Since the tales of Robin Hood,
circa 1100 to 1300 C.E., men have leapt into action on the high
road, thrilling readers with daring adventures of mystery and
intrigue. Around the bend, over the hill, through the plains, for
the Highwayman, the unknown lies just up ahead and it will find
him. In romance novels, this tantalizing man is paired with his
female counterpart, who ready or not, assists or becomes part of
his confrontations. She contributes the element of love, a reason
for rescue or escape, to match his danger, ambition and open
rebellion.
What's The Appeal?
The popular classic, Lorna Doone, A Romance of
Exmoor, written in 1869 by R. D. Blackmore, is the original
prototype for today's historical romances with a highwayman. The
main elements include the late seventeenth-century setting in
wild moor country, secret agents, clannish marauders, provincial
farmers, highway-men and, most important, love at first sight.
Present day versions of the highwayman romance, whether
historical or contemporary, share two identifying elements from
Lorna Doone. First, a defiant character—hero, heroine or
villain. This character is mysterious, living the dangerous life
of an outlaw or as a rebel for a defeated people, but whose goal
is a kind of wild justice. Second, the element of travel by road,
railroad, or with some recent degree of success, through
airports. These elements have a strong pull for readers in that
they symbolize the rites of passage, a change in direction, and
the soul's progress toward its deepest goals.
The highwayman's
role as a protector, his intellectual perception and honorable
self-sacrifice for the sake of a cause makes him an appealing
larger-than-life image. His deliberate actions against the law
fully engage the reader in an exciting confrontation, becoming a
battle between good and evil, between the ideals of a society and
its reality. And always, in the end, love proves more powerful
than the corruption or disapproval of society.
Authors' Thoughts...
Millie Criswell:
"Dangerous and daring are
difficult qualities to resist in a hero, which explains the
appeal of highwaymen who rescue damsels in distress and perform
other feats of daring do, and which is why the most enduring of
these heroes, Robin Hood, who steals from the rich, gives to the
poor, and thumbs his nose at authority is still with us to this
day." Ms. Criswell recommends The Raider by Jude
Deveraux.
Andrea Kane:
"I think there's something heroic,
exciting, and compelling about a Robin Hood-type character (which
describes Pierce Thornton in THE LAST DUKE). Driven by his own
childhood demons, Pierce risks his own life to rob from the rich
to give to the poor. The Robin Hood-type is a mix of recklessness
and courage, dexterity and cleverness, principles and
compassion—what could make for a better hero."
Stobie Piel:
"A dark, dangerous hero, who can defy
whatever rigid society oppresses his culture, is certainly strong
enough to protect and love the heroine. Actually, in Rebel
Wind, the heroine takes that role, as a seemingly
mild-mannered, bookish girl from the North who rides at night in
Virginia—and comes up against the hero who is upholding his
culture and admiring her daring. I recommend Pale Moon
Rider by Marsha Canham."
The Highwayman still closely resembles the original hero
Robin Hood. He is the gentlemanly outlaw, the noble who remains
faithful to the true English king and shares his bounty with the
needy. In a modern setting, he becomes a mysterious stranger, an
outcast, a man without a past who carries his own convictions. He
is the western cowboy, a figure in disguise, an innocent on the
run. These highwaymen have one thing in common: they are all in
need of a good woman.
-Constance Martin
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