Instructor: Andersen
MWF 1:25 PM – 02:20 PM
The most popular genre in publishing today, romance novels are often regarded as trashy or lesser-than other types of fiction. And yet, the contemporary romance novel comes from a long literary lineage that includes amatory fiction, courtship novels, and the epistolary novel. This class will trace the romance novel back to its roots, reading classic works by writers like Aphra Behn, Eliza Haywood, Jane Austen, and the Brontë sisters. Paired with these classic novels, we’ll also explore their more recent counterparts in fiction and on film. Potential contemporary pairings include the Bridgerton series, Clueless, Bridget Jone’s Diary, Bride and Prejudice, and Fifty Shades of Grey. Our journey may include detours into subgenres such as “romantasy” and paranormal romance. Along the way, we’ll examine the basic elements of prose fiction: narrators and narrative voice, characters, and plot. We’ll consider how fandoms shape the literary marketplace and how literary genres are created. What do readers love about these books and what keeps them coming back for more?