Romantic Comedy Genre
Plotting Formula Romantic Comedy sometimes follows a very simple formula: Boy gets girl Boy loses girl Boy gets girl
More complex formula: Boy and girl meet (forced together by circumstances) There is a misunderstanding Often a subplot beside the love story (eg. A mystery to solve, a job to save, a cause to fight for, a family to heal) Finally they recognize they’re in love Often separate again End up together
Setting Not crucial to this genre Can be: Exotic (fish out of water) Domestic (right under your nose) Sometimes decided by subplot
Character Archetypes Hero/protagonist: male, female… charming but flawed Antagonist (villain): the other love interest, usually dull but nice (good people) Sidekicks (wise person): often best friends
Males The key to romance is the coupling There are usually strong male characteristics in romance movies and romance literature There are 8 common Male Archetypes, as presented by Tami Cowden
The Chief This man tends to be at the top of his career field – maybe the CEO of a major corporation, or a prince If he’s not already number one, it’s only a matter of time He can never admit he's made a mistake
The Bad Boy or Rebel This is the rebel, or the boy from the wrong side of the tracks He’s bitter and volatile and a crushed idealist Charismatic and street smart. He hates authority and doesn't buckle under to anyone
The Best Friend He's kind, responsible & decent Mr. Nice Guy Doesn't enjoy confrontation and can sometimes be unassertive because he doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings We all knew this guy in high school and didn’t appreciate him
The Charmer Fun, irresistible, a smooth operator Not too responsible or dependable He might be a playboy but he's doesn’t commit to a woman easily He's not crazy about hard work
The Lost Soul Tortured, secretive, brooding, and unforgiving He’s vulnerable He might be a wanderer or an outcast…thus, he’s a loner Often conjoined with the rebel
The Professor Logical and introverted Might not be your idea of a hero, but take another look He is genuine about his feelings
The Swashbuckler This guy is action, action, and more action He's physical and daring he’s a daredevil, or an explorer
The Warrior This man is the reluctant rescuer or the knight in shining armour He's noble, relentless, and he always sticks up for the underdog If you need a protector, he’s your guy
Women The key to romance is the coupling There are typically Eight Female Archetypes, as presented by Beverly Medos
The Boss This is a "take charge" female, who accepts nothing but respect Reaching her goal post is the most important thing in life to her; a few ruffled feathers along the way don’t bother her This woman never gives up until she's on top of the heap
The Survivor This is a girl who is long accustomed to sizing up everyone in a room the minute she enters Mysterious and manipulative, she hides a streak of distrust a mile wide and ten miles deep Cynicism guides her every action
The Spunky Kid She is a favourite of many writers You can't help but root for her She's the girl with moxie She's not looking to be at the top of the heap
The Free Spirit Playful and fun loving, this heroine travels through life with a hop, skip and a jump She acts on a whim and follows her heart, not her head. She might be a bit on the ditzy side
The Waif This is the original damsel in distress Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel, all required rescue, and so does she Her child-like innocence evokes a protective urge in the beastliest of heroes Yet she has a strong spirit Jane Eyre, a Victorian classic
The Librarian She's prim and proper, but underneath that tight bun lurks a passionate woman She's learned or was told that her physical charms shouldn't - or couldn't - help her get ahead, so she leads with her brain, not her body
The Crusader A thoroughly modern heroine is the Crusader No distressed damsel, here. This lady is on a mission, and she marches right over anyone in her way Tenacious and headstrong, she brushes off any opposition to her goal
The Nurturer This lady takes care of everyone She's serene, capable and optimistic She might be the laid-back mother that always has fresh cookies in the oven Or duty and love might bind her as she cares for her family and friends with steely determination
The Hero and Heroine It takes two protagonists to tango—a hero and heroine They have to be different enough from one another to strike sparks whenever they're in close proximity Romances certainly aren't about the pair being the same, but rather just how different they can be and still survive the resulting explosion of opposites The pair is presented as quite literally two opposite sides of a single whole, i.e. soul mates The end goal is harmony of heart and mind
Theme The two complete each other The two become better people because of each other Even if they move on, they are better for it Redemption is possible (definition of comedy)… a pair can reconcile their flaws and become a whole
Another theme… Unrequited love (unreturned love)