by Jillian Kaplan
Photo by Chelsea shapouri on Unsplash
The romance genre has become increasingly prevalent in literature. It is the foundation of most literary frameworks and arguably the most beloved genre. There are innumerable romance novels worth reading, ranging from contemporaries like The Fault in Our Stars and People We Meet On Vacation to classics like Emma and Wuthering Heights.
But despite being dominant across all media, the romantic genre has historically been ridiculed, disregarded, and dismissed. Most readers are reluctant to admit that romance is their favorite genre. Reading romance novels should not be considered embarrassing. They are in no way inferior to any other genre, and it is time they earn the same respect in the literary community.
There is a certain amount of literary elitism to navigate in the reading community. Those who do not read romance books frequently regard themselves as more clever, well-read, and intellectual in comparison.
Perhaps this is related to the fact that women make up the majority of romance readers. Because romance is generally linked with a largely female readership, it is sometimes ignored or trivialized. Some people regard romance books as predictable, lacking literary worth, or overly focused on superficial features. This can jeopardize their status as a legitimate and essential genre.
In reality, romantic books frequently include exceptionally complex topics. Little Women, for example, is about more than just romance. It talks about gender roles, family, and poverty. It Ends With Us, a more recent novel, features romantic elements but also focuses heavily on domestic abuse. And for works that rely solely on romance as a plot device, my question is: who cares?
At the end of the day, novels serve as an escape from the mundane elements of life. Sometimes all you want to do is curl up with a good romance novel and a bag of chips and disappear into a wonderful world of love and adventure. Life is filled with hardships, challenging political climates, and societal issues, but it is romance that gives readers hope and joy. It exemplifies all of the good, beautiful, and joyful aspects of human connections.
Well-written characters are arguably the most essential part of literature. Many works place far too much emphasis on the plot, which is, of course, crucial. The characters, their development, and the deep connection that readers have with them, however, are what keep people invested. Romance allows readers to connect with characters in an intimate and beautiful way. It offers readers the most vulnerable part of their minds in a way that other works do not. Romance is all around us, and it is the greatest part of being human. To connect to characters in such a way is not an easy thing for authors to foster.
Romance novels are stereotyped as having no real substance or noteworthy themes. However, who is one to judge what theme matters or does not? A good book doesn’t have to be difficult to comprehend or complicated. The most straightforward novels are often the most enjoyable ones. This is what they were designed to do: provide entertainment.
Jillian Kaplan is a literary enthusiast double majoring with Editing, Writing, and Media and Media Communication Studies. She is an editorial assistant for the fiction section. Her interests include reading, movies/tv shows, music, cooking, writing, and more!
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