Alpha Amours: The Roles of the Alpha Male Hero and Alpha Female Heroine in Romance PART 2

(Continued from last time)

The Romance writer tells the story of a woman readers can identify with on some level, using key phrases to evoke the Alpha female's physical appearance (not too young . . . a glossy curl . . .). As with the Alpha male hero, the details of her appearance are unimportant, things such as hair and eye color being largely a matter of personal taste, but the central image of the Alpha type rings clear.

The question of the Romance heroine's virginity is a frequent one and has many answers, depending on the context: social or philosophical, cultural or psychological. In the context of the Alpha type, in which animal and physical basics are central, the answer is simple. The untouched female promises a genetic purity for her mate: the male can be assured that it is his genetic material alone that is being reproduced upon mating.

Romantic? Maybe not very much, but it does hearken to basic human instinct, enhanced by millennia of cultural enforcement. Whether we accept moral constructs in favor of virginity, the idea has a genetic resonance. Experienced heroines are far more common in Romance these days, either as a reflection of, or a concession to, changing mores. Still it is the "Woman Becoming," the virginal heroine, that continues to enthrall Romance readers.

The Alpha heroine has far more flexibility in her social roles than does the hero with whom she interacts. This is because, in a way unlike any other genre, the female protagonist adopts the heroic pattern, holding the central role. Romance is the story of the heroine's journey of self-development, of her perceptions, her actions and the changes she makes in her world. She has the ability to move both vertically or horizontally in the social structure of her world. Unlike the Alpha male, who is in part defined by the strength of his social standing, the feminine role in the Romance reflects the heroine's rise to the "lead pack position," using, among other things, her quick intelligence. This Alpha trait is never in short supply and the heroine's often cutting use of her wit makes for exciting repartee.

Most engaging about the Alpha female, as personified by the Romance heroine, is her capacity for emotional articulation. She is in touch with her full emotional capacity, and unafraid of expressing herself. In the pursuit of her goals, and the hero, she will exhibit passionate courage, determination, and a willingness to be vulnerable (whatever it takes . . . daring . . . even marry you!). She will form whatever bonds, by whatever means, that she deems will support her quest. And through her emotional strength, she will draw forth her Alpha male's own emotions, until he, too, is able to see and appreciate the gentle strength of the love that has developed between them.

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