Student Question
How would you rephrase the statement: “Among his courtiers was a young man of that fineness of blood and lowness of station common to the conventional heroes of romance who love royal maidens.”?
Quick answer:
The statement suggests that in typical romantic tales, the hero is often a noble-hearted but impoverished young man who falls in love with a princess. This scenario sets up a conflict where the princess must choose between allowing her beloved to live with another woman or having him die, ensuring he belongs only to her in death. The "fineness of blood" highlights the hero's noble character despite his low social standing.
I agree with post 2 that the saying reflects that in most romantic stories of this type, the hero who loves the princess is often poor and without prospects, but whose love is true and loyal. In this case, these words set up the essential conflict which the princess must face which is either to allow her loving hero to live but with another woman, or have her lover die so that he belongs only to her even in death. The "fineness of blood" is to indicate that the young man is a truly fine man, but with no position or wealth to change his station in life, he has no prospects for marrying the princess. Thus, her choice will be final and a test of what the reader believes about love.
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