The drawbacks of complete historical accuracy
I’m afraid, if one was to write a historical correct romance, it would not be as entertaining as the readers would want or come to expect. If we applied the social mores of the time as they were, our heroines would be quite limited in what they could say and do publicly. Like any other genre, our stories are created to entertain. In reality, would Mrs. Marple really find herself involved in quite so many murders? Would Jason Bourne’s life be quite that exciting? Can a normal man really scale a thousand foot stone faced mountain with only his bare hands?
Nope.
So as writers we take fictional liberties when it comes to our characters. Historical romance writers must or else our heroines would be shackled with enough politesse to send readers into a dead coma. Our heroes would not be the enlightened gentlemen we expect today. They’d have to be men of their times, certainly not the husbands and fathers we’d wish them to be. Okay, so we forge outside those particular boundaries when it comes to characterization and other things like what would or not be a forgivable offense and what would certainly get someone a cut direct.
However, I do expect a duchess never to be referred to as ‘My Lady’. Getting the titles correct is a MUST. Screw that up and not only have you jolted me right out of the story but I’m so far gone, I’ll more than likely put it down never to pick it up again.
Research. Research.
I also want you to get the clothing of the time correct. I should not be seeing empire waist gowns in the mid to late Victorian era story when women were wearing those cumbersome cages and a plethora of petticoats.
But then there are places I want you to fudge. Please, please fudge the facts about the hair. No pomade please, for the gentlemen or the women. Although this would be historically correct, I cringe at the though of either my hero or heroine having to plow their poor fingers through that madness.
I don’t necessarily have to know that much of London smells like horse manure and the sewer. It’s really okay if that’s left out unless it’s required for the story–you know to give it that eau de manure flavor. And despite what I know of the personal hygiene of many or most in that era, I would like it if both my hero and heroine bathed everyday. Call it a quirk of mine but if they’re not bathing, let me know it’s not for the lack of want or will.
And finally, since most British women (Western women in general) did not start shaving their legs, under their arms and their unmentionables until early in the 20th century, not mentioning hair in these areas is fine with me. I’d rather it that way than if the author somehow indicates that the heroine is in fact shaven because that will just pull me out of the story.
Okay, so those are some of the historical true life details I don’t particularly want to read in my romances. What about you? Do you have any?
And since I referenced Jason Bourne of Robert Ludlum’s Bourne series, how about I give away something similar but, of course, historical-style?
Comment and enter to win the final book in Stephanie Lauren’s The Black Cobra Quartet, THE RECKLESS BRIDE.
I want historical accuracy in the books I read, but there are things you can just ignore or omit. As you say, hygiene issues and the smells of the city can be glossed over or omitted all together unless you need some negative descriptions.
I am really looking forwar to reading this series by Stephanie Laurens.
I ‘m another who doesn’t mind a little historical inaccuracy when it comes to hygiene and body hair. I do expect some truth as to if and how the social classes interacted with one another.
I would definitely not mind having the author omit some of these historically accurate but gross details. It’s different when we see it on film but when we read about it in detail, it takes me out of the whole romantic mood that I am in.
I agree with you Bev. Unless the smells and other descriptions are crucial to the development of the story, I’d rather leave it to the history books.
I agree too. Really interesting post, Mz Kendall. I’ve always wonder about hair..down there. There had to be plenty of cads with a proclivity to ‘strange’ grooming habits of their paramours. The English roses didn’t ever stop to think “Oi, men use razors on the stubble beneath their chin. I wonder…”? .. But it’s sort of historical protocol (and most romances have it, too) to describe the “sprig of damp curls that shielded her honeyed-core” (side note: I kind of roll my eyes at the whole creative personification-like descriptions: Honey Pot, Manly Length, Jack in the Box (not sure about the last one being historical, but it’s funny!) I would love to see a contest of authors trying to out due the other with renameing our ‘honey pots’ and ‘jack’s in the box’ ;] )
& I personally don’t mind it if authors fudge the whole squatting over the chamberpot and conveniently eliminating any post-toilet abulations. To wipe, or not to wipe- That is the question!
Thanks for a great topic and a few minuets of forgetting the fact that I should be asleep so i can wake up at 7am =)
Oh, yes. Fewer details of the ickier bodily functions, please. I don’t care to imagine the smell emanating from the chamberpot or wonder about toilet paper. No need to decide whether the heroine, upon waking with a rogue wanting sex, should empty her bladder first. And forget about morning breath; no hero or heroine has this problem. Also, considering that back then they bathe about once a week, at most, I don’t care to muse about body odor or the sheer ickiness of oral sex on unwashed genitalia. Ugh, I’m icking myself out.
Oh, yes, I totally agree with you!
How many times I have heard the old refrain for historical romances
– ‘But a young woman of the times wouldn’t do that.’
eg have a sensible thought, read a newspaper, hold a conversation on something besides the weather, do more than go shopping on Bond Street,
I really, really want historical romance authors to fudge. Please have heroines do more than sit on a chair, drink tea, discuss the weather for fifteen minutes, stand with a chaperone at a ball, watch the world go by from a carriage window.
We’d be bored to tears if they didn’t fudge and let our heroines be intelligent, articulate, and outgoing.
Suzi.
Love this post! As an avid reader of historicals, research is key as inaccuracies can jar a reader and pull them right out of the story. While I want accuracy for a time period, hygiene not so much! I don’t think details such as how to use a chamber pot, lack of shaving arm pits and unavailable deoderant are story-enticers or particularly necessary 🙂
The beauty of fiction is that it allows for the use of imagination. So yes, please put me in the setting with a brief description of scene, dress and hairstyle etc And hold the hygiene details etc. I want to be enthralled not apalled!
I don’t mind historical inaccuracies (I wouldn’t know if the titles etc were used right or not) but do agree that if your writing about a specific period you should research it to know about things like proper address, dress/hair styles, events, geography, etc. I may not know it, but many people do. If I’m reading several books set during the same period I will find it odd if one treats these things significantly different. But this is fiction and I agree there are somethings that really can stray from the truth or glossed over such as mentioned. The book is an escape to a fantasy world of sorts — it should be sanitized (so to speak) in certian areas, a dream world one would like to visit. I won’t want to visit if I’d be afraid to everything smelled so bad as to make my eyes water (hey they were use to it so wouldn’t notice right, so therefore no icky smells existed) or I’d be afraid to touch or eat anything for fear of getting sick.
I would want the writer to fudge about the bad smells of the city or hygiene. Would be ucky to read about. I do expect some stuff to be acurate but; some stuff you just don’t want to read about. Great post.
Why not describe the bad smells of the city? I got a mental picture when you said ‘sewer’ and ‘horse manure’. Reminded me of my trip to Scotland when we went to Mary King’s Close and saw the underground city beneath Edinburgh. When I’m reading a Historical I want to know the facts. All the facts! Let me read about hygiene. I want to know how men and woman took care of themselves. We learn from every historical fact! And we come to appreciate more about what we have today and how things have changed. Oh, and speaking of fudge, I got another mental picture. YUM!
I love that cover. Very pretty.
Great post!! I have to say I agree with you on the hygene, smells, and body hair issues. I don’t want to read about that… ever. *shudder*
But when it comes to class structure, and proper titles and class structure, I was some accuracy! To me, that social class and structure is part of what makes historical romances so special, so please get it right!!
I agree with about having too much reality in romance book(like cheating heros, rape, etc..)
I usually don’t notice historical inaccuracies unless it’s totally obvious. I’m reading for the romance and not for all the hard facts . I do find it funny when the hero is running his hand up her silken smooth legs. Wouldn’t it be more like furry and unruly hairy legs instead? I can do without the nasty sights and smells of historical times though, it can gross me out and put me off the story. A little bit is ok just so you can get the drift!
I am an avid reader and I like a historical to be as accurate as possible. I don’t mind reading about the times, the culture and social mores. Imagine reading Gone With The Wind without the scenes of the death and destuction in Atlanta, and the detailed descriptions of the struggles Scarlett endured. Just wouldn’t be the same.
This book sounds really good too, Lisa.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
I kinda cringe at the medical practices of former days. Blood letting and all that stuff…ugh!!!
So, I don’t mind if an author glosses over those more icky parts of our past.
Valerie
in Germany
Great post, Bev! I agree that certain things must be fudged in a historical, especially personal hygiene. I don’t need to know where the h/h go to the bathroom or how they clean their teeth. I like to believe there is no morning breath, unwanted body hair or smelly city streets when I read a romance.
I imagine that even Medieval Scottish lairds have perfect, white teeth and good breath. That goes for pirates, too.
I like the descriptions of the food vague if it’s going to have ingredients that I find unappetizing.
I prefer to think that the characters have great hygiene although I know that is not accurate.
I have to agree with everyone. Not mentioning certain things is not giving inaccurate information. What is given, I want to be true, but you can leave out whatever you deen not important or just plain gross lol.
I don’t mind if an author “strays” a bit from historical accuracy but I must admit that if they mention an invention that came at a different time I do like an acknowledgement at the end of the story. I do like references of historical events represented as accurately as possible. My husband and I made a trip to Scotland and one of the thing we enjoyed most was finding out of the way places that we might not have known about if he didn’t read a lot of history books and I didn’t read historical romances. Our favorite “surprise” was Lithinglow Palace outside of Edinborough which we never would have found or stopped at outerwise.
I don’t mind historical inaccuracies if it’s not blatant. I also agree withthe hygene, smells, and body hair issues. I don’t want to read about that either.
I prefer historical accuracy in my books, but I will give authors some leeway on that if the plot and/or characters have pulled me into the story.
If describing some facet of hygiene is central to the story, then by all means add it in — but I have to agree with catlady in that not mentioning certain things is not giving inaccurate information — I don’t have to know everything!!!!
I also don’t mind historical inaccuracy when it comes to hygiene.
I don’t mind a little historical inaccuracy in the books a read. Now, I don’t to read about Napoleon talking to King Tut (unless it was a fantasy book or dream sequence). I don’t mind the subtle inaccuracies but how does one define subtle??
I really don’t need to hear about awful sights and smells or lack of hygiene. Just not mentioning things isn’t inaccurate. I prefer the names of cities be the proper names of the cities for that time period. Especially if I already know the history (or what they taught us at school) and lived through the name change of the city.
This has been a fun blog. I agree with cories5 and many others. I smile to myself when a hero is described as smelling of citrus, or spice, and “man”. Or, the heroine as “woman”. Uh-huh… we know that smell.
It could be that before our antiseptic age (with personal hygiene being right near the top of our lists), people were turned on sexually by the other’s pheromones. Anthropologists say it was true of early man and is true for most animals.
My worse cringe is when couples makes love several times during the night – ’til morning, and oral sex happens one of the later times. They don’t get up and wash between “acts”. Thank God for our easy in/out showers – attached right to our master bedrooms. It makes it so much more pleasant. 🙂
I’m with you! I don’t want to hear about the lack of bathing, or not shaving, or the reality of the smells. I’d rather not hear about privys or chamber pots either, unless it has something to do with the story.
I love reading about all the history but they are things written that I don’t need to see written in a romance book.
Great post!! It is OK to skip some things that would take you out of the story. Ihave no problem with that at all.
Great post! I am one that believes they can skip over some things in their writing. After all we are reading fiction. It all doesn’t have to be true to history!
Great post! The thing I don’t like is modern slang in a historical. I have read some books with more modern expressions in them that threw me from the plot.
I’m ok with some historical inaccuracies, such as hygiene and the smell, BUT i want enough fact that i feel as if I’m there because isn’t it the whole point of reading a historical romace to get swept away in another time. At least that what it is to me. But I am a stickler for proper use of a title, mostly because I love the etiquette of the time.
Not mentioning bodily functions, teeth, no teeth is OK with me. Some historical accuracy is appreciated, especially when merrily reading along I find a phrase that is obviously contemporary, it draws me out of the story which is unfortunate.
I agree about not wanting to think about personal hygiene while reading a romance. I prefer to think that the H/h smelled great and had white teeth and fresh breath always! I don’t want to deal with gross details because for me reading is an escape. It’s fantasy! That’s why I read historical romance instead of contemporary romance. I don’t want to think about rape, STD’s, HIV, or any of the other issues we have to deal with today.
I love Stephanie Laurens! Please enter me to win her newest book!
Great post Bev, I don’t mind a casual mention of smells of the era, but not for paragraphs. And I agree, no body hair mentioned on the female. And I don’t have to read about using the chamber pot. Ewww. TMI. I can immerse myself in a era without the reality of it slapping me in the face~
I agree somethings are better left un-said! LOL! I like the historical descriptions about the house, carriages ect. I do draw the line at people. Like Karyn said,one can immerse themselves without being bombarded in detail. Have a safe Halloween everyone! Best of luck to all the contest enteries also!
Oh I totally agree about the smells of London and personal Hygiene. T’here is such a thing as too much information and it applies to those things for sure. I want a story to be magical, to make me feel good and happy. Unpleasant things kill the mood/dream. I love Stephenie’s books btw! So please count me in, thanks.
I think glossing over is great! lol I mean we read to get away from our regular lives and enjoy ourselves in a good story. last thing we need is to be reminded of things we don’t want to think about. I don’t mind some going out of the way of the time frame the book is supposed to take place because i don’t particularly have knowledge of everything in those time frames. It’s all good unless it’s obvious.
Lisa B
Hi all
I don’t mind the authors having a little poetic license with facts if it adds to the story and is not too noticeable or she/he tells us why she/he did it at the end of the book. I like enough description to set the scene and then leave it up to the reader’s imagination of how they build the world they are reading about in their minds. My idea of what Logan, the hero in Brazen Bride looks like, might be quite different from anyone else’s.