A bodice-ripper is a sub-genre of romance. Specifically, the bodice ripper is a story that takes place in a historical setting concerning a growing, consensual, passionate romance between a somewhat passive, yet beautiful, virginal woman and an aggressive man. Conflict is created by making the romance illicit by historical standards (the parties involved come from different social classes, the man is a convict, the woman is a nun-in-training, the parents have forbade the girl to marry, etc.) The final moment of consummation always takes place off-stage where the writer cuts to something symbolic. For instance:
The pretty little waitress approached the table as the muscular man patted his lips clean with his napkin. "I trust," she shyly asked, "that you enjoyed your meal?"
Earl Manly smiled and took the hand of the surprised woman. "The meal defined the word ‘delicious.’ Just like the one who served it to me."
"Sir!" Mary Jane gasped.
"And now," Manly cried as he leaped to his feet, "Dessert!" He crushed Mary Jane to his chest and she gasped as she felt the bodice under her Waffle House uniform stretch beyond the breaking point.
"Sir!" she cried again, "we’re disturbing the other customers! I am grateful for your appreciation, and the management here at Waffle House encourages a fifteen percent gratuity!"
Manly’s eyes were wild with passion. "I have eaten breakfast here everyday at your table for six months just so I can do this." And with that, he locked his lips with hers in a fervent kiss.
As Mary Jane felt the last shreds of her bodice disintegrate under Manly’s impassioned embrace and his kiss fill her very being, she realized that serving him the triple garlic breakfast souffle had been a bad idea.
Outside in the night sky, far above the Waffle House's flickering yellow neon sign, falling stars flamed into incandescence.
Now that is a bodice ripper and a darned good one too, if I may say so myself. I just may publish this one and make millions of dollars.
That was indeed a ripping yarn.
ReplyDelete"she realized that serving him the triple garlic breakfast souffle had been a bad idea."
ReplyDelete*snirk!* Yeah, it was!