5 Great Tropes in Victorian Historical Romance: a guest post by Rose Atkinson-Carter
Five Great Tropes in Victorian Historical Romance and Why They Work So Well
There’s something about historical romance which is endlessly fascinating. From the rules of courtship to corsets, historical time periods are a playground for romance writers and readers alike.
One particular subgenre of historical romance that often deals in complex societal rules and expectations is Victorian romance. The time period’s adherence to strict principles of conduct and propriety create a setting where even the simplest of feelings (or hand-flexing: looking at you, Mr. Darcy!) can turn into an epic love story.
Just like in other kinds of romance, there are some tropes that readers never tire of, regardless of how many times they’ve seen it before. Here are five of them:
Governess Meets Gentleman
One part teacher, one part caretaker, a Victorian governess is employed by a wealthy upper class family to educate their children in all manner of subjects. As a working woman, her position precludes any thoughts of marriage — until, of course, she meets the right gentleman. Often an acquaintance of the family, they find themselves closely drawn into each other’s orbit, but the scandal and impropriety of their situation is bound to cause a stir, so they can only share longing glances and a fleeting rendezvous in hallways.
There’s nothing readers enjoy more than mutual pining, and this trope is full of it. The question of how our lovebirds will navigate this thorny societal conundrum to reach their happily ever after keeps readers on the edge of their seats and gives us hope that love can truly conquer all.
One great example is Gill Hornby’s Godmersham Park. Anne Sharpe becomes the governess for young Fanny Austen, the niece of author Jane Austen, and in the process, she finds herself drawn in by Jane’s brother, Henry. Caught between her duties and her love for Henry, Anne’s struggle makes for a compelling romantic narrative.
Rags-to-Riches
Readers love nothing more than watching a character fight to rise above their circumstances and the classic rags-to-riches Cinderella story never loses its charm.
Whether the heroine is a down-on-her-luck noblewoman trying to turn her life around and reclaim her family’s good name or a servant girl who falls in love with someone far above her station, this trope is full of variety and creativity.
More importantly, the reason we can’t get enough is the tension. Will the couple overcome the obstacles between them? Can the protagonist both get the partner and the lifestyle they deserve? The question of how a couple will conquer these problems in a Victorian class society and end up richer on the other side is what really makes these kinds of stories shine.
Besides, who doesn’t love an underdog?
Inheritance Plot Twists
On the other side of the coin, a character might come into an unexpected sum of money — or even an unexpected title — turning their entire world upside down. Victorian historical fiction deals with this trope often as its heroines are at the mercy of family money, their own livelihood depending on how much has been set aside for them. Add in a romance and things get even more complicated.
With money on the line, the tensions in a romance get even higher — whether the surprise inheritance forbids the main characters’ relationship or forces them together.
A great example of the latter can be seen in Sandra Byrd’s Mist of Midnight. When Rebecca Ravenshaw returns to her family’s Hampshire estate to claim her inheritance, she finds that the titles and property has reverted to her distant relative, Luke Whitfield. As she navigates this new situation, she’s torn between her burgeoning love for Luke and her doubts about his intentions.
Orphan’s Bildungsroman
Watching characters struggle, grow, and thrive is something readers always enjoy. In some ways related to the rags-to-riches trope, the coming-of-age story of an orphan chronicles the trials and tribulations of navigating the world alone and ultimately finding (and re-defining) success.
This type of story was incredibly popular in Victorian literature, so it’s no wonder this trope also appears in historical romance.
The orphaned protagonist of this kind of tale might be pulled between love and duty, or even urged along by their love for someone above their station, like Pip in Great Expectations.
The many decisions the character has to make to find happiness and the path it may set them down drives the narrative and keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
Arranged Marriages
People get married for all sorts of reasons and sometimes those reasons have more to do with practicality than love, especially in Victorian times. Though an arranged marriage might start out with both parties feeling neutral towards each other, by the end of a romance novel, they’re anything but. There’s nothing quite like watching the slow building of two characters forced into close proximity with each other, and you may even get a bit of enemies-to-lovers thrown into the mix.
In the case of The Matrimonial Advertisement by Mimi Matthews, getting married will help Helena Reynolds escape her past life. A matrimonial advertisement has her fleeing London and settling on an estate in North Devon with a man she’s never met before. What she isn’t prepared for is when she starts falling for her mysterious, brooding husband.
These tropes are part of what drives our love for Victorian historical romance. The social codes of the time period define the genre while capturing universal themes that make historical romances work, even in modern times.
Nice! Such a great article for romance readers!
Thank you, Rose, for this useful post. ♥♥♥
Guest Blogger Bio
Rose Atkinson-Carter is a writer with Reedsy, advising authors on all things self-publishing, from explaining how one can find ghostwriters to how you can make your own audiobook. She lives in London.
Twitter: @reedsyhq
Thanks again! We hope to see you back on ILRB sometime.
As always, happy reading, everyone! Have a great weekend! ♥
Originally published at http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com on July 6, 2023.
