At this week’s rose cafe, GRF Sara discussed romance in literature. She had to clarify that this does not imply dating or love, but instead a complex relationship with authority and escapism. We began by pointing out that most medieval romances did not focus on a happy love story, but instead on adultery. This kind of romance, as Sara points out, disrupts authority. It disrupts the institutions that tell us what is right is a happily married nuclear family. In another way, romance also ties in with desired-based thinking. And nothing is more desirable that the wish to flee away from all responsibilities and make the escape. I think this is why fantasy shows and books are so popular amongst young adults, who recently have entered the workforce and facing responsibilities desperately desire an escape from it all. I think this cafe helped further dissect our literary and entertainment interests to see exactly how they reflect our innermost desires. And literature helps do this longitudinally on different sentiments throughout history.
Rose Scholars Spring 2018
Endless possibilities
I think it was really interesting that this Rose Cafe helped us take a deeper look at our literary and entertainment interests, and then see that it stems from an intrinsic desire for fantasy and adventure. I thought it was interesting that in our discussion it emerged that many students could relate to having experienced that during childhood and not so much later on, but when they experience it they also get a strong sense of nostalgia.