Jump to content

Swashbuckler

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, seeSwashbuckler (disambiguation).
D'Artagnanand the Three Musketeers.
Literature
Oral literature
Majorwrittenforms
Long prose fiction
Short prose fiction
Prose genres
Fiction
Non-fiction
Poetry genres
Narrative
Lyric
Lists
Dramatic genres
History
Lists and outlines
Theoryandcriticism
Literature portal

Aswashbuckleris agenreof European adventure literature that focuses on aheroicprotagoniststock characterwho is skilled inswordsmanship,acrobatics, andguile,and possesseschivalrousideals. A "swashbuckler" protagonist is heroic, daring, and idealistic: he rescuesdamsels in distress,protects the downtrodden, and usesduelsto defend his honor or that of a lady or toavengea comrade.

Swashbucklers often engage in daring and romantic adventures with bravado or flamboyance. Swashbuckler heroes are typically gentleman adventurers who dress elegantly and flamboyantly in coats, waistcoats, tight breeches, large feathered hats, and high leather boots, and they are armed with the thinrapiersthat were commonly used by aristocrats.

Swashbucklers are not usuallyunrepentantbrigandsorpirates,although some may rise from such disreputable stations and achieve redemption.[1]His opponent is typically characterized as a dastardlyvillain.While the hero may face down a number of henchmen to the villain during a story, the climax is a dramatic one-on-one sword battle between the protagonist and the villain. There is a long list of swashbucklers who combine courage, skill, resourcefulness, and a distinctive sense of honor and justice, as for exampleCyrano de Bergerac,The Three Musketeers,The Scarlet Pimpernel,Robin Hood,[2]andZorro.[3]

As ahistorical fictiongenre, it is often set in theRenaissanceorCavalierera. The stock character also became common in thefilm genre,which extended the genre to theGolden Age of Piracy.As swashbuckler stories are often mixed with theromancegenre, there will often be a beautiful, aristocratic femalelove interestto whom the hero expresses a refined,courtly love.At the same time, since swashbuckler plots are often based on intrigues involving corrupt religious figures or scheming monarchs, the heroes may be tempted by alluringfemme fatalesor vampish courtesans.

Etymology[edit]

"Swashbuckler" is acompoundof "swash" (archaic: toswaggerwith a drawn sword) and "buckler"(a small shield gripped in the fist) dating from the16th century.[4][5]

Historical background[edit]

R.L. Stevenson –The Black Arrow

Whileman-at-armsandsellswordsof the era usually wore armor of necessity, their counterparts in later romantic literature and film (see below) often did not, and the term evolved to denote a daring, devil-may-care demeanor rather than brandishment of accoutrements of war. Swashbuckling adventures and romances are generally set in Europe from the lateRenaissanceup through theAge of Reasonand theNapoleonic Wars,extending into thecolonial erawithpiratetales in theCaribbean.

Literature[edit]

Jeffrey Richardstraces the swashbuckling novel to the rise ofRomanticism,and an outgrowth of the historical novel, particularly those of SirWalter Scott,"... medieval tales of chivalry, love and adventure rediscovered in the eighteenth century".[1]This type of historical novel was further developed byAlexandre Dumas.

John Galsworthysaid ofRobert Louis Stevenson's 1888 swashbuckling romance,The Black Arrow,that it was "a livelier picture of medieval times than I remember elsewhere in fiction."[6]Anthony Hope's 1894The Prisoner of Zendainitiated an additional subset of the swashbuckling novel, theRuritanian romance.[7]

Theatre[edit]

The perceived significant and widespread role of swordsmanship in civilian society as well as warfare in the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods led to fencing being performed on theatre stages as part of plays. Soon actors were taught to fence in an entertaining, dramatic manner. Eventually fencing became an established part of a classical formation for actors.

Movie[edit]

Consequently, when movie theaters mushroomed, ambitious actors took the chance to present their accordant skills on the screen. Since silent movies were no proper medium for long dialogues, the classic stories about heroes who would defend their honour with sword in hand were simplified and sheer action would gain priority. This was the birth of a new kind of film hero: the swashbuckler.[8]For Hollywood actors to depict these skilled sword fighters, they needed advanced sword training. Four of the most famous instructors for swashbuckling swordplay areWilliam Hobbs,Anthony De Longis,Bob AndersonandPeter Diamond.

The larger-than-life heroics portrayed in some film franchise adventures (most notably theIndiana Jonesmovies) set in the modern era have been described as swashbuckling.[9]

Film[edit]

Main article:Swashbuckler film
Douglas Fairbanksin the 1922 filmRobin Hood

The genre has, apart from swordplay, always been characterized by influences that can be traced back to thechivalrytales of Medieval Europe, such as the legends ofRobin HoodandKing Arthur.It soon created its own drafts based on classic examples likeThe Mark of Zorro(1920),The Three Musketeers(1921),Scaramouche(1923)andThe Scarlet Pimpernel(1934).Some films did also usemotifsof pirate stories.[10]Often these films were adaptations of classic historic novels published by well-known authors such asAlexandre Dumas,Rafael Sabatini,Baroness Emma Orczy,SirWalter Scott,Johnston McCulley,andEdmond Rostand.

Swashbucklers are one of the most flamboyant Hollywood film genres,[11]unlikecinema veriteor modern realistic filmmaking. The genre attracted large audiences who relished the blend of escapist adventure, historic romance, and daring stunts in cinemas before it became a fixture on TV screens. With the focus on action, adventure, and, to a lesser degree, romance, there is little concern for historical accuracy. Filmmakers may mix incidents and events from different historical eras.

As a first variation of the classic swashbuckler there have also been female swashbucklers.[12]Maureen O'HarainAgainst All FlagsandJean PetersinAnne of the Indieswere very early action film heroines. Eventually the typical swashbuckler motifs were used up because they had so often been shown on TV screens. Later films such asThe Princess Bride,thePirates of the Caribbeanseries andThe Mask of Zorroinclude modern takes on the swashbuckler archetype.

Television[edit]

Television followed the films, especially in the UK, withThe Adventures of Robin Hood,Sword of Freedom,The Buccaneers,andWillam Tellbetween 1955 and 1960. US TV produced two series ofZorroin1957and1990.Following the 1998 filmThe Mask of Zorro,a TV series about a female swashbuckler, theQueen of Swords,aired in 2000.[12]

List of characters[edit]

Famous swashbuckler characters from literature and other media include the following:

Actors[edit]

Actors notable for their portrayals of swashbucklers include:

Sources for films[edit]

Fiction writers whose novels and stories have been adapted for swashbuckler films include:

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abRichards, Jeffrey (March 26, 2014).Swordsmen of the Screen: From Douglas Fairbanks to Michael York.Routledge.ISBN978-1-317-92863-8– via Google Books.
  2. ^"The Robin Hood Project at the University of Rochester".Robin Hood Project.University of Rochester.Retrieved2011-05-10.
  3. ^"The University can lay claim to having its very own Zorro after a student won a prestigious national fencing competition".Archived fromthe originalon 2014-09-15.Retrieved2011-05-10.
  4. ^"swashbuckler – Origin and meaning of swashbuckler by Online Etymology Dictionary".www.etymonline.com.
  5. ^"The Buckler".The Sussex Rapier School. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-10-07.Retrieved2007-05-13.
  6. ^Quoted in Edward Wagenknecht,Cavalcade of the English Novel(New York, 1943), 377
  7. ^Lancelyn Green, Roger.Introduction to Prisoner of Zenda & Rupert of Hentzau,Everyman's Library. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1966
  8. ^"At Sword's Point: Swashbuckling in the Movies".Archived fromthe originalon 2016-07-23.Retrieved2011-05-10.
  9. ^"How Indiana Jones Actually Changed Archaeology".nationalgeographic.com.14 May 2015. Archived fromthe originalon May 17, 2015.
  10. ^"Swordplay and Sunken Treasures:The Great Swashbucklers and Pirate Movies".Archived fromthe originalon 2011-07-22.Retrieved2011-05-10.
  11. ^"266 Swashbuckling Films".Archived fromthe originalon 2016-03-04.Retrieved2011-04-12.
  12. ^ab"Swashbuckling Women of Movies, TV, Theatre, etc".Retrieved2011-05-10.
  13. ^""Elder Coquelin Dies of Acute Embolism; Great French Actor Was Soon to Appear in Rostand's "Chanticler.",New York Times.January 28, 1909 ".
  14. ^Holder, Heidi J."Sothern, Edward Askew (1826–1881)",Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,Oxford University Press, 2004
  15. ^Krebs, Albin (1994-10-22)."Burt Lancaster, Rugged Circus Acrobat Turned Hollywood Star, Is Dead at 80".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2021-04-07.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Swashbuckler&oldid=1222186046"