Thank you for the clarification. Obviously, a significant issue, necessary to the story, as opposed to gratuitous violence. Too many novels still seem to employ rape as an alternative form of seduction, which is grossly offensive and dangerous.
Good article. I think sex (especially rape) is perfectly acceptable in any _adult_ novel as long as it is written in context, and not put there merely to titillate.
As authors of historical fiction we are telling a story – if rape or violence is part of that story then why should it not be told?
I feel the same about infidelity: I have come across several reviewers who mark a novel down because the male protagonist has been unfaithful to the main female character. Sex outside of marriage/partnership in the past is a part of history – many wives even welcomed it to save worrying about childbirth (one in four women died because of childbirth)
I have also received comments because my battle scenes are apparently too violent – rape, adultery, bloody battles happened.
Readers complain if a historical fiction novel is not accurate – yet they complain about the inclusion of the nastier side of life in the past. As authors we can’t win can we? #laugh http://www.helenhollick.net
Thanks so much for stopping by, Helen! I hadn’t even considered the welcoming of adultery because of the dangers of childbirth but it makes perfect sense!
Having read the novel, I feel the text achieved the goals you stated here in the post very well. I was disturbed by the rape scene and I felt I was meant to be disturbed and hurt and angry. However, feeling uncomfortable about where a novel takes me, doesn\’t take away the enjoyment of the book. If anything, it makes me explore themes to an extent that a softball approach may not be able to do. Song of the Nile was about the power struggle between Selene and a larger than life character, Augustus. I found it compelling that she suffered kidnapping and rape, plus the injustice of being blamed by her husband, yet still manages to regain some sense of power and control over both of those men.
I haven’t read your novel yet, but am impressed by your stance. Well done for being brave enough to explain yourself so eloquently. I would like to stress two points that are more or less implicit in what you have written.
Firstly, the modern notion of romantic love derives from the middle ages, and would have been quite foreign to the ancients. The picture of the distressed delicate damsel in a castle tower, to whom one might pledge eternal loyalty in return for a kiss, or one’s life in return for simple recognition is epitomised in the songs and poetry of the Troubadours and is a later addition to the repertoire of love.
The second is the point Michel Foucault makes in his several volumes of the History of Sexuality: sex, since ancient times, has aways been a tool either for immediate gratification or, more importantly, for demonstrating ownership of others, or simply for manipulating situations.
I have more to say on this in my Byzantium for Beginners blog – in a post entitled “What’s (romantic) love got to do with it”.
Thank you so much for your remarks. I’ll be heading over to check out your blog post.
I just want to clarify that while I would agree that romantic love as you describe it certainly arises in the middle ages, I would argue that romantic love in the sense that we understand it to be an abiding and true (often sexual) emotion between human beings has been around much longer than that. Maybe even longer than we’ve been a species. It may even be a biological construct.
Certainly, some of the most beautiful and hauntingly aching love poetry comes from the ancients–even as filthy as Catullus and Ovid could be, there is some real expression of romantic love in there between the lines!
But none of this is to contradict your point that sex was used as a tool to manipulate, dominate, etc.
You state the point eloquently, Stephanie. Seems our choice as scribes is to either sanitize history to appease the gods and goddesses of consumerism, or to follow (if we choose) clear and powerful insights into the unspeakable past. I have experienced similar criticisms of my novel, which intentionally asked historical fiction readers to consider the abuse of women (and children) as it existed in 17th century New England. (See my Past Times Books blog essay entitled: “The Collective Ghosts of Salem”) http://www.theafflictedgirls.com @suzywitten #theafflictedgirls
I think when so much thought goes behind potentially controversial decisions, they are never poorly made. And I am sure your depiction will be a key moment in the plot and character development. Looking forward to finding out soon…Song of the Nile is creeping closer to the top of my “To Read” stack!
follow:
You’ve made me think and I like that. Thank you.
You often return the favor!
Thank you for the clarification. Obviously, a significant issue, necessary to the story, as opposed to gratuitous violence. Too many novels still seem to employ rape as an alternative form of seduction, which is grossly offensive and dangerous.
Oh you may rely on the fact that Augustus is not the romantic hero of this novel
Good article. I think sex (especially rape) is perfectly acceptable in any _adult_ novel as long as it is written in context, and not put there merely to titillate.
As authors of historical fiction we are telling a story – if rape or violence is part of that story then why should it not be told?
I feel the same about infidelity: I have come across several reviewers who mark a novel down because the male protagonist has been unfaithful to the main female character. Sex outside of marriage/partnership in the past is a part of history – many wives even welcomed it to save worrying about childbirth (one in four women died because of childbirth)
I have also received comments because my battle scenes are apparently too violent – rape, adultery, bloody battles happened.
Readers complain if a historical fiction novel is not accurate – yet they complain about the inclusion of the nastier side of life in the past. As authors we can’t win can we? #laugh
http://www.helenhollick.net
Thanks so much for stopping by, Helen! I hadn’t even considered the welcoming of adultery because of the dangers of childbirth but it makes perfect sense!
Having read the novel, I feel the text achieved the goals you stated here in the post very well. I was disturbed by the rape scene and I felt I was meant to be disturbed and hurt and angry. However, feeling uncomfortable about where a novel takes me, doesn\’t take away the enjoyment of the book. If anything, it makes me explore themes to an extent that a softball approach may not be able to do. Song of the Nile was about the power struggle between Selene and a larger than life character, Augustus. I found it compelling that she suffered kidnapping and rape, plus the injustice of being blamed by her husband, yet still manages to regain some sense of power and control over both of those men.
Stephanie
I haven’t read your novel yet, but am impressed by your stance. Well done for being brave enough to explain yourself so eloquently. I would like to stress two points that are more or less implicit in what you have written.
Firstly, the modern notion of romantic love derives from the middle ages, and would have been quite foreign to the ancients. The picture of the distressed delicate damsel in a castle tower, to whom one might pledge eternal loyalty in return for a kiss, or one’s life in return for simple recognition is epitomised in the songs and poetry of the Troubadours and is a later addition to the repertoire of love.
The second is the point Michel Foucault makes in his several volumes of the History of Sexuality: sex, since ancient times, has aways been a tool either for immediate gratification or, more importantly, for demonstrating ownership of others, or simply for manipulating situations.
I have more to say on this in my Byzantium for Beginners blog – in a post entitled “What’s (romantic) love got to do with it”.
Achilleas
Thank you so much for your remarks. I’ll be heading over to check out your blog post.
I just want to clarify that while I would agree that romantic love as you describe it certainly arises in the middle ages, I would argue that romantic love in the sense that we understand it to be an abiding and true (often sexual) emotion between human beings has been around much longer than that. Maybe even longer than we’ve been a species. It may even be a biological construct.
Certainly, some of the most beautiful and hauntingly aching love poetry comes from the ancients–even as filthy as Catullus and Ovid could be, there is some real expression of romantic love in there between the lines!
But none of this is to contradict your point that sex was used as a tool to manipulate, dominate, etc.
You state the point eloquently, Stephanie. Seems our choice as scribes is to either sanitize history to appease the gods and goddesses of consumerism, or to follow (if we choose) clear and powerful insights into the unspeakable past. I have experienced similar criticisms of my novel, which intentionally asked historical fiction readers to consider the abuse of women (and children) as it existed in 17th century New England. (See my Past Times Books blog essay entitled: “The Collective Ghosts of Salem”) http://www.theafflictedgirls.com @suzywitten #theafflictedgirls
Suzy Witten
I guess in the end all we can do is write the best novels we think we’re capable of writing and let the chips fall where they may.
I think when so much thought goes behind potentially controversial decisions, they are never poorly made. And I am sure your depiction will be a key moment in the plot and character development. Looking forward to finding out soon…Song of the Nile is creeping closer to the top of my “To Read” stack!
I look forward to hearing your thoughts!