary novel to date' [Butler 1982: 149]. Here once again we may see so called 'the law of parabola': in any historical novel of any writer no matter how deep we are absorbed in the past it is the contemporary issues which the author wants to discuss by means of depicting the Past. One of the intentions of Walter Scott is to build up some clear sense of connection with the
past, and, as de Groot writes (after George Lukasc), to stress 'an awareness the events of history have an impact upon the contemporary' [de Groot 2010: 27]. Marilyn Butler argues that 'Ivanhoe' 'represents a politically divided (rather that organically harmonious) medieval England in order to draw the dynamics of compromise' [Butler 1982: 150]. It's compromise and tolerance that Scott glorifies as the leading ideas of the time, and thus he appeals to the Past. It's quite remarkable that the novel ends with the total compromise: Normans, Saxons, greenwood insurgents, Saxon slaves, Richard and barons and Prince John - all chose the middle line and peaceful movement into the Future.
What is more, and that is quite peculiar practically to all Scott's novels, personal happiness of the heroes (in 'Ivanhoe' this is happy marriage of the title hero and Lady Rowena, and his reconciliation with the father), are a necessary symbol (and basis) of the happiness of the whole country. Social and political symbol, and a very obvious parallel to this happy marriage, is joint siege of Front de Boefs castle by Richard, free yeomen, and greenwood people of Locksley; it's a symbol of the birth of the English nation of which, and not of Normans or of Saxons, Richard proclaims himself to be the King. In 'Ivanhoe' there are two personages who are out of this compromise and out of the happy end on different reasons though: one, Rebecca, leaves England because she has lost her belief in goodwill of English people towards Jews (and we all know that quite soon all Jews would be driven out of Britain for several centuries). Before departing, she explains to Rowena that 'the people of England are a fierce race, quarreling ever with their neighbours or among themselves' [Scott 1996: 499]. The final words of the phrase are quite remarkable and reflects the main idea of Scott.
Another personage who are out of this ideology of compromise and tolerance, Bois-Guilbert, died because of unbearable conflict of soul and body. The image of Brian de Bois-Guilbert is usually supposed by critics to be one of the two characters depicted by Scott with pure romantic means (another one is that of Ulrica, a Saxon victim of de Boef s voluptuousness). Really to the highest degree of romanticism may be read the episode when Ulrica, having set de Boefs castle to the fire appears on the top of one of the towers: 'Her long disheveled grey hair flew back from her uncovered head; the inebriating delight of gratified vengeance contended in her yes with the fire of insanity; and she brandished the distaff which she held in her hand, as if she had been one the Fatal Sisters, who spin and abridge the thread of human life' [Scott 1996: 340]. The image of Ulrica as avenger due to its romantic details and peculiarities is full of strong emotional impact. It contains something sinister and savage, but fair in its way.
It is another matter with the image of Bois-Guilbert. We may say that both images are quite romantic and show Scott's capacities to give, as Lu-kasc once said, 'living human embodiment to historical-social types' [cited in: de Groot 2010: 27]. But Ulrica is more an emblematical image of the victim of Norman violence towards Saxons, and Saxon wrath against Norman oppression. Her participation in the plot development is important but is not so crucial as Brian's role. Brian symbolizes violence as such, practically on ontological level. I am sure many of us have read a very thoughtful review of John Sutherland of Ann Rigney's 'The Afterlives of Walter Scott' published in 'Times Literary Supplement' of May, 18, 2012. In this review Sutherland reminds us very much strange obsession of Norwegian terrorist Breivick with Scott's 'Ivanhoe' and with the secretive Knights Templar sect founded by an Englishman who called himself 'Richard the Lionhearted'. It does not only shows that 'the author of 'Ivanhoe' remains very much with us in ways which we may not always attribute to him' [Sutherland 2012: 4]. It illuminates the idea laid down in the image of Bois -violence chosen as vengeance for outraged ideals.
It is a common understanding among literary critics of many countries that 'Ivanhoe' is based on at least five plot-forming contradictions (conflicts): historical proper, political, social, racial, psychological. The image of Brian is important and 'participates' in development of all of them. In each case the fight of his body and soul brings quite interesting nuance.
As a Templar he is to show historical role of the Order in the Crusades and in the fate of Europe in the late Middle Ages (In this respect Scott's approach was then developed by such different writers as Maurice Druon, Umberto Eco and David Brown who wrote about the Order.) Here we may remember the scenes with the Grand Master of the Order Lucas Beaumanoir who is described by Scott like this: 'A formidable warrior, his thin and severe features retained the soldier's fierceness of expression. <...> Yet with these severe traits of physiognomy, there was mixed somewhat striking and noble, arising, doubtless, from the great part which his high office called upon him to act among monarchs and princes, and from the habitual exercise of supreme authority over the valiant and high-born knights, who were united by the rules of the Order' [Scott 1996: 382]. Scott stresses how much great was the role of the Temple Order in the life of Europe, and how much high the members of the Order think of themselves as the ones who govern the fates of the countries despite the borders and nations. He puts the following words in the mouth of Bois: 'The Templar loses... his social rights, his power of free agency, but he becomes a member and a limb of mighty body, before which thrones already tremble, - even as the single drop of rain which mixes with the sea becomes an individual part of that resistless
ocean, which undermines rocks and ingulfs royal armadas. Such a swelling flood is that powerful league' [Scott 1996: 256 - 257].
In terms of the political line of the plot and the main contradiction in this respect - that of Richard Lionhearted and Prince John - Bois joins the party of Prince John without any hesitation since he, as we understood from the words of Ivanhoe to Rebecca, already in Palestine was one of the ardent rivals of Richard and his men. There is quite an obvious sign of Bois's hostility towards Richard when at the feast organized by Prince John he and some other barons and knights 'in sullen disdain suffered their goblets to stand untasted before them' [Scott 1996: 169], when Cedric raised his glass to the health of King Richard, 'the best and the noblest of his race' [ibid]. The author writes, describing Prince John's court at the tournament in Ashley: 'The rest of Prince John's retinue consisted of the favourite leaders of his mercenary troops, some marauding barons and profligate attendants upon the court, with several knights Templars and Knights of St John' [Scott 1996: 92].
Bois's arrogant disdain towards Saxons is obvious from his first appearance in the novel. When Gurth, answering his and Prior Aymer's request to show them the way to Cedric's castle, refuses to do that under the pretext of his Master's early going to bed, Bois exclaims (and this phrase of his immediately marks the gap between the oppressed and oppressors, between two races); 'Tush, tell not me, fellow! <...> 'tis easy for them to arise and supply the wants of travelers such as we are, who will not stoop to beg the hospitality which we have a right to command' [Scott 1996: 40].
Scott characterizes 'Ivanhoe' as a romance, and, as Ian Duncan states, 'it was the first time Scott had actually given one of his novels that label' [Scott 1996: x]. What is more, Scott spoke about the novel as 'modern Gothic', and 'Ivanhoe' marks 'a ceremonial return to Gothic: a re-Gothicization, as Duncan, writes of historical fiction'[see: Scott 1996: xxi]. But we well understand that it is quite a strange Gothcization: no terror, no sensation, no mystery, no psychopatology, no the supernatural. The only Gothic things here are castles, dungeons, dark forests. And one of the images that specifies the Gothic atmosphere in the novel, or, to be exact, destroys it, is just that of Bois-Guilbert who, when he knew about the trial and possible burning Rebecca at the stake, exclaimed: 'Will future ages believe that such stupid bigotry ever existed!' [Scott 1996: 397].
Brian's image is the second central one in the novel. It's the image which in many ways leads the plot, especially its part connected with knighthood and love-story. He is the main antagonist of Ivanhoe, and their rivalry acts as a sort of cohesive force that keeps narration as the wholeness. The image of de Bois-Guilbert is depicted in traditions of romantic con-
trasts. The central of them is the conflict of passions and submission, ambition and subordination, religious and secular, corporeal and spiritual. The latter is of special importance when we speak about the process which, by Balzac, Walter Scott's art of novel put in broad practice - dramatization of narration and character presentation. It is obvious if we think about the subplot of Rebecca and Brian's passionate attraction to her.
Beginning with his first appearance in the second chapter of the novel Brian's portrait is given as that of a 'naturally strong and powerfully expressive' [Scott 1996: 36] man, without any 'semi-tones', but with definite contrasts, mostly - of the body and the soul: 'The companion of the church dignitary was a man past forty, thin, strong, tall, and muscular; an athletic figure, which long fatigue and constant exercise seemed to have left none of the softer part of the human form, having reduced the whole to brawn, bones, and sinews, which had sustained a thousand toils, and were ready to dare a thousand more' [Scott 1996: 35]. He is depicted as an outstanding person, possessing a sort of manifested exceptionality, and overwhelmed with contradicted emotions and inclinations: 'High features ..., in their ordinary state, be said to slumber after the storm of passion had passed away...' [Scott 1996: 36]. But after that Scott gives some corporeal signs which allow to say that this storm of feelings and emotions may come back at any moment: '.. .the projection of the veins of the forehead, the readiness with which the upper lip and its thick black moustaches quivered upon the slightest emotion, plainly intimated that the tempest might be again easily awakened' [ibid].
The portrait of de Bois-Guilbert is that of a quite extraordinary man. Here we may remember that a romantic hero was, as a rule, determined by the idea of the select few. By means of some details of his appearance and conduct Scott sets off Brian's unrestrained passions and his overwhelming pride. The dominant idea which is laid down in the foundations of the image is ambition ('furious ambition' - as Scott states [Scott 1996: 257-258]). Bois joined the Templar Order, as he explained to Rebecca, because he saw in it 'the power of vengeance ... and the prospects of ambition [Scott 1996: 256]. It puts Walter Scott in the context of thinking over the problem of a strong-willed individual which becomes socially and morally sharper after the fall of Napoleon. We all know that in the early XIX century the idea of strong will, exceptional capacities and some special gift of wield power over the ordinary was closely connected with the personality of Napoleon. After the defeat of Napoleon the issues of rise and fall of a strong personality were again in the centre of discussions. Here we may remember as extremes W.Hazzlit with his open Bonapartism and R.Southey with his taking Napoleon as a sort of Satan's grandiosity. As we know four years before
'Ivanhoe' Scott wrote the ode 'The Field of Waterloo', where he made Napoleon similar to Dragoon thrown down by St George. In the ode Scott addresses to Napoleon himself and, paying tribute to his talent, he reminds that Bonaparte had to use his gifts for the good of people but not for the sake of his own vanity. Scott to some extent develops his ideas about strong personality in the novel of 'Woodstock' (1825) in the image of Cromwell where there is a famous scene of the latter in front of the portrait of the executed Charles I. In this scene Scott speculates on the true intentions of Cromwell: those were his strong power-loving yearnings but not any political and state necessities which governed him. The same ideas about Napoleon Scott developed in his book of 1827 'Life of Napoleon Bonaparte'.
I think there are no direct parallels between Napoleon and Bois-Guilbert, though; but no doubt, in his image Scott once again draws our attention to the fate of extraordinary person consumed with egotism and exorbitant ambitions. We read in the novel about Bois and his mood: '.. .the reckless and presumptuous spirit...' [Scott 1996: 70]. By Scott, a person who indulges to one's arrogance and brings with oneself animosity and enthrallment inevitably suffers just punishment. Bois is of such persons. His antagonist in this respect is King Richard (whose image is absolutely idealized in the novel), another strong personality but of opposite meaning.
By Scott, such people as Bois are subjects of some ill-fate. This ill-fate of Bois is his body which contradicts with his mind and soul. It's not by chance that when Bois appears Scott practically every now and then appeals to his corporeal substance which reflects personage's inner contradictions, inner fights and antinomies. Brian could be full of 'a predominant air of haughtiness, easily acquired by the exercise of unrestricted authority' [Scott 1996: 55]. He speaks very often 'briefly and emphatically' [Scott 1996: 57]. Making a bet with disguised as a pilgrim Ivanhoe he 'took from his neck a gold chain' and 'flung <it> on the board' [Scott 1996: 69]. Quite often he is described as a man who is 'in agony and despair' or 'stung with madness' [Scott 1996: 109] if anything goes on not in the way he predicted or wanted. He either keeps silence when he does not want to descend to others or he exclaims 'fervently' [Scott 1996: 254].
We all remember that Scott gives a subtitle to his novel - a Romance. It means that in the centre of the plot there is a synthesis of tale of chivalry and a love story in the centre of which, by Mikhail Bakhtin [Бахтин 1975: 301], is artistic form of realization of two trials of identity; I mean here, following Bakhtin's idea, love fidelity and knight fidelity. Here such plot intrigues, Bakhtin points out, as recognition - non-recognition, change of clothes, masque, etc. begin to be exploited. One of the leading points of the plot-making in tale of chivalry is suddenness, contingency; in this novel, as
Bakhtin stresses, 'the whole world is underpinned to the category 'all of a sudden' [Бахтин 1975: 302]. In such a case, the moment of the knight's glory or failure (especially his death in the combat) is something that reflects eternity, ontologically epic moment. Bakhtin argues that the whole genre is based on the conflict of epic (general) and individual (novelistic). [Бахтин 1975: 303]
In the case of Bois-Guilbert all these Bakhtin's speculations seem quite true. The problem with him is that he uses this 'general' (the rules of the Order) for his private (individual) goals, and when he discovers, as Joseph Duncan in his 'The Anti-Romantic in 'Ivanhoe' writes, that the values of his order are opposed not only love but to human action' he is destroyed [Duncan 1970: 145]. In this respect his image foresees the image of Claude Frollo from Victor Hugo's 'Notre Dame de Paris' (1831). I mean first of all the fierce struggle of the spirit and body, flesh and mind that governs the plot realization of the personage and makes him demonic. Interesting enough that both explain their demonicity through mystic influence of woman. Bois says Rebecca: 'I am not naturally that which you have seen me, hard, selfish, and relentless. It was woman that taught me cruelty...' [Scott 1996: 255] Bois's passion for Rebecca, his ardent wish to possess her is interpreted by the personage as 'a spell on' him, as obsession, which he is unable to withstand, as, there is, by him, 'something in it more than < ... > natural'. It increases his inner troubles, and it makes his image more complicated and interesting. His spiritual torments though are explicit ('perhaps mine own sentiments of honour are not less fantastic, Rebecca, than thine are') whereas corporeal, and sexual too, are implicit and could be seen in narrator's remarks (such as 'throwing himself at her feet' [Scott 1996: 255]; italicized by me. - B.P.) and due to abundance of exclamation marks and stylistic devices.
It is difficult not to agree with Ian Duncan, when he says that Ivanhoe and Bois are antagonists, among many other things, because of this overwhelming violence which the Templar enthusiastically believes in; in his total life the Templar gives way to this primal violence; by his firm belief in violence and force he reduces himself to body [Scott 1996: xxii]. His own body governs Bois, and eventually it brings him to total inner rain and death.
Picturing the image of Bois as a person of strong but vicious passions, Scott is close to Shakespearean power of character here: '...untaught, untamed - and proud,..', he 'retained the pre-eminent fortitude that places <him> above' ordinary people [Scott 1996: 434]. In the final parts of the novel Scott stresses the idea that any good in Brian was wasted by him. Rebecca says to him; 'There are noble things which cross over thy powerful
mind; but it is the garden of the stuggard, and the weeds have rushed up, and conspired to choke the fair and whole blossom' [Scott 1996: 434].
The image of Bois is strongly determined by the historical circumstances of the Middle Ages, as they were understood and interpreted by Scott. At the same time this image connects Scott with some literary tradition of the time. We definitely may put this image in the same row as the image of Conrad in Byron's 'Corsair'(1814) or that of Alp from his 'Siege of Corinth' (1816). Brian de Bois-Guilbert as a literary image is born within English romanticism, and it's quite remarkable that 'Ivanhoe' was written quite soon after Mary Shelley's 'Frankestein' (1818) and practically at the same time as 'Melmoth, the Wanderer' (1820) by Charles Robert Maturin.
'Ivanhoe' is a novel which demonstrates very much peculiar for Walter Scott blending of romanticism, sentimentalism, and realism with some prevailing of the first. The image of Brian de Bois-Guilbert shows it quite clearly.
Literature cited
Бахтин M.M. Формы времени и хронотоп в романе // Бахтин М.М. Вопросы литературы и эстетики. М.: Худож. лит., 1975. С.234-407.
Гегель Г.В.Ф. Эстетика: в 4 т. М: Искусство, 1969. Т.2. 326 с.
Butler М. Romantics, Rebels, and Reactionaries. English Literature and Its Background, 1760-1830. L.; Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 1982. 215 p.
de Groot G. The Historical Novel. L.; N.Y.: Routledge, 2010. 200 p.
Duncan J.E. The Anti-Romantic in 'Ivanhoe' // Walter Scott. Modern Judgement / Edited by D.D.Delvin. Nashville; L., 1970. P. 142-147.
Mayhead R. Walter Scott. Profiles in Literature. L.; N.Y.: Routledge and KeganPaul, 1968. 116 p.
Scott W. Ivanhoe / Edited with an Introduction by I. Duncan. N.Y.; Oxford, 1996. 581 p.
КОНФЛИКТ ДУХА И ПЛОТИ: ОБРАЗ БРИАНА ДЕ БУА-
ГИЛББЕРА В РОМАНЕ ВАЛЬТЕРА СКОТТА «АЙВЕНГО»
Борис Михайлович Проскурнин
д.филол.н., профессор кафедры мировой литературы и культуры Пермский государственный национальный исследовательский университет 614990, Россия, Пермь, ул. Букирева, 15. [email protected]
В статье анализируется роман В.Скотта «Айвенго» с точки зрения взаимодействия романтического и реалистического в художественной системе романа. Основной акцент делается на жанровой структуре и системе образов произведения и одном из центральных персонажей -Бриане де Буа-Гильбере, образ которого построен на сложно трактуемом автором противоречии духовного и телесного, религиозного и светского (рыцарского). Показывается, как вписывается этот образ в
романтическую традицию художественного осмысления сильной личности и ее терзаний. Одновременно анализируется психолого-реалистическая основа образа рыцаря-храмовника, показывается мастерство Скотта-психолога.
Ключевые слова: Скотт, Англия, средние века, исторический роман, жанр, романтизм, реализм, характер.
УДК 821.112.09-02
СИНТЕЗ РЕАЛИЗМА И РОМАНТИЗМА В РОМАНЕ Е. MAP ЛИТ «ВТОРАЯ ЖЕНА»
Галина Семеновна Руцкая
к.филол.н., доцент кафедры мировой литературы и культуры
Пермский государственный национальный исследовательский университет
614990, Россия, г. Пермь, ул. Букирева 15. [email protected].
Статья является первой попыткой исследования произведения всемирно известной немецкой писательницы в российском литературоведении. В работе представлен анализ своеобразия реалистического мастерства писательницы в контексте социальной жизни Германии конца XIX в., показано взаимодействие реалистического и романтического начал в художественной системе произведения.
Ключевые слова: Марлит, женский роман, реализм, романтизм.
В предыдущих статьях, посвященных романному творчеству немецкой писательницы конца XIX в. Е.Марлит, обоснована необходимость изучения немецкой литературы второй половины XIX века и романного творчества Е.Марлит как одной из родоначальниц женского романа в Германии [Руцкая 2010-2011].
Становление и развитие реализма в литературе XIX в. в первую очередь связано со стремлением писателей воссоздать окружающий человека социальный мир, изобразить личность в контексте эпохи. В работах немецких ученых уделено значительное внимание социальному контексту романов Е.Марлит. Эти работы позволяют составить представление о переплетении социальных, политических, научных проблем в общественной жизни Германии второй половины XIX в. и их возможном отражении в литературе. И.Шульце-Зассе пишет, что социальные «вставки» в романах писательницы скорее являются исключением, нежели нормой [Schulte-Sasse, Werner 1977: 413]. Историк
О Руцкая Г.С., 2012
