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In this chapter, I shall explore how the genre conventions of romance novels and the values of the Evangelical subculture shape the way biblical narratives are retold, using the story of Bathsheba as a case study. First, I will give a brief history of the inspirational romance subgenre and the emergence of romance retellings of biblical narratives. Next, I will look at the representation of the character of Bathsheba in a number of inspirational romance retellings, focusing on how romance tropes are used to shape the narrative and present evangelical ideas about womanhood. Finally, I will contrast these portrayals with a retelling from outside of the inspirational romance genre to see how Bathsheba's story is told differently when evangelical cultural values are absent and romance is not the focus of the plot. (348)
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I will consider how the novelists establish Bathsheba's relationship with David, and then I will investigate how her character is shaped by the tropes of romance novels and the cultural values of evangelicalism. There are three interlinked tropes that I will be exploring: 'not like other girls'; the 'ideal woman/wife'; and 'fairytale romance'. These tropes present the character of Bathsheba in a specific way that perpetuates evangelical doctrines and values, especially gender roles. Finally I will compare these retellings to a non-romance retelling of the story.
The novels I will focus on are: David and Bathsheba by Roberta Kells Dorr; Unspoken by Francine Rivers; Bathsheba by Jill Eileen Smith; Bathsheba: Reluctant Beauty by Angela Elwell Hunt, and Bathsheba by Torgny Lindgren. The first four are written by some of the more prolific writers of romance retellings of biblical stories, while Lindgren's work provides the contrast of a literary retelling. The biblical source material covered is taken primarily from 1 and 2 Samuel, with most authors including the ascension of Solomon from the beginning of 1 Kings. (350)
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While the other [inspirational romance] authors explore the taboo theme of adultery, Hunt provides an opportunity to consider another taboo topic, that of rape and its consequences. While Hunt is traditionally published within the evangelical subculture, she pushes the boundaries more in terms of challenging readers' expectations.
How the authors understand the start of David and Bathsheba's relationship is central to how they represent her character and the tropes they each use to develop the romance between them as their book progresses. That three of the authors frame the relationship as consensual allows them to maintain David as a heroic figure, worthy of Bathsheba's love, and Bathsheba as the damsel he is rescuing from an unhappy life. It also gives Bathsheba agency, the opportunity to act rather than just be acted upon, and become the centre of her own story. Hunt achieves this in a different way by having Bathsheba as the victim of rape who overcomes the trauma she has faced. (353)
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In this chapter I have presented a brief history of evangelical romance retellings of biblical narratives and outlined some of the conventions of romance fiction in general and evangelical romances in particular. I have used the character of Bathsheba as a case study to show how genre tropes and cultural values are used to shape the retelling of her story and some of the implications this has for how we understand her character. Finally, I have contrasted this with a version of her story that does not have a vested interest in presenting her or David in a good light.
My research into this type of novel is ongoing, and there are wider implications to be considered still. On the one hand, the novels can be problematic in their narrow definitions of gender roles and the way they characterise an ancient tale of lust and murder as a model for romantic love. On the other hand, there are also positive elements to the novels as they centre the female characters who are often silenced in the biblical narrative and allow the reader to enter imaginatively into the story. These books are not terrible, but they are flawed, and they should be read with caution - with a soft heart and an engaged mind. (361)
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