If you like happy endings (usually) this is the page for you. Erato, the muse of love, fueled the long and prolific genre of 'the Romance' and the Romantic school. Countless bards, troubadours, minstrels and courtiers fell under her spell.
Today, treasured romances written by men, would be an impossibility--no man could hope to write "A Romance" and get a main-stream publisher, unless it had a terrible ending or was loaded with schmaltz, bathos, or cheap tears. It's the new chauvinism, the new bigotry, and thank goodness our forebears had better sense.
These days, many women buy only women authors because they can get the happy ending-a successful relationship-- and the 'uplift' it fosters.
Maybe male writers are going to forget how to talk of love, if we aren't careful. The only way men will see a romantic comedy is with a partner, because we have made success at love and happiness in relationships so unmanly. Barbarism will follow.
If a guy doesn't want to read about murder and mayhem, or political fiascos or how to be a shark, then the modern bookstore is a tough place to go. If he wants to write about it, he has to head for the music industry. How come men can like to hear love songs but can't read them? Must be the slow dances and the beer on the side.
Good thing that hasn't been so until we got so "Modern.' An example is Queed by Henry Sydnor Harrison. Because of te current viewpoint, his book is shown in two places on Elfinspell, but his novel definitely fits into this category as well.
Elfinspell hopes to change that (a little bit, anyway) by reminding everybody that Cupid and Erato, together, have often inspired mankind to reach the heights of civilized behavior, nobility of character, and true chivalry in spirit and deed.
From quotes, to poetry and song, to fiction about passions both high and low incited by that little mischief- maker, Cupid, Erato was the muse behind his victims. See the result:
There are also 2 Renaissance poets who composed love lyrics, two of these are nowhere else on the web but here.
Not to mention, here is the best testament to wedded bliss and the perfect present on an anniversary written by Samuel Bishop, who lived in the 1700's. It would be a hard one to match even today.
Until the 20th century, most 'romance novels' were written by men, and a fine job they did of it, too.
Read the Middle Ages idea of entertainment, tales of chivalrous love told by the bards in the halls of kings, princes, and burgesses.
and a third collection: "Old World Love Stories, from the Lays of Marie De France and other Mediaeval Romances and Legends," this too by Eugene Mason, illustrated and decorated by Reginald L. Knowles. Four are in his other text but the rest are new.
Even blood-thirsty megalomaniacs (allowed to reign by the majority of their countrymen and women) had their tender moments, as you can see in this Letter from Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn.)
Courtly love led to this first "Modern Novel: from the 13th century -- The Story of Flamenca, translated from the Provencal by William ASpenwall Bradley.
What Shakespeare was to the Renaissance, Pierre Ronsard was to France, only better!!! See what this poet says when feeling lovesome here in Love's Comparings, translated by Curtis Hidden Page.
Sir Walter Raleigh had something to say on the subject as well, here in The Excuse.
My Lady Pokahontas Writ by Anas Todkill; With Notes by John Esten Cooke.
From two anonymous Troubadors from Provence, translated by Barbara Smythe are these two passionate Albas, or songs.
The shortest and the most romantic and passionate poem I have ever read is from the Renaissance, My Love in her attire doth show her wit, by a sadly anonymous poet.