English 198 Critical Approaches to Reading the Romance Novel

1st semester, AY2014-15; THW, WF1-2:30, CAL213; consultation: TThWF10-11/2:30-4

Maria Lorena M. Santos, FC1006, maria_lorena.santos@up.edu.ph/lorie.santos@gmail.com

The genre is not about womens bondage, as the literary critics would have it. The romance novel is, to the contrary, about
womens freedom. Pamela Regis, author of A Natural History of the Romance Novel
It is well past time forsophisticated, rigorous, and romance-positive academic analyses of romance.
Sarah Frantz and Eric Selinger, editors of New Approaches to Popular Romance

Welcome to this special topics course on Critical Approaches to the Romance Novel. This course offers you the
opportunity for a scholarly exploration of what in scorned literature is the most popular, least respected genre
(Regis xi). This semester, you will examine the definition, history, and development of popular romance fiction by
reading a wide range of exemplar texts alongside critical studies of novels, the genre, its authors, and its readers.
Utilizing tools of literary and cultural studies, you will ask questions about the structures that guide the reading of
romance novels and what these reflect about the context in which these novels are produced and consumed. Through
such analysis, you will also, hopefully, better understand your own relationship with popular romance as readers, fans,
critics, scholars, and Filipinos.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the semester, you should
be familiar with the definitions, development, and cultural significance of popular romance fiction
be aware of the waves of scholarship on romance fiction and be able to apply/adapt various critical approaches to
representative texts of the genre
have read several romance novels and examined these, through writing and discussion, as literary and/or cultural
texts in order to explore the complex relationship between popular literature and the needs, desires, conflicts,
fears, and anxieties of women
have produced output that demonstrates an understanding and interrogation of the genre and your own
relationship with popular romance as a reader, fan, critic, scholar, and Filipino
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Reading log and quizzes: a blue book in which you will record short in-class exercises and answer a few
questions aimed at checking to see if youve read assigned texts
2. Session facilitation: a group-facilitated class session focusing on assigned romance/critical texts (45
minutes to 1 hour, with at least 15 minutes for the teachers synthesis; see page 3 for more guidelines)
3. Class participation: written and oral output that demonstrates that youve not just read the material but
thought about it (attendance, recitation, and participation in exercises 15%; three short papers
15%, posts and comments on the class Facebook page - 10%)
4. A term paper: a 1,500- to 2,500-word critical documented essay, which you will work on throughout
the semester, from topic proposal form, to abstract, to completed draft (see pages 3 and 4 for more
guidelines)
5. Mock conference presentation, in which you will present a short (10-to- 12-minute) version of your
term paper or, if the class size becomes too unwieldy, a scholarly journal of popular romance
scholarship prepared by the class (guidelines to follow)
TOTAL

10%
15%
40%
25%

10%
100%

Policies:
Attendance: Roll call and quizzes begin at 1:05; dismissal is at 2:40. Three lates = one absence. Six absences =
automatic 5.0 (dropping deadline is Nov. 7).
Participation: Various participation options are open to you. Please contribute to class discussions and/or
Facebook discussions.
Reading: Please read the required texts. They will be made available to you in print and/or e-form.
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 Plagiarism: Passing off someone elses words or ideas as your own will not be tolerated. If any portion of your
final paper is lifted from any source without due (MLA-style) documentation, as Gandalf says, you shall not pass!

COURSE OUTLINE and SCHEDULE:

Module 1: RIPPING OFF THE BODICE (Weeks 1 to 3)
In which we get to know what the genre is, what it covers, and what people think of it
- Relationships with romance: introduction to the course
- History and definition/s of the genre
- Misconceptions about popular romance fiction
- Popular romance as an academic research area
- Using Regiss eight elements as a frame for analysis
- Classifying romance novels: genre versus formula
Sources/Readings: Excerpts from Regiss The Romance Novel Defined; Romance by Denice Adkins;
*required: one category romance of your choice
Requirements: a one-page critique of a category romance, using Regiss framework
Module 2: FLOWERING AND DEFLOWERING (Weeks 3 to 5)
In which we discuss texts from different periods to examine the romance canon, the enduring/changing appeal of
the genre, and trends in popular romance fiction
- Roots/sources of the genre: the Persephone myth, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, Romeo and
Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing; Gothic romance (guest lecture!); other near misses, e.g. Margaret
Mitchells Gone with the Wind and Daphne Du Mauriers Rebecca
- Early (and now canonical) romance novels
Samuel Richardons Pamela (1740)
Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice (1813)
Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre (1847)
Anthony Trollopes Framley Parsonage (1861)
E.M. Forsters A Room with a View (1908)
- Romance novels in the 20th century
E.M. Hulls The Sheik ( (facilitator: Santos)
Georgette Heyers Sylvester (facilitator: ________________________)
Kathleen Woodiwisss The Flame and the Flower (facilitator: _____________________)
Sources/Readings: historical overviews of the romance novel by Regis (chapters 6 and 12), George Paizis (Brief
History), or Anne Cranny-Francis (Feminist Romance); Regiss Ch. 13 Civil Contracts: Georgette/K.
Elizabeth Spillmans The Managing Female in the Novels of Georgette Heyer; *required: one canonical novel
of your choice, The Sheik, Sylvester, The Flame and the Flower
Requirements: a group report on one of the roots/sources/early forms of romance, and a one-page analysis of it; a
topic proposal
Module 3: CRITICAL PENETRATIONS (Weeks 6 -10)
In which we familiarize ourselves with a variety of critical approaches to romance, critique these, and adapt them
to our own purposes
- Overview of romance novel scholarship/criticism
- Janice Radways Readers and their Romances; romance readers and communities
- Tania Modleskis The Disappearing Act: Harlequin Romances
- Eric Selingers How to Read a Romance Novel + Laura Kinsales Flowers from the Storm (facilitator:
________________________)
- Author study: Judith McNaught Tender Triumph** (1983) versus Night Whispers** (1998) **negotiable
titles
- Beta and Gamma males: Loretta Chases Lord of Scoundrels (1995) Vicki Lewis Thompsons Nerd in Shining
Armor** (2003) (facilitator: _________________________)
Nora Roberts Happy Ever After (2010)
- The publishing industry, romance novel covers, and paratextual/multimodal analysis
Sources/Readings: Sarah Frantz and Eric Murphy Selingers Introduction: New Approaches to Popular Romance
Fiction: Critical Essays; Susan Ostrov Weissers Introduction: Women and the Story of Romantic Love; Linda
Barlow and Jayne Ann Krentzs Beneath the Surface: The Hidden Codes of Romance; Miriam GreenfeldPage 2 of 4

Benovitz The Interactive Romance Community: the Case of Covers Gone Wild; Glen Thomass Happy
Readers or Sad Ones? Romance Fiction and the Problems of the Media Effects Model; Regiss Ch 17 One Man,
One Woman: Nora Roberts; *required: Radways Readers and their Romances, Modleskis The Disappearing
Act: Harlequin Romances, Selingers How to Read a Romance Novel (and Fall in Love with Popular
Romance); McNaught books, Chases Lord of Scoundrels, one of Thompsons Nerd series; a Nora Roberts book
Requirements: a one-to-two-page write-up focusing on a particular trend/trope and using one of the required
novels/authors as a take-off point
Module 4: ROMANTIC TRYSTS and MENAGES A TROIS (Weeks 10 to 13)
In which we examine categories and boundaries in womens popular fiction, question terms such as erotica and
pornography in relation to the romance genre, and look at new avenues of popular romance writing, publishing, and
scholarship
- Emerging genres in romance, genre expansions and permutations (mashups, chick lit, teen paranormal
romance, new adult?, romcoms)
- Fantasy/Paranormal romance: J.R. Wards Dark Lover** (2005) (facilitator:
_________________________)
- Romantic suspense/new genre: either a Mary Stewart/J.D. Robb novel or a novel in the genre of the
groups choice (facilitator: ____________________________)
- E-publishing and erotic romance: The Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon
- Guest Lecture: #romance class The Romance Movement in the Philippines (Fairy Tale Fail by Mina
Esguerra)
- Wrap-up/synthesis session
Sources/Readings: Mary Blys On Popular Romance, J.R. Ward, and the Limits of Genre Study; Regiss Ch. 14
Courtship and Suspense: Mary Stewart; *required: Wards Dark Lover, a Mary Stewart novel/novel chosen by
facilitator group, Esguerras Fairy Tale Fail
Requirements: Abstract and revised outline + consultation session; a one-page write-up on one of the novels
discussed, gesturing towards new directions in popular romance fiction
Module 5: YOUR SCHOLARLY AFFAIR WITH ROMANCE (Weeks 14 to 15)
- Research/consultation/drafting week
- Mock conference/paper presentation
SESSION FACILITATION GUIDELINES:
You will be in charge of one class session roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour of it, leaving 15 minutes for
synthesis/discussion by the teacher. This means you will facilitate the discussion of an assigned text (or a set of texts)
via class activities or a presentation/report. Please prepare a handout for your classmates and me and a non-report
activity, one in which you get your classmates to answer/ask questions and discuss the materials.
TERM PAPER GUIDELINES AND FORMAT:

Length: 1,500 to 2,000 words (roughly 5 to 7 pages), not counting your works cited list or text in tables,
graphs, and charts.
Font: Times New Roman 12
Format: typed/encoded on short (8.5x11) bond paper; double spaced with no extra spaces between paragraphs; title
and section headings (if any) in bold, with an extra space separating sections from each other; standard one-inch
margins; no title page necessary, just the information in Figure 1 at the top of the first page and with MLA-style
pagination on pages beyond the first as seen in Figure 2. Any tables, charts, and figures should be labeled and
captioned appropriately.

Elias Yusof S. Cruz

Eng 198 - WFX

October 4, 2013
Term Paper (1.987 words)
Marriages of (In)Convenience:
Love and Repression as Popular Romance Trope
Figure 1: Sample heading for the first page of the term paper
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Cruz 3
Figure 2: Sample MLA-style pagination form the term paper (students last name and page number)
Documentation: Please use the Modern Language Association (MLA) style of documentation when writing your
term paper. You are expected to cite six or more sources, at least three of which are print. I will upload an MLA
Documentation Guide for your use. You will also have access to sample documented critical essays about
romance novels. Choose one of these broad options:
a. A close reading of one novel informed by critical approaches to the genre
b. The examination of a specific conflict or theme (e.g. power, trauma, and healing through love) in one or
more novels
c. A developed argument about the negotiation of generic convention and artistic innovation in the genre
via a look at several contemporary texts
d. An investigation of popular romance via a specific group of readers/reading communities and/or the
romance industry in the Philippine context
Bibliography of Romance Novel Scholarship/Critical Texts:

Cranny-Francis, Anne. Feminist Fiction: Feminist Uses of Generic

Fiction. Cambridge: Polity Press, 1990. Print. (Chapter 6,
Feminist Romance)
Dixon, Jay. The Romance Fiction of Mills & Boon 1909-1990s.
London: UCL Press, 1999. Print. (Introduction; A Short
History of Mills & Boon A very profitable small firm; Sex
We got all the damned foreplay over with months ago, Love and
Marriage Harbour of Desire; Feminism Im not a feminist,
but)
Ferriss, Suzanne, and Mallory Young, eds. Chick Lit: The
New Womans Fiction. New York: Routledge, 2006. Print.

Fletcher, Lisa. Historical Romance Fiction: Heterosexuality and

Performativity. Hampshire: Ashgate Publishing Limited,

2008. Print.
Frantz, Sarah S.G., and Eric Murphy Selinger. New
Approaches to Popular Romance Fiction: Critical Essays. Jefferson,
NC: McFarland & Co., 2012. Print.
Hughes, Helen. The Historical Romance. London: Routledge,
1993. Print.

Jensen, Margaret Ann. Loves Sweet Return: The Harlequin

Story. Bowling Green: Ohio, 1984. Print. (Chapter 1: The
Social Significance of Harlequin Romances; Chapter 2: A
Corporate Affair)
Krentz, Jayne Anne, ed. Dangerous Men and Adventurous
Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of Romance. Philadelphia,
PA: U of Pennsylvania P, 1993. Print. (Linda Barlow and
Jayne Ann Krentzs Beneath the Surface: The Hidden
Codes of Romance)
McKnight-Trontz, Jennifer. The Look of Love: The Art of the
Romance Novel. New York: Princeton Architectural Press,
2002. Print.
Modleski, Tania. Loving with a Vengeance: Mass-Produced
Fantasies for Women. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2008.
Print.

Mussell, Kay. Fantasy and Reconciliation: Contemporary Formulas

of Womens Romance Fiction. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press,
1984. Print. (1: A Context for Analysis of Romances; 2: A
Typology of Romance Formulas; 7: The Limits of
Imagination)
Paizis, George. Love and the Novel. Basingstoke: Macmillan,
1998. Print.
Radway, Janice. Reading the Romance: Women, Patriarchy, and
Popular Literature. Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina P, 1991.
Print.
Regis, Pamela. A Natural History of the Romance Novel.
Philadelphia: U of Pennsylvania P, 2003. Print.
Schurman, Lydia Cushman, and Deidre Johnson. Scorned
Literature: Essays on History and Criticism of Popular MassProduced Fiction in America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press,
2002. Print. (Introduction: Chapter 2: Expressing
Herslef: The Romance Novel and the Feminine Will to
Power by Sarah G. Frantz; Romance in the Stacks; or,
Popular Romance Fiction Imperiled by Alison M. Scott)
Weisser, Susan Ostrov. The Glass Slipper: Women and Love
Stories. New Brunswick, NJ: Rugers U P, 2013. Print.
(Introduction: Women and the Story of Romantic Love, 7:
Feminism and the Harlequin Romance: The Problem of the
Love Story; Ch. 9: Is Female to Romance as Male is to
Porn?)
Wendell, Sarah, and Candy Tan. Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The
Smart Bitches Guide to Romance Novels. New York: FiresideSimon & Schuster, 2009. Print.
Wiegand, Wayne A. ed. Genreflecting: A Guide to Popular
Reading Interests. 6th ed. Ed. Wayne A. Wiegand. Westport,
CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2006. Print. (Chapter 9,
Romance by Denice Adkins, Themes and Types by
Diana Trixier Herald)

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