Romance to Read – 5 Historic Chick Flick Books
A History of Romantic Novels
Romance novels are among the most popular forms of literature today. Most of the time, modern love stories are written with feminine sensibilities in mind, especially from a woman’s point of view. The romantic book industry is largely a female-driven medium, focusing on the different areas of life that women consider important.
Can you believe that that short love story you just read has a long and celebrated history? The romantic books that fill your shelves have been around for centuries.
Where did it all start?
The fiction for women marked its birth during the English Renaissance and was written by a male pen and guided by the male point of view on the subject being purely feminine. As a result, patriarchal ideas have been reinforced through literature and promoted the feminine sphere in the period of the rise of women’s literacy. However, the appearance of the Spanish novel The Mirror of Knighthood’s translation done by Margaret Tyler and Urania by Mary Wroth have become notable exceptions to this theory.
The commercial success of Renaissance romances can be attributed to the rise of a larger number of female readers. Most Jacobean and Elizabethan novelists attributed their fame and commercial success to the gentlemen’s readers or those who belong to the middle class in society, and reassured their loyal fans with their sincere devotion.
A short list of the best novels of all time
The genre of romantic books certainly has a rich history. However, passion, commitment, relationships and love are said to be easy to experience but a bit challenging to express in written words. However, over the years there are good romance books that have captured the hearts of readers from all walks of life and earned the title of the best romantic novels of all time.
-
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
This romantic novel has sold over 120 million copies, with countless imitations and adaptations, proving that it has withstood even the toughest test of time.
-
Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights
Largely ignored and initially criticized for its inappropriate portrayal of blind love, this is a true romance classic considered to be one of the best-known love stories English literature has ever produced.
-
Jane Eyre by Emily Brontë
It is a popular love book that has a rebellious character and breaks the status quo of the 19th century.
-
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Hailed by Times Magazine as the greatest novel ever written, Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina is a true masterpiece.
-
Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind
The romantic classic, which ranks second among the best romantic novels in America, explores the life of Scarlett O’Hara. It is also the story that earned the author her Pulitzer Prize in 1937.
It would be impossible to list everyone’s favorite romantic book of all time, but the list above is a good place to develop your taste for romantic literature.
What's your reaction?
