Kilts and romance
Moonmama posed an interesting question in her journal about the attraction
to Scottish men in romance novels.
Part of this is posted in her journal, but I took this farther in depth, my theories follow after the cut.
Somewhere inside most women is the little girl looking for that fairy tale. When we think of knights, we generally think of the courtly behaviors along with ye old white charger and the shining armor. Where's the most common place to find that? English history. No offense to anyone that's English or of English decent, but that stereotype is way too proper for the liking of a lot of women.
Any woman that doesn't get past the tales of Arthurian knights doing deeds in the name of the fair maiden and realize that Lancelot, a Frenchman BTW, was, in some respects, a rogue, will fall for a hero of a different breed.
Now, why do I think Lancelot a rogue? What would you call a guy that steals his best friend and king's wife? I'd say he's a rogue at the very least! He's the only French literary hero that I can think of that I'd class as romantic though. I'm sure there are others, but he's the only one that comes to mind.
Where should we look for that different breed of hero? Scotland is a good place to start, the historical romantic novel Scots are pictured as rugged individuals that can fight off the bad guys one minute and woo the lady in the next breath. Maybe it's why modern women adore Sir Sean Connery who, despite being in his seventies, still has the ability to make a woman of any age quiver. That accent... oooooohhhh yeah. It's no wonder he was named People magazine's sexiest man alive in 1989 and was also voted 'Sexiest Man of the Century' in 1999, also by People.
Why the kilts? Show me a better opportunity to get a look at a man's assets.
Thing is, there are a lot real heroes in Scotland's history as well as a bunch of troublemakers. Sir William Wallace, who was portrayed in Braveheart was real life hero, but Hollywood took a great deal of artistic license in the production. Rob Roy MacGregor is another. To some, he may have been seen as a common criminal, but often circumstances require desperate measures. The movie Rob Roy was overshadowed, unfortunately, by Braveheart in theaters.
While Bonnie Prince Charlie, so-called Pretender to the throne of England, is often tagged a trouble maker, there's a lesser known clan of rabble rousers that likely changed the course of Scottish history by a few acts: in 1566, the murder of David Rizzio, who was the private secretary to Mary, Queen of Scots. Some historians recorded that this event was approved of by Henry, Lord Darnley, Mary's husband. Some say Henry was just ticked off because Mary never granted him the crown matrimonal. A few years later, kinfolk to that same crew extended a rather strong invitation to James VI of Scotland, later James I of England, some people call that incident a kidnapping.
Other Relevant links:
Kilts: Evolution of the kilt The Kilt and Tartan, what is Period?
The Plaid, tartan, kilt, Scotland, living history, re-enactment, Highland, UK, Britain.
The First Kilt Types of Kilts
Rob Roy: Capital Scot Article
Rampant Scotland A nice mix of info on Scotland.
Capital Scot Features
Haunted Castles listed on Rampant Scotland
Part of this is posted in her journal, but I took this farther in depth, my theories follow after the cut.
Somewhere inside most women is the little girl looking for that fairy tale. When we think of knights, we generally think of the courtly behaviors along with ye old white charger and the shining armor. Where's the most common place to find that? English history. No offense to anyone that's English or of English decent, but that stereotype is way too proper for the liking of a lot of women.
Any woman that doesn't get past the tales of Arthurian knights doing deeds in the name of the fair maiden and realize that Lancelot, a Frenchman BTW, was, in some respects, a rogue, will fall for a hero of a different breed.
Now, why do I think Lancelot a rogue? What would you call a guy that steals his best friend and king's wife? I'd say he's a rogue at the very least! He's the only French literary hero that I can think of that I'd class as romantic though. I'm sure there are others, but he's the only one that comes to mind.
Where should we look for that different breed of hero? Scotland is a good place to start, the historical romantic novel Scots are pictured as rugged individuals that can fight off the bad guys one minute and woo the lady in the next breath. Maybe it's why modern women adore Sir Sean Connery who, despite being in his seventies, still has the ability to make a woman of any age quiver. That accent... oooooohhhh yeah. It's no wonder he was named People magazine's sexiest man alive in 1989 and was also voted 'Sexiest Man of the Century' in 1999, also by People.
Why the kilts? Show me a better opportunity to get a look at a man's assets.
Thing is, there are a lot real heroes in Scotland's history as well as a bunch of troublemakers. Sir William Wallace, who was portrayed in Braveheart was real life hero, but Hollywood took a great deal of artistic license in the production. Rob Roy MacGregor is another. To some, he may have been seen as a common criminal, but often circumstances require desperate measures. The movie Rob Roy was overshadowed, unfortunately, by Braveheart in theaters.
While Bonnie Prince Charlie, so-called Pretender to the throne of England, is often tagged a trouble maker, there's a lesser known clan of rabble rousers that likely changed the course of Scottish history by a few acts: in 1566, the murder of David Rizzio, who was the private secretary to Mary, Queen of Scots. Some historians recorded that this event was approved of by Henry, Lord Darnley, Mary's husband. Some say Henry was just ticked off because Mary never granted him the crown matrimonal. A few years later, kinfolk to that same crew extended a rather strong invitation to James VI of Scotland, later James I of England, some people call that incident a kidnapping.
Other Relevant links:
Kilts: Evolution of the kilt The Kilt and Tartan, what is Period?
The Plaid, tartan, kilt, Scotland, living history, re-enactment, Highland, UK, Britain.
The First Kilt Types of Kilts
Rob Roy: Capital Scot Article
Rampant Scotland A nice mix of info on Scotland.
Capital Scot Features
Haunted Castles listed on Rampant Scotland