Five Types of Regency Romance Heroes by Giselle Marks
Welcome today to Regency Romance author Giselle Marks, here today to discuss Five Types of Regency Romance Heroes.
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Are there 5 types of Regency Heroes?
By Giselle Marks
I had a great deal of difficulty writing this article, because no matter which way I categorise Regency heroes there are always some that fit into more than one category or do not fit in at all. So with the caveat that this only covers the majority but not all Regency heroes, this is what I came up with:
1. The Byronic or rakish:- this is where the dark brooding hunks of manhood go. So Heathcliff, Mr Rochester, and my favourite Jasper Damerel, Justin and his son Dominic Alastair all slot in here. (Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, by Emily and Charlotte Bronte. Venetia, These Old Shades and Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer.
I will admit to being an unapologetic Georgette Heyer fan so many of the examples I will use are from her novels. I think the Byronic is the largest group of heroes in Regency Romances and they are frequently so predictably written that they lack depth to their characters.
2. The Martial:- former soldiers, sailors or even possibly pirates and duellists. So Hugh Darracott, Jack Staple, Caleb Armitage, Richard Sharpe and my own Edward Charrington. (The Unknown Ajax, The Black Moth, Death of a Fop, The Sharpe series, and The Fencing Master’s Daughter. The first two by Georgette Heyer, the others by Sarah J. Waldock, Bernard Cornwell and me, respectively.)
I have added Richard Sharpe here, knowing perfectly well that he is not considered a Regency Romantic hero as Bernard Cornwell writes historical fiction not historical romance. Here I confess to sitting on the fence because I try to write historically accurate Regency Romances. I often find the martial characters like Sharpe and Horatio Hornblower more interesting because they are implicitly capable leaders and have more to them than a title and a social standing.
3. The Corinthian:- this group includes the sportsmen, the expert riders, whipsters and those who have specialist interests or hobbies. So here we have Beau Wyndham, Sir Waldo Hawkridge, Matthew Lotherwood, Marquis of Bradbourne (The Corinthian and The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer and The Grand Passion by Elizabeth Mansfield.)
The flattering terms Corinthian and Nonesuch from Heyer’s titles say it all; these are men’s men who are admired for their sporting prowess. I wonder whether their brides were so happy for their husbands to engage in dangerous sporting activities after their marriages.
4. The Understated:- the quiet non-flamboyant man. I put Gideon, Duke of Sale, Gervase Frantin and George Knightley into this group. (The Foundling and The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer and Emma by Jane Austen.)
These are men who do not have to yell out their orders to get things done. They are practical, charismatic men without the complicated temperaments of the brooding Byronic heroes. Not so sexily romantic but would probably have made excellent loving husbands.
5. The Decided:- also called the waiting bridegrooms. These are men who have made up their minds on the lady they want quickly but may have a wait before she can marry them. Colonel Brandon, Lord Henry Marchnight, Lord Worth and Lord Farndon can all be put in this group. (Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer, Lady Polly by Nicola Cornick and my own The Marquis’s Mistake)
Circumstances may have prevented the hero proposing earlier, such as the bride being much younger than himself, his financial situation, parental opposition or other temporarily insurmountable obstacles.
I have left out a number of Regency heroes who could be placed in more than one group and have largely decided to keep to the period and traditional Regency Romances for examples. There are sub-groups and exceptions but most of the most memorable Regency heroes fall into these groups.
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Books by Giselle Marks:
The Fencing Master’s Daughter by Giselle Marks
Edward, Earl of Chalcombe, walking home, is attacked by footpads. He attempts to defend himself but is bludgeoned to the ground. Death seems inevitable when a fat ugly man carrying a stick and a beautiful slender young lady appear.
The young lady stumbles and picks up his dropped foil, dispatching one footpad and injuring another. The fat man belabours a third with his stick. The footpads flee, leaving their deceased comrade behind. The rescuers bundle Edward home.
The young lady, Madelaine summons the Bow Street runners. Refusing reward she provides no address. But Edward fascinated by both Madelaine’s beauty and swordsmanship intends to pursue the acquaintance. Edward seeks his rescuers and the culprits who wish to terminate his life. Offering the elusive Madelaine marriage but she repeatedly declines. Her father accepts an invitation to visit his estate with her over Christmas as he takes a liking to Edward.
As Edward pursues Madelaine, the attempts on his life continue. The sinister French spy, Major Furet, discovered as the arch nemesis in both Edward and Madelaine’s stories. The mystery intertwines as their romance progresses and Madelaine eventually reveals the secret making her refuse to marry him.
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The Marquis’s Mistake
by Giselle Marks
Devastatingly handsome Sebastian, Marquis of Farndon awaits a lady, a present from his best friend Stephen for his thirtieth birthday. Alicia Lambert fleeing from a forced marriage is shown into his room by mistake. Inebriated from celebrating his return to England, Sebastian disbelieves her protests and is reluctant to let her escape. Meeting him later in London, Alicia is relieved he does not recognise her. But when he pursues her and proposes marriage, she doubts his feelings for her are real. Sebastian wants to protect Alicia from the machinations of the blackguard Major Mallinder as he fears for her life and that of her aunt Maud. But will Sebastian’s natural intelligence be enough to deal with the ruthlessness of Alexander Mallinder?
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About the Author
Giselle Marks has been writing for many years. She has written two Regency Romances and a Fantasy/ Sci-fi series with erotic content. Her first published novel, The Fencing Master’s Daughter was launched by Front Porch Romance in September 2013. Her second Regency Romance, The Marquis’s Mistake was released by them in December 2013. Her Fantasy series, The Zeninan Saga is currently being edited by Nevermore Press and should start appearing in the near future. They hope to release the first in the saga, Princess of Zenina in February to March 2014. Giselle is currently working on an erotic fantasy novella called Lucy, which she hopes will be available in next year and a number of other projects.
