I'm studying the genre of romance at school and I can't seem to find out what the common features of the genre are!. I need to name a few and also explain them!. Please help!Www@QuestionHome@Com
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Position:Home>Books & Authors> What are the common features/elements of the romance genre?Question: What are the common features/elements of the romance genre!? I'm studying the genre of romance at school and I can't seem to find out what the common features of the genre are!. I need to name a few and also explain them!. Please help!Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Some sources: Wiki: http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Romance_(ge!.!.!. The following pertain to the romance genre today: Romance Writers Association of America (RWA) http://www!.rwanational!.org Encyclopedia Brittanica: http://www!.britannica!.com/EBchecked/topi!.!.!. Suite 101: http://romancefiction!.suite101!.com/artic!.!.!. Good luck!.Www@QuestionHome@Com There must be some sort of conflict or obstacle between your main characters (hero & heroine) but despite the conflict their attraction to one another persists!. Story line keeps throwing them together & the attraction grows until they give in to their feelings!. That does not mean that the conflict is resolved - it just shows the extent of their attraction!. Somewhere along the line the conflict comes between them and they seperate!. That's called the "dark period" - essential to a romance plot!. In the end, though, they find a way to overcomes their differences, get back together and "live happily ever after!." NOTE: A good plot is the glue that keeps the story going - but developement of your characters (how they deal with the conflict & their feelings) is the driving force within any romance!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Go to one of the publisher's web sites and ask for submission guidelines!. The guidelines are so many that it amounts to a formula - all you supply is names, dialog, characters, descriptions and some action!. Of course for real romance tales, like Bridges Over Madison County, a farmwife's predictable but unexciting life is suddenly changed by the appearance of a handsome photographer whom she falls in love with!. I like romantic comedies best!. "Annie Hall" is a complete classic, as is the more recent "Bringing Down the House" by Steve Martin and Queen Latifah!. Absolutely hilarious!. "Shrek" is a romantic comedy too!.Www@QuestionHome@Com There are a number of romantic "rules", recognized by literature, the Primary rules are that, of "The "Courtly Love" convention"!.!.!.!. It goes as follows!.!.!.!.!. 1, A man, (typically) meets a woman, and falls in love!.!.!. 2, he feels unworthy of her!.!.!.!. 3, he seeks an intermediary, to discover if she has any feelings for him!.!.!.or another!.!.!.( and, yes, girly types do this as well, particularly in high school ) 4, he tries to have his intermediary intercede, and plead his "case" for him!.!.!. ( again, a common behavior amongst adolescents)!.!.!.!. 5 , He tries to behave in a manner that is noticeable to the object of his affection, and gain her attention, ( that is, becoming increasingly obvious in their behavior, just like young males at school showing off in front of their "hearts desire") 6, he tries to pledge his undying love for his hearts desire, in poetry (historically) or extravagant language!.!.!.!. Sound familiar, !? It is !.!.!. but this applies to literature that is over 2000 years old, and is still as strong , in human behavior terms, today, this is easily found in every high school and often at places of work, and derives from Troilus and Cressida, a story that has been told, by a dozen and one great authors, over the centuries, even by Shakespeare himself has a version, ( Bill the Bard was no respecter of ownership, where writing was concerned, even pinching from Boccaccio's work, a form of literature that you will not be introduced to at any school I know of, (but you are a bit too young to be reading, or understanding this form of passion, in literature, just yet, but wait a while, ), it too has the "rules of love", but not recommended for a school literature class, it will get you suspended almost without question, and was banned by the Vatican, as was the work of the Marquis de Sade, and the work of Count Leopold von Sacher Masoch, all these are adult books, and treat the "rules" in a very different fashion, I would not recommend them, until you are a little older, even though I have read them myself, at the age of sixteen!.!.!.!. Lastly, if you type the words "courtly love convention", into google, you may get a result, or two!.!.!.!.!. but there are not too many, that all have names, or titles used in literature!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.you may also like to look up the "rules of chivalry", as well!.!.!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Well, depending on what kind of book you have or are looking for, there could be a number of things, some of them are cliche's though and those are kind of self-explanatory, especially if you watch a soap opera!. I personally watch telenovelas and Robin Hood on BBC America!. There could be: love triangles, murder, royal families, forbidden love, illegitamate child(ren), murder and many more!. I hope that helps!Www@QuestionHome@Com True love, complication so the 2 people can't get together, a mostly dramatic ending [may be happy, or not, in my experience happy]!.Www@QuestionHome@Com read some romance stories yourself and that might help!. The biggest/most popular romance at the moment is Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (in book shops, it's one of the top 20 books!)Www@QuestionHome@Com Weeeellllllll!.!.!.someone falls in love!.!.!.!.!.!.:)Www@QuestionHome@Com |