Rebecca

Rebecca is the daughter of Isaac of York, a wealthy Jewish merchant. Throughout the narrative, she is depicted as a woman of immense courage and intelligence, possessing advanced knowledge of medicine and herbal healing, which she uses to nurse Wilfred of Ivanhoe back to health after he is wounded during a tournament. Her character serves as a focal point for the themes of religious prejudice and social injustice prevalent in twelfth-century England.

Her narrative arc is defined by her abduction by the Templar knight Brian de Bois-Guilbert, who becomes obsessed with her. Despite being accused of witchcraft and facing a trial by combat, Rebecca maintains her dignity and moral integrity. She is ultimately rescued by Wilfred of Ivanhoe, though she chooses to leave England with her father rather than pursue a romantic future, marking her as a symbol of independence and steadfast faith.