Conventions of Medieval Romance

Romance

• A romance is an adventure tale that features extravagant characters, exotic places, heroic events, passionate lover and supernatural forces.

• Romance first appeared in Old French literature of the 12th century and quickly spread throughout Europe.

Romance Hero

• The romance hero is a knight of superhuman strength, intelligence, and virtue who follows the code of Chivalry.

A Quest

• The hero of a romance often proves his worth by undertaking a quest, a journey motivated by love, religious faith, or a desire for adventure. He must overcome many obstacles

Exotic Setting • Romances are set in imaginary kingdoms with

great castles, enchanted lakes, and forests populated with giants and monsters.

Supernatural Elements

• Sorcerers and magic spells, giants and dragons, mysterious evil forces and foreknowledge of the future events such supernatural elements all play a part in romances

Hidden Identities

• In a romance, others are often unaware of a character’s true identity. The truth is usually revealed at the climax of the tale.

Episodic Structure

• Romances are not tightly structured; characters simply go from one adventure to the next.

Damsel in Distress

• Modern Romance: Women don’t need saving anymore.

Mystical repetition of the number three.

Central Belief

• The Code of Chivalry required that a knight – Swear allegiance to his lord– Fight to uphold Christianity – Seek to redress all wrongs– Honor truth by word and Deed– Be faithful to one lady– Act with bravely, courtesy, and modesty

Definition of Monomyth

• Joseph Campbell, a comparative mythologist, put forth the idea that a four phase rite of passage, called the “monomyth”, is present in human cultures around the world (Center for Learning 33).

PBS

Definition of Monomyth

This rite of passage is usually played out by a hero or heroine in the form of an adventure

or quest. By the end of the quest, the boy/girl has proven themselves and

matured into a hero/heroine.

The Basic Cycle (berkley.edu)

Basic Cycle

Certain stages of the cycle may happen at different times depending on which story

you apply the monomyth.

Stage One: Birth/Home

“Fabulous circumstances surrounding conception, birth, and childhood establish the hero's pedigree and often constitute

their own monomyth cycle”(berkley.edu).

Stage One: Birth/Home

• Example: Harry Potter receives a mark and special powers as a baby when Lord Voldemort attempts to kill him. In essence, he is marked at birth as being “special” - - a hero.Warner Brothers

Stage Two: Departure

The heroine/hero passes through a series of events that leads to their departure from their everyday life and the “real” world.

Departure

• Call to Adventure: asked to perform a task or go on a quest.

• Example: Frodo asked to take the ring to Rivendale.

Fantasy Films

Departure

• Refusal of the Call: feels they cannot fulfill the obligation and refuses the request

• Example: Mulan initially feels she can’t help her father because she is a girl

Disney

Departure

• Supernatural Guide: a wise or magical character who serves as the teacher or mentor.

• Example: Morpheus from The Matrix

Warner Brothers

Departure

• Crossing the Threshold: leaves home and takes up the quest, begins to pass into the “supernatural” world

• Example: Alice goes down the rabbit hole

Bedtime-story.com

Departure

• The Belly of the Whale: no turning back, beyond the help of the “real” world, point of no return

• Example: Harry on the Hogwarts Express

Warner Brothers

Stage Three: Land of Fulfillment

The hero/heroine must now make their way through the supernatural realm. The

character acquires wisdom & maturity. The successful passage through this realm will eventually lead to their fulfillment of the

quest, thus bestowing on them the title of “hero” or “heroine”.

Land of Fulfillment

• Hero Partners: people who help the heroine/hero on their quest

• Example: Flounder and Sebastian in Little Mermaid.

Disney

Land of Fulfillment

• Tests/Ordeals/Hero deeds: challenges faced by the character that they must overcome in order to proceed on the quest

• Example: Will Smith’s character in Independence Day shoots down alien spacecraft

20th Century Fox

Land of Fulfillment• Losing the Guide: the

supernatural aide is taken from the hero/heroine and they must proceed on the quest without them.

• Example: Don Diego leaves Alejandro just before the big showdown in order to pursue his own revenge.

Amblin Entertainment

Land of Fulfillment

• The Meeting with the Goddess: supernatural being who offers aid, gives advice, teaches lesson

• Example: the Fellowship meets Galadriel

New Line Cinema

Land of Fulfillment

• Ultimate Boon: a special, magical gift that will help the character to achieve their task

• Example: the Jade sword in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Sony Pictures

Land of Fulfillment

• Woman as Temptress: a person who tries to tempt the hero/heroine off the path of the quest

• Example: Buffy & Angel, Circe & Odysseus

Land of Fulfillment

• Atonement with Father: making amends with parental figure

• Example: Luke accepting Darth Vader as his father and helping him leave the “dark side”.

20th Century Fox

Land of Fulfillment

• Sacrifice/Betrayal: the heroine/hero, or someone close to them is forced to make a sacrifice to ensure success of quest. Or, a betrayal occurs that makes task harder to achieve.

Land of Fulfillment

• Example: Morpheus is willing to sacrifice his life for the safety of Neo.

Warner Brothers

Land of Fulfillment

• Death of the Hero: literal or figurative death, seems to fail at quest

• Example: Frodo deciding to keep the ring New Line Cinema

Land of Fulfillment

• Journey to the Underworld: the “dead” heroine/hero passes into the land of the dead or the antagonist’s lair

• Example: Harry in the bowels of Hogwarts

Warner Brothers

Land of Fulfillment• Apotheosis/Deification: emerges

from the underworld triumphant and is reborn literally/figuratively

• Example: Frodo leaves Mount Doom (friends think he is dead) and awakens in Minas Tirith

New Line Cinema

Land of Fulfillment

• Climax/Final Battle: the final deed or act is accomplished which leads to the fulfillment of the quest.

• Example: The Bride kills Bill

Miramax Films

Stage Four: Return

The character has now fulfilled the quest and received the title of hero/heroine. They must now return to the “real” world and

their everyday life.

Return

• Magic Flight: a supernatural force helps the heroine/hero return home

• Example: Peter, Susan, Edmund & Lucy following the white stag back into the wardrobe Bucconeer.worldcon.org

Return

• Rescue from Without: help given to the hero/heroine to overcome final obstacle in getting home (or achieving task).

• Example: Tempelton getting Charlotte’s egg sack for Wilbur.

Hanna Barbera

Return• Elixir: a special gift,

usually different from the magic boon, is given to the hero/heroine as their reward. Will help them in both worlds.

• Example: Indiana Jones is given the Holy Grail to save his father’s life.

Lucasfilm Ltd.

Return

• Master of Two Worlds: being able to live and function in both real and supernatural realm. Now, truly a hero/heroine.

• Example: Dorothy learning there’s “no place like home”.

MGM

Return

• Freedom to Live: characters may now live in relative peace.

• Example: Festival at end of Return of the Jedi. All characters, alive and dead, may now live normal lives, free from the rule of the Empire.

20th Century Fox

The Basic Cycle

Sir Gawain’s Shield

• King Solomon said to have the symbol on his ring• A symbol of truth • Called the Endless Knot• Pentangle symbolizes the virtues to which Gawain aspires

– To be faultless in his five senses– Never to fail in his five fingers– To be faithful to the five wounds that Christ received on the cross.– To be strengthen by the five joys that the Virgin Mary his Jesus – To possess brotherly love, courtesy, piety, and chastity

• The side facing Gawain has a picture of the Virgin Mary on it.