Good Example Of Essay On Women Read The Romance

What types of dissatisfaction in romance novels do the readers in Radway's study express?

In the scope of this question discussion, it is essential to refer to the fact that the publication of Janice Radway (1983) “Women Read the Romance: The Interaction of Text and Context” may be considered as innovative and groundbreaking from the perspective of the analysis of the readers of the romance’ nature, presented there.
Even while taking in consideration the illustrations of the set of different benefits of reading his genre for women, represented in the scope of this study, there is still the set of the various forms of dissatisfaction among the romance novels readers.
For instance, this genre was accused by the feminist academics for the reinforcing the male power in courtship rituals and heterosexual relationship. Such novels were referred as anti-feminist because of the way the female characters were portrayed there: as the innocent victims, who behave and act at the mercy of the male characters. The evaluation of the romance novels, done by Marilyn M. Lowery, reveals the set of the faults within the traditional (classical) formula of the characterization and plot. The itemized list of the formula, offered by Lowery, involves the information concerning the way of positioning the female characters as well as the way they are dominated by the male characters. For instance, in accordance with such classification, it is possible to outline one more source of classification by the romantic novel – in majority of cases, the heroine is depicted from the following perspective: she is below the male character both from the social and economic perspectives as well as less experienced and younger in. In majority of the romantic novels, such female character is isolated as well as lacks the support. That is why, she is more vulnerable to the actions, which are undertaken by the powerful male character.
Ann Barr Snitow has revealed one more source of dissatisfaction - the sexuality in romance novels, may be referred as pornographic. This claim may be modified by the following evidence - the romance novels are the particular form of the “pornography for women” because the heroines are des cribbed as in the “ constant condition of the potential sexuality”

According to Radway, how does the dynamic of reinterpretation work?

While taking into account the fact that the increasing sexual tension within the novel maintains its major focus on the female character, who should gain some experience for revealing the true nature, of the hero, who in turn, wan not understood by female character, this moment is referred by Radway as “reinterpretation”. In addition, the “reinterpretation” is attributed to the interpretation to the relationships and lives of those readers, who “reinterpret” the partners’ actions in their own lives. It is considered by Radway, that the option of practicing this process is implied by the romance novel on an unconscious level.
Additional emphasis of Radwayis put on the fact that such process provides the readers with a possibility of identification the “relaxation” and “escape” - as the core reasons for reading the romantic novels.
In the same manner as in the case of the poor option for escapism in daytime dramas, the escapism, which takes its place while reading the romance novels, is considered as foolish by some scholars and psychologists. Radway has made a claim that such attitude is mainly defined by the human believes in the value of reading as well as the escapist literature’ worthwhileness (Radway 53-78).

Works cited

Radway, J.A. “Women Read the Romance: The Interaction of Text and Context” Feminist Studies, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Spring, 1983), pp. 53-78