Ivanhoe

In a novel whose main characters are knights or Medieval nobility, it is no surprise that heraldry is so prominent. Heraldry refers to the symbols and designs a warrior—especially an aristocratic warrior—uses to represent themselves on their armor. A coat of arms is a good example of heraldry. Probably the most notable example of heraldry in the novel is the shield of the Disinherited Knight, painted with an uprooted tree and the word Desdichado, interpreted in the novel as the Spanish word for “Disinherited.” The Disinherited Knight is soon revealed to be none other than Wilfred of Ivanhoe, who really has been disinherited by his father Cedric. The uprooted tree apparently represents Ivanhoe himself, who has been figuratively uprooted by his banishment from his home. Bois-Guilbert, the main antagonist, bears several heraldic devices, including the red cross of the Templar order to which he belongs and a raven that represents his menacing character. Also important is the Black Knight (King Richard), whose armor and shield are all black, with no device at all, representing his anonymity.