Rant on stupid authors
Have I ever mentioned how tired I am of unrealistic portrayals of women in pre-women's movement times?
I understand the desire to write about strong female protagonists, I really do, and I like reading about them. But I also have a strong desire for what I just like to call REALISM.
I don't care if your story is set under the reign of the wonderful King Arthur of Camelot. There is no way in the seven circles of hell that any woman, much less a noblewoman, is going to be allowed to throw away all her wealth etc to marry whomever she likes, who, incidentally, is basically your virtuous peasant. There is no way she's going to be allowed to train in WEAPONS simply because she's "persistent." There is no way she's going to be able to travel, on foot, by herself, in poor condition, several miles without being attacked in some way. There is no way she would even CONSIDER being taken along on a quest, much less actually being ALLOWED TO GO.
Women of the middle ages--and even up until maybe the nineteenth century--did not live like that. They could be strong, and powerful, but it took a certain personality--usually nasty-- and a great deal of coincidental luck to do so. They were brought up to obey men--yes, there were certainly rebels, but the majority had been instilled with the belief that women were inferior.
So, come on. You can write about strong women all you like. Just try, at least, to do so realistically.
I understand the desire to write about strong female protagonists, I really do, and I like reading about them. But I also have a strong desire for what I just like to call REALISM.
I don't care if your story is set under the reign of the wonderful King Arthur of Camelot. There is no way in the seven circles of hell that any woman, much less a noblewoman, is going to be allowed to throw away all her wealth etc to marry whomever she likes, who, incidentally, is basically your virtuous peasant. There is no way she's going to be allowed to train in WEAPONS simply because she's "persistent." There is no way she's going to be able to travel, on foot, by herself, in poor condition, several miles without being attacked in some way. There is no way she would even CONSIDER being taken along on a quest, much less actually being ALLOWED TO GO.
Women of the middle ages--and even up until maybe the nineteenth century--did not live like that. They could be strong, and powerful, but it took a certain personality--usually nasty-- and a great deal of coincidental luck to do so. They were brought up to obey men--yes, there were certainly rebels, but the majority had been instilled with the belief that women were inferior.
So, come on. You can write about strong women all you like. Just try, at least, to do so realistically.