The classical wuxia novels referred to the novels with wuxia as the theme in ancient Chinese and East Asian literature. These novels usually included all kinds of chivalrous stories about the protagonist's grudges and brotherhood in Jianghu through practicing martial arts, fighting for revenge, and so on. The classical wuxia novels play an important role in Chinese literature. Not only do they have literary value, but they also reflect the life and culture of ancient society.
Chivalric romance novels typically have a few key characteristics. For starters, they are set in a medieval or quasi - medieval world. This setting provides the backdrop for all the action. The heroes, the knights, are noble - hearted and follow a strict code of chivalry. This code dictates their behavior in various situations, such as in battle or in the presence of a noble lady. Another aspect is the presence of magic or the supernatural in many of these novels. It adds an element of mystery and wonder to the stories. And of course, the romances themselves are complex and often involve a lot of obstacles that the lovers must overcome.
Cervantes also made contributions to chivalric romance - like works with 'Don Quixote'. Although it's also a satire of the chivalric romances, it still contains elements of the genre. And Chrétien de Troyes was a very important figure in the development of these novels. He wrote several works that were influential in shaping the concept of chivalric romance in the Middle Ages.
Sure, chivalric romances were fiction. They were filled with heroic deeds, love stories, and sometimes magical or supernatural elements that weren't based on real events.
A classic chivalric novel usually has a compelling story with heroic characters, complex plots, and themes that resonate with readers over time. It often showcases values like bravery, honor, and justice.
The main characteristic is courtly love. Knights would show deep, often unrequited love for a noble lady. They would be extremely devoted. Another characteristic is that the knight's actions are guided by the code of chivalry. So, his love is expressed through heroic deeds like fighting in tournaments or going on quests to prove his worth to the lady. Honor is also a big part. The knight must maintain his honor in all his actions related to his love.
Well, in chivalric love stories, courtly love typically involves a code of behavior. The knight is expected to be courteous and respectful towards the lady he loves. This means not only in his words but also in his actions. For example, he might go on a dangerous quest just to prove his love and worthiness to her. And the love is often unrequited or at least difficult to attain, which adds to its allure and the drama of the story.
There's 'Gareth and Lynette' which is part of the Arthurian legends. Gareth, a young knight, sets out on a quest related to Lynette. His actions are driven by chivalry and his growing love for her. In this story, we see how a knight proves himself worthy through his deeds in the name of love. It shows the typical elements of a chivalric love story like honor, bravery and courtly love.
Courtly love influenced chivalric love stories in many ways. It introduced the idea of a refined and noble form of love. Instead of just brute force and conquest, knights were now motivated by love. This led to the creation of more nuanced characters and plots. The stories often revolved around the knight's attempts to win the lady's favor through acts of chivalry like rescuing her or fighting in her name. It also influenced the way love was portrayed, with an emphasis on respect and admiration rather than just physical attraction.
We can recommend reading some classical novels. One of them was "The Wall of the City"(also known as "Silent Play "), which was a novel written by Li Yu, a literary master of the Qing Dynasty. It was considered one of the classics of ancient novels. In addition,'Awakening the World's Eternal Words' was also an excellent classical vernacular novel written by Feng Menglong. Other than that, there were also works like "Yu Shi Ming Yan,""Warning to the World," and "Surprise at the First Moment." These works were all classic works of ancient Chinese short stories, with rich plots and deep character descriptions. I hope these recommendations can satisfy your reading needs for classical novels.
My dear friend, I'm glad to be of help to you. Classic novels are an important part of the treasure house of Chinese literature. There are many classic works such as "Dream of the Red Chamber","Journey to the West","Water Margins" and so on. These works had a far-reaching influence in Chinese history, and were widely praised and deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Dream of the Red Chamber was a classic Chinese novel. It depicted the life of the aristocratic society in the Qing Dynasty. Through the description of many characters and the careful design of the plot, it showed the complexity of human nature and the variety of society. This novel was hailed as a masterpiece in the history of Chinese literature, which had a profound impact on Chinese culture. Journey to the West, on the other hand, was a novel with a mythical background. It told the story of Sun Wukong and other main characters who finally obtained the true scriptures after going through 81 difficulties. This novel had a high reputation not only in China but also around the world. It was widely translated into many languages. The Water Margins was a heroic epic in Chinese literature that depicted a group of righteous people rebelling against the ruling class at the end of the Song Dynasty. This novel was known for its strong sense of justice and distinctive characters, and was regarded as a classic work of Chinese literature. I hope the above information will be helpful to you. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask me.