ENG 2110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Self-Denial, Little Red Riding Hood, Loose Lips Sink Ships

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: English
• Course: ENG 2110
• Professor: Aaron Kaiserman

Document Summary

Often contrasted with novels, romance refers to a style of fiction that predates more modern concerns with realism and moral clarity that arose in the 18th century. Romances derive from older traditions of storytelling such as mythology and folk tales and therefore tend to contain elements of fantasy. Characters in romances are broadly defined types rather than full formed personalities. Female bodies are dangerous and highly controlled. These fairy tales are to show how much control there is over the female body. Time of meeting prince and marriage is short. Young girl travels to grandmothers house and encounters a wolf. Moral: loose lips sink ships; do not talk to stranger. Lesson for adults: teach our children to not talk to strangers. Mother is irresponsible for letting the child wander the woods alone. Living in the world of romance we do not need explanation to how things happen.