The Evolution of Romance Novels

by Enisa Haines

Image courtesy of: commons.wikimedia.org

Image courtesy of: commons.wikimedia.org

The romance novel, focusing on the relationship and the happy-ever-after romantic love between two people, first began as chivalric romance, a narrative in verse popular in Medieval Europe about heroic knight-errants going on quests and defeating monsters.
Then in the 12th century, Chretien de Troyes, French poet, writer of Arthurian tales, wrote tales with courtly love, where knights win the favour of a lady.

Image courtesy of: commons.wikimedia.org

Though prevalent through the Medieval era, in later years when women were oppressed and considered a man's property, romantic tales with themes of faithfulness and honour were not widely popular. Then in 1740 Samuel Richardson wrote what is thought to be the first English novel and the first 'romance' novel. Controversial for its content - the growing love between a pious servant girl and her land-owning master - Pamela (or Virtue Rewarded) captured the hearts of women yearning for more from life.

Image courtesy of: commons.wikimedia.org

Romance novels rose in popularity but it was when Jane Austen emerged in the 1800s that romances became favourable and fashionable. Though considered 'literary', her tales of women pursuing higher social standing and financial security, and the 'classic romance' tales of authors such as Charlotte Bronte were a source of inspiration for readers trapped by the rules of their society.

The early years of the 20th century saw the introduction of history in romance novels, best sellers being the Georgian-era romances by Georgette Heyer. Gothic romances with added thrills and drama, where heroines experienced horrific events as they gave in to the passion of love followed, readers devouring stories such as Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca.

Harlequin's emergence in the mid-1900s with 'sweet' stories where boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy and girl get back together and live happily ever after gave rise to romance novels with strong heroines and intricate plots.

From sweet romances to sexy, historical to contemporary, young adult to romantic suspense, paranormal to fantasy, LGBT to characters with different ethnic or cultural backgrounds, romance novels abound to suit every romance reader's taste.

As the world evolves so does the romance novel and I wonder what exciting stories I will be reading. Do you?


Love to love: that I attended a three-day writer's retreat

Love to laugh: at the rain soaking the land around the retreat. Gripped by drought and fire-ravaged, seeing rain is definitely something to bring joy

Love to learn: a writer is always learning and where better than a writer's retreat

Newbie's Corner: A Room of One's Own Part One, A Writing Space of Your Own

with Sharon Burke

Image courtesy of Giphy

During May, I attended the Sydney Writers' Festival and went to a session called “A Room of One's Own”. Three fiction writers and members of the audience discussed this quote from an essay by Virginia Woolf: “A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction”.

The words “a room of her own” were thought to have three meanings: the need for authors to have their own writing spaces, the imaginary world an author enters when he or she creates fiction and the world readers inhabit when they read fiction.

These interpretations of Virginia Woolf's words will be the subject of my next three blogs.

Cassandra recently wrote about the writing spaces of BITB members. Her article started me thinking more about writing spaces. Why are they so important to authors? Do they help us in our creative work? What can we learn from this?

I've written fiction and non-fiction for many years using a shared family computer at a shared desk. Some of my writing has been published so I know I can write effectively without having a private writing space but, despite this, for many years I've craved a writing space of my own. The writers I know treasure their writing spaces or really wish they had one. Having your own dedicated writing space seems to be a goal many writers share.

Maybe having our own writing spaces helps to foster our creativity. The shared space I used for over twenty years never meant as much to me as having my own laptop and roll-top desk. I could never make it my own.
                                                                             

Perhaps this relates to research findings from the world of office work. Efficiency experts promoted open plan offices in the 1990s and hot-desking in the early 2000s. Such arrangements improved communication to some extent, but to the disappointment of many employers they inhibited creativity. Studies such as those of Craig Knight (2010) have found that personalising your workspace fosters creativity. Having your own writing space allows this personalisation to happen to a degree than is possible with a shared space.

                                                                           

Think of the great writers who have had their own writing work spaces:
Jane Austen had her own writing table.

Laura Ingalls Wilder (of Little House on the Prairie fame) wrote on an esquiterie (writing desk) her husband had made as she travelled by wagon across the USA.

One of the writers at the Sydney Festival referred to a famous portrait of Charlotte and Emily Bronte – one is sitting on a chair, the other on her bed – both are working at their writing desks.

Do you have a dedicated writing space? Is it important for you to have one? What have you done to personalise it? Do you think your creativity improves when you use this space?
I love to love: My husband's great grandfather owned an esquiterie. It has recently come into our possession. Its beauty fires my imagination – what was written at it so long ago?
                                                                             

I love to laugh: I watched the Chaser's Election Desk on ABC iview the other night. It was hilarious.



I love to learn: I recently watched the 1970s TV series “Against The Wind” for the first time in 40 years. I'd love to learn more about life in Ireland during the late 1700s and early 1800s.