| Eight Male Archetypes of Romance Fiction, November 2005 issue by Ann Durand copyright 2005 |
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Find out about Ann's latest book: FLIGHT OF THE GRYPHON A SCI FI ROMANCE |
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| HEART BEAT ARTICLES by ANN DURAND NOVEMBER 2005 |
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Before ever keying in the first line of a romance fiction, there are certain details
about the story that a writer must consider and establish thoroughly.
The ending, however, is not on that list. Perhaps not even the middle. Many “out-of-
the-mist” writers, for example, enjoy allowing their story to emerge like a living,
breathing entity. They love the edge this style of writing lends to their stories. Like
their readers, they lean forward wondering what will happen next, which can lend an
authenticity to their characters’ emotions. And of course, there are many writers
who will not begin without an outline of the entire plot, complete with all the twists
and turns.
Their confidence derives from the certainty of their direction. They know what to
say, because they know what’s going to happen. Either method can work to create
a successful romance story.
But, if prior knowledge of the plot isn’t needed in order to begin a story, then where
should a writer direct his or her attention? A writer needs to tend to the creation of
the hero and heroine. Romances are character driven stories. While the plot, with
its attending conflicts and resolutions, holds terrific sway, it is the romance that
drives the action—not the other way around. The entire story revolves around the
nucleus of the hero and heroine and their interactions. It’s imperative that the
personality and characteristics of each protagonist be thoroughly researched,
studied and ingrained into the psyche of the writer until they feel like old friends—
and all this before penning a word of the story.
To do this, it helps to understand that certain male and female archetypes, as well
as their numerous combinations, appear over and over in romance fiction.
Pairing up the male with the female archetypes creates
even more challenges. To see the sparks fly between them, we need to choose
their personalities with careful deliberation. If she is prim and proper, he may weigh
in on the naughty side. If he is strong willed, she may be strong willed. If she wants
freedom and independence, he may want stability and marriage.
The possibilities are endless. The archetypes, however, are not. According to Caro
LaFever, who writes about it in the anthology, Heroes and Heroines:
16 Master Archetypes, only eight exist of each. If you’re thinking there must be
more “types” of human personalities than these sixteen, you’re right. We are,
however, limiting the field by acknowledging only the major types that appear in
fiction, which includes TV shows and movies. According to LaFever, these
archetypes cross all genres, including romance, science fiction, mystery, even
horror. I will paraphrase these for you and divide the male and female archetypes
between this issue and the next of Heart Beat.
To start, here’s a description of our eight male
archetypes:
The Leader, the King, the Chief
This is the classic romance hero. He is the traditional alpha male that has been
written into romance since the genre was first conceived. This guy is in charge of
not only himself, but everyone around him. He gives the orders. He is a conqueror
and a born hero, fearless, tough, and decisive, as well as extremely goal oriented.
He can also be domineering, insensitive, and unwilling to bend. He has little
sympathy or patience for the frightened and weak-willed. If he is paired with anyone
besides an alpha female, he may tend toward abusive behavior. He may head up a
company as owner or CEO, or he may work for himself as an extremely successful
entrepreneur. John Wayne portrayed this character in many of his roles. So did
Marlon Brando in Sabrina. This alpha male was a popular hero in the ‘70s and still
is in many Harlequin Presents books.
The Rebel, the Naughty Boy, the Outlaw
This hero comes from the other side of the tracks. His
appeal is both mysterious and dark. He snarls at anyone who looks at him cross-
eyed and has a huge chip on his shoulder. Life has not been fair, and he’s getting
even. He is street smart and flaunts the rules when it suits him. He’s often either out-
of-work or working in an illicit or illegal venture. While jaded and soured on the
outside, his heart can be as soft as a marshmallow, a quality the heroine tends to
draw out. Perfect examples can be seen in Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing and
Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting. You can find a bit of him in Kevin Kline in French
Kiss, though Kline’s character also carries elements of The Best Friend (below).
The Rebel is seen in certain Silhouette Intimate Moments as an outlaw.
The Best Friend, the Trusted Confidante
This hero has been known traditionally in the Greek system as the beta hero. He’s
great husband material:
trustworthy, ethical, loyal, kind and hardworking. He’s very understanding and
tolerant, and the heroine will want to tell him all her secrets, but she usually does not
recognize him as “the one” until she grows up or is about to lose him. Only then, will
she appreciate the full measure of his gifts. He’s rarely seen in business for himself
and is usually working for someone else as a star employee. Examples of this hero
are found in Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle, Billy Crystal in Harry Met Sally, or
Bill Pulllman in While You Were Sleeping. The best selling author LaVyrle Spencer
uses this archetype in her stories.
The Sweet Talker, the Charmer, the Smooth Operator
The heroine will find herself easily seduced by this one. He’s fun and irresistible,
but when it comes time to buckle down and get a job done, embrace a
commitment or pop the question, he’s usually somewhere else. However, she can
take him anywhere, and he’ll end up entertaining the entire room! At a party, he’s
usually got a drink in his hand and a minimum of three or four people around him,
laughing and listening to his latest story. He is attracted to jobs such as salesman,
actor, radio or TV broadcaster. Cary Grant and Dean Martin played characters
who were consummate Charmers. You can find The Charmer in many Harlequin
Americans.
The Lost or Tortured Soul
Traditionally, the Lost one has been our theta hero. Like the Rebel, he carries huge
resentments. Unlike the Rebel, who blames his misfortune on external
circumstances, this tortured hero broods inwardly, suffering from self-inflicted
wounds upon his psyche.
Whether driven by guilt or confusion, this hero finds it difficult to forgive himself, let
alone anyone else. He’s guarded and reserved, and makes a great character for a
heroine to draw out and heal. He tends to work in jobs where he can hide out, earn
a paycheck and go home. Nicolas Cage in many of his roles and Clint Eastwood in
The Gauntlet both portray exemplary Tortured Souls.
Heathcliffe in Wuthering Heights fits this description, also.
The Professor, Engineer or Accountant
He was the smartest guy in your class growing up, and
he rarely dated. Instead, he kept his nose to the grindstone and excelled in many
things academic.
Introverted and shy, he dreamed of beautiful women,
but considered them out of his league. When he does
fall in love, he gives over his entire heart, body and soul. Like the Best Friend, he is
trustworthy, hardworking and honest, but unlike the Best Friend, he
deals almost exclusively in hard facts and cold rationale, often to the detriment of
emotional understanding. The heroine’s tears will confound him. With his
meticulous nature, he makes an excellent researcher or number cruncher in the
corporate world. You may find him in Jeff Goldblum’s character in Independence
Day or in Kelsey Grammer’s Frazier. Woody Allen plays another Professor well.
The Adventurer, Daredevil or Fortune Hunter
An adrenaline junkie, this hero is constantly on the move. You will never see him
sustain a rear wound. He
meets danger head-on. Whether he’s climbing a mountain, rafting down a wild river
or wrestling a tiger, he engages in death defying feats as if they were invitations to
a party. Any heroine messing around with this guy is bound to get sucked up into
the melee, but she needn’t worry. He is both confident and competent and will keep
her safe. His passion for life will likely enthrall her while he is skiing down the
mountain at breakneck speed, but she may feel surprised when it plays out in his
sometimes explosive temperament. The classic Adventurer may be seen in
Indiana Jones or Jackie Chan. You’ll find this type of hero employed in daredevil or
thrill jobs like stuntmen, firefighters, jet pilots or even astronauts. Look for him in
Karen Robards’ romance novels.
And finally, the eighth archetypal hero:
The Warrior or Champion
He stays in the woodwork like Clark Kent until he’s
needed. Then he bursts upon the scene with cape and
courage, ready to save the world. He can launch into
action like the Adventurer, but not for the thrill of it. Nobility of heart and shining
purpose distinguish this hero. While he may attempt to stay under the radar like the
Rebel, perhaps even harboring a secret grudge, he is motivated by his desire to
right a wrong. When the heroine needs saving, this is the guy to do it without
question. He doesn’t even have to know her. You might find him working as a Navy
Seal, an FBI agent or a policeman. Susan Brockman and Linda Howard both use
this hero archetype in their novels.
* * *
And there they are. Sometimes a character may display
traits in one or more of these archetypes, but to provide readers with strong, clear
impressions, it’s best to allow one of these models to dominate.
In the next issue of Heart Beat, we’ll explore the
eight archetypal heroines, and then we’ll pair them up with the different male types
to see what kind of sparks
and explosions we can create. I’ll see you next month.
Until then, happy writing and…
Happy Heart Beats!
Ann