Book excerpt: "Ivanhoe: A Romance" by Walter Scott, published in 1819 as part of the Waverley novels, departed from his usual Scottish and contemporary settings. This influential novel follows Sir Wilfred Ivanhoe, an Anglo-Saxon noble supporting the Norman King Richard and in love with Lady Rowena. Through a series of tumultuous events and with the help of the mysterious Black Knight, revealed to be King Richard, Ivanhoe eventually reunites with his father and wins Rowena's heart. Set in 12th-century England, the novel's vivid depictions of tournaments, outlaws, witch trials, and societal divisions sparked interest in chivalric romance and medievalism.