Danae Cassandra ([info]danae_cassandra) wrote,
@ 2008-08-16 23:58:00
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Entry tags:romance novels

romance novel heroes

I have been wondering - why is it in time-travel romances, the heroine is always from the future, the hero always from the past? Katrina offered up that it's likely because that way the reader can identify with the heroine more, but I'm not convinced that's the answer.

Know what I think? I think it's the same reason that the man is always a lord in a Regency, or the hero of a paranormal romance is always the vampire or werewolf. Romances are written for women to fall into a fantasy - generally a Cinderella fantasy, no matter how modern the heroine, the hero is always in a position to save/protect her. He always has to be in a position of power, because masculinity is definied by power and romance novels are all about fantasies of being swept up by a romance with a hypermasculine man. So the writer of these time-travel romances gets the spunky modern heroine (someone like the reader) AND the old-fashioned ultramasculine man, the man who hasn't changed with the times.

There's a sad, sick truth to a quote from the comic Wanted - "You ever meet a woman who fantasized about being tide up and raped by a liberal?"  


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Sad?
[info]purplemoonwoman
2008-08-17 04:21 pm UTC (link)
For the following statement to be true, one has to accept that there are certain basic gender dominate behaviors that are naturally occurring in members of each sex in a majority of cases. <-- disclaimer

Look, there is nothing freaky or sad about a heterosexual woman interested in a man who is an archetype of a heterosexual man. A lot of times, women feel seperated from there own sexuality in our culture. There is a desire to reclaim that sexuality, to "be" the archetype of the feminine divine, to find a man capable of meeting that femininity with the equal dose of masculinity. BE the strong, passionate, force of nature, Goddammit! Be a man who can make a fucking decision for once! It's tough shoes for a guy to fill. to fulfill. In real life, I can't even get my husband to pick a freakin restaurant to eat at. It is perhaps a desire for a man who is alert, willing to take charge, willing to be passionate about things - a leader. Many people - male or female - would like to have a leader. There isn't anything wrong with that. Are you somehow a sniveling idiot if you'd just like to be able to depend on someone to have a good idea and the clarity of mind to plan out the occasional activity? No, you aren't.

Also, in a lot of those time traveling romances where the man is drawn into the future, the man is a bumbling fool and must be carefully guided by the witty, articulate female. You show no distaste for this preference of the portrayl of masculinity. Afterall, its okay to show men as inarticulate, emotionally stunted neanderthals, right? No, that isn't cool either.

And, yes, I just woke up about 20 mins ago. blech.

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Re: Sad?
[info]celtickittenmew
2008-08-18 01:55 am UTC (link)
Okaaaay. So, here's my 2 cents worth:
a) I am reading a book in which the female is the heroine of a **snicker** vampire/werewolf book and neither guy is a bumbling idiot.
b) Said same heroine is not "spunky" she's shy, retiring, sniffly, and weak on the inside- though healthy, average- outside.
c) I like vampire/werewolf books and find that many times the lead females are quiet, shy, and bookish, while the males are quiet, wild, and on the slim side (which is okay to want too. Chicks do dig skinny pale guys!).
Okay! Okay! 5 cents worth! LOL, mew ^ ^

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[info]rubyjuls
2008-08-18 04:40 am UTC (link)
Are you saying that in time travel the woman has to be from the future so it is believable that she can hold her own against the 'stronger' hero?

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[info]danae_cassandra
2008-08-20 06:08 pm UTC (link)
Not exactly ... what I'm trying to say is why isn't there woman from the past/man from the future stuff (I did think of one, but that's it). Is it that it's easier to have a romantic hero when you can ascribe all those 'romantic' notions that no independent modern woman would really tolerate in a man to 'oh, he's just a product of his time.' Is it easier to forgive the chauvinism that comprises traditional romance when he's someone from the past?

I'm trying to figure out both why romance novels annoy me - and why I keep reading them.

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