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Reginald Front-de-Boeuf
Gurth begins the book as Cedric’s swineherd; when Ivanhoe returns from the Third Crusade in disguise as the Disinherited Knight, Gurth runs away from Cedric to serve as his son’s squire. He is a careful and canny man, as he demonstrates when he negotiates Ivanhoe’s debt with Isaac or escapes the clutches of Locksley and his bandits. He feels proud of his role as protector and servant to Cedric’s family; when Cedric punishes him for helping Ivanhoe, an insulted Gurth contrives to run away. But as soon as Maurice de Bracy and his friends capture Cedric and his party, Gurth rushes to their defense. For his bravery and loyalty, Cedric ultimately grants him freedom.
Gurth Quotes in Ivanhoe
The Ivanhoe quotes below are all either spoken by Gurth or refer to Gurth. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Volume 1, Chapter 1
Quotes
“By St Dunstan,” answered Gurth, “thou speakest but sad truths; little is left to us but the air we breathe, and that appears to have been reserved with much hesitation, clearly for the purpose of enabling us to endure the tasks they lay upon our shoulders. The finest and fattest is for their board; the loveliest is for their couch; the best and bravest supply their foreign masters with soldiers, and whiten distant land with their bones, leaving few here who have either will or power to protect the unfortunate Saxon. God’s blessing on our master Cedric, he hath done the work of a man in standing in the gap; but Reginald Front-de-Boeuf is coming down to this country in person, and we shall soon see how little Cedric’s trouble will avail him.”
Related Characters:
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Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 1, Chapter 2
Quotes
“I would soon have beat him into courtesy,” observed Brian; “I am accustomed to deal with such spirits: Our Turkish captives are as fierce and intractable as Odin himself could have been; yet two months in my household, under the management of my master of slaves, has made them humble, submissive, serviceable, and observant of your will. Marry, sir, you must beware of the poison and the dagger, for they use either with free will when you give them the slightest opportunity.”
“Aye, but,” answered Prior Aymer, “every land hath its own manners and fashions; and, besides that beating this fellow could procure us no information could respecting the road to Cedric’s house, it would have been sure to have established a quarrel betwixt you and him had we found our way thither.”
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Gurth Quotes in Ivanhoe
The Ivanhoe quotes below are all either spoken by Gurth or refer to Gurth. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Volume 1, Chapter 1
Quotes
“By St Dunstan,” answered Gurth, “thou speakest but sad truths; little is left to us but the air we breathe, and that appears to have been reserved with much hesitation, clearly for the purpose of enabling us to endure the tasks they lay upon our shoulders. The finest and fattest is for their board; the loveliest is for their couch; the best and bravest supply their foreign masters with soldiers, and whiten distant land with their bones, leaving few here who have either will or power to protect the unfortunate Saxon. God’s blessing on our master Cedric, he hath done the work of a man in standing in the gap; but Reginald Front-de-Boeuf is coming down to this country in person, and we shall soon see how little Cedric’s trouble will avail him.”
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 1, Chapter 2
Quotes
“I would soon have beat him into courtesy,” observed Brian; “I am accustomed to deal with such spirits: Our Turkish captives are as fierce and intractable as Odin himself could have been; yet two months in my household, under the management of my master of slaves, has made them humble, submissive, serviceable, and observant of your will. Marry, sir, you must beware of the poison and the dagger, for they use either with free will when you give them the slightest opportunity.”
“Aye, but,” answered Prior Aymer, “every land hath its own manners and fashions; and, besides that beating this fellow could procure us no information could respecting the road to Cedric’s house, it would have been sure to have established a quarrel betwixt you and him had we found our way thither.”
