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I'm reading Ivanhoe right now and very much enjoying it. Each chapter in Ivanhoe has an epigraph, often very closely related to the plot of the chapter, meaning that it is often very easy to surmise exactly what will occur purely by reading the epigraphs. While a lot of Ivanhoe is fairly obvious - I pretty much saw who the Black Sluggard and the Disinherited Knight were immediately - this strikes me as very odd, to give away the plot in such a significant way.

Some of the epigraphs are more commentary on what is occurring, which makes me wonder - why did Scott not include more of these "commentary epigraphs" and less of the "plot epigraphs"?

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  • Possible duplicate of What is the benefit in the Prologue "spoiling" the play in Romeo + Juliet?
    – muru
    Oct 22, 2018 at 0:26
  • I think this question would be improved by quoting the plot-spoiling epigraphs. Otherwise we don't have much to work with—the only examples you've given us (the Black Sluggard, the Disinherited Knight) are cases where the epigraph didn't spoil the plot.
    – Gareth Rees
    Oct 22, 2018 at 15:19
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    @muru Not sure if this is a duplicate. Similar questions but about different works, and the answer could be Ivanhoe-specific.
    – Rand al'Thor ♦
    Oct 22, 2018 at 20:28

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