One of the earliest examples of the historical novel in Europe is The Princess of Cleves, a French novel published anonymously in March 1678. It is considered by many to be the beginning of the modern tradition of the psychological novel and a great classical work. Its author is generally considered to be Madame de La Fayette. The action took place between October 1558 and November 1559 at the royal court of Henry II of France. The novel recreates this era with remarkable precision. Almost all the characters – with the exception of the heroine – are historical figures. Events and plots unfold with great fidelity to documentary recordings. In the United Kingdom, « the historical novel seems to have evolved » from The Princess of Cleves, « and then on the Gothic novel ». [13] Another early example is Thomas Nashe`s The Unfortunate Traveller, published in 1594 and set during the reign of King Henry VIII. [14] A variant of the 20th-century historical novel is documentary literature, which contains « not only historical figures and events, but also accounts of everyday events » found in contemporary newspapers. [65] Examples of this variant of the historical novel are U.S.A. (1938) and Ragtime (1975) by E.L.
Doctorow. [66] Works of historical fiction are sometimes criticized for their lack of authenticity because the reader has criticisms or genre expectations of specific historical details. This tension between historical authenticity and fiction often becomes a point of commentary for readers and popular critics, while scholarly criticism often goes beyond this commentary and explores the genre for its other thematic and critical interests. Historical literature in prose has a long tradition in world literature. Three of the four classics of Chinese literature are set in the distant past: Shi Nai`an`s 14th-century water margin is about 12th-century outlaws; Luo Guanzhong`s 14th Century Three Kingdoms novel is about the 3rd century wars that ended the Han Dynasty; Wu Cheng`en`s journey to the West of the 16th century concerns the 7th century Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang. [8] So is historical fiction real? One way or another, and not really. If you read well-researched historical fiction, you will learn a lot over a period of time. However, it`s still fiction because the characters and their interactions aren`t real. The Titanic really sank, but Patrick Crawley, heir to Downton Abbey, was not there. You`re ready to write a historical novel! Before we get started, here are some tips to help you along the way. Historical fiction, literature built around an era in the past, is one of the genres I attribute most to helping me become a reader.
The stories I`ve found in historical fiction books have helped me not only develop a more nuanced view of the historical record, but also better appreciate the stories we share as humans and how they help us understand each other. On the other hand, unfortunately, there is a kind of snobbery that surrounds the genre, which lasts for many years. Some authors, who write almost exclusively in the genre of historical fiction, do not want to be called « historical novelists ». And media representatives, even if they praise individual historical novels in their reviews, somehow manage to turn those praises into criticisms of the genre as a whole. Because much of historical fiction relies on finding the right setting, authors spend a lot of time researching the subject of their book to provide readers with an authentic experience. Just like in fantasy and science fiction, this type of fiction forces the author to spend time building the world of the book with the details that completely immerse the reader in another time and place. Speaking to Writers Digest, historian and writer Mary Miley describes some of the steps she takes in writing her books, including exploring time slang and researching primary sources that can give an idea of how the characters lived in time. Miley also mentions the importance of not confusing modern representations of an era with actual sources of that time. For example, a film about the 1920s and a silent film from that period should not be treated as equivalent sources. One of the first operas to use historical events and people is Claudio Monteverdi`s L`incoronazione di Poppea, which premiered in Venice during the carnival season of 1643.
he describes how Poppea, mistress of the Roman emperor Nero, is able to realize her ambition and be crowned empress. Opera was revived in Naples in 1651, but was then neglected until the rediscovery of the score in 1888, after which it became the subject of scientific attention in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Since the 1960s, opera has been performed and recorded many times. George Frideric Handel also wrote several operas based on historical figures, including Giulio Cesare (1724), Tamerlano (1724) and Rodelinda (1725). While extensive research and historical accuracy are important, most authors of the genre realize that this type of fiction is about interpreting the events and people of a bygone era, rather than trying to meticulously reproduce their exact lives. As historical writer Susanna Calkins points out, writing dialogues that truly reflect how their seventeenth-century characters spoke would most likely alienate modern readers looking for fiction, not a textbook. Several historical writers have spoken about the power of the genre to transcend facts and figures and create stories that truly take readers back in time. Historical mysteries, or « historical thrillers, » are set by their authors in the distant past, with a plot that involves solving a mystery or crime (usually murder). Although works that combine these genres have existed at least since the early 1900s, many attribute Ellis Peters` Cadfael Chronicles (1977-1994) to having been popularized.
These play between 1137 and 1145 n. Chr.[69][70] The growing popularity of this type of fiction in the following decades created a distinct subgenre that is recognized by publishers and libraries. [70] [71] [72] [73] Historical narratives have also found their place in comics and graphic novels. There are prehistoric elements in jungle comics like Akim and Rahan. Inspired by ancient Greece, the graphic novels are 300 graphic novels created by Frank Miller that revolve around the Battle of Thermopylae, and Eric Shanower`s Bronze Age series, which tells the story of the Trojan War. Historical themes can also be found in Manhua comics such as Three Kingdoms and Sun Zi`s Tactics by Lee Chi Ching, Weapons of the Gods by Wong Yuk Long and The Ravages of Time by Chan Mou. There are also samurai manga series such as Path of the Assassin, Vagabond, Rurouni Kenshin and Azumi. Several comics and graphic novels have been produced as animated series or a film adaptation like Azumi and 300.
There are many other examples, but you get the idea. You can see that over the years, as historical fiction has become more popular, other things – like the general seriousness of the genre – haven`t changed much. At least if you believe what you read in the newspapers. Historical drama film stories are based on historical events and famous personalities. Some historical dramas are docudramas that attempt to accurately depict a historical event or biography to the extent that available historical research allows. Other historical dramas are fictionalized stories based on a real person and his or her actions, such as Braveheart, loosely based on Knight William Wallace`s 13th century battle for Scottish independence. For films that refer to the history of East Asia, Central Asia and South Asia, there are historical drama films set in Asia, also known as Jidaigeki in Japan. Wuxia films such as The Hidden Power of the Dragon Sabre (1984) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), based on novels by Jin Yong and Wang Dulu, were also produced.
Zhang Yimou has directed several acclaimed Wuxia films such as Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004) and Curse of the Golden Flower (2006). Although largely fictional, some Wuxia films are considered historical dramas. Samurai films such as Zatoichi and Lone Wolf and Cub also fall under the aegis of historical dramas. Peplum films, also known as swords and sandals, are a genre of historical or biblical epics (costume dramas) made largely in Italy that dominated the Italian film industry from 1958 to 1965.