Monday, August 15, 2005

Rapture

The other night, in our Artistic Nudity discussion, I heard someone ask whether Romance novels are pornographic. I somehow never got to answer, even though I was apparently one of only 2 people at our NIF meeting who had actually read Romance novels.

Some have long drawn out sex scenes. Some have no sex scenes at all, although the protagonists will almost certainly kiss and hug rapturously. The structure of the genre is: man and woman fall in love with each other and overcome obstacles to find lasting commitment with each other. The love involved is always charged with desire, and the novels are always meant to be erotic in that sense. But, unlike "pornography", there is no loveless sex in Romance novels. The protagonists may well experience their initial attraction as pure unbridled lust, but eventually it dawns on them that they have fallen hopelessly in love.

Chemistry may lead the way,
But true love carries the day.

2 comments:

mckay said...

good point on the love and commitment issue; however, it also has to do with word usage.

example:

1. he slipped inside her.
2. he plunged his steely ___ into her ____ _____.


so, it's not what you say, but how you say it, IMHO, having just read option one last night in a particular semi-romance thriller novel. i've not read porn but i can think it. i just can't bring myself to type it.

brain on fire with thoughts of lust
pen in hand, words turn to dust.

John Enright said...

You're absolutely right about word usage. And that's a well-turned couplet, too.