A literary genre dating back to the early Middle Ages that has evolved considerably over time. The term itself derives from the fact that the first examples were written in the so-called Romance languages, that is to say, in the local vernacular rather than Latin as most other books were at that time. Also known as courtly tales, these stories were largely adventure and quest narratives focusing on the lives of medieval kings and queens. Thematically, most of these tales concentrate on chivalric issues to do with courage, love, honour, manners, and fidelity, both to oneâs betrothed, but also (and indeed more importantly) to oneâs realm. The most studied examples of such texts are the tales of King Arthur, which have known several permutations. The first modern novel, namely Don Quixote (1604) by Miguel de Cervantes, is a parody of courtly romances that at once undermines the genre and at the same time frees it to evolve in new directions. Romance today refers to what is essentially a sub-genre of the novel whose thematic focus is love---Jane Austenâs Pride and Prejudice (1813) is often taken as the starting point for this modulation of the romance genre, which extends all the way to the popular romances of the variety Mills & Boon publish. This version of the romance genre tends to be shorn of the more adventurous elements, and told from the point of view of the female protagonist. But the romance novel is not the only form in which the genre survives: it continues too in the fantasy novel, such as J. R. R. Tolkienâs âRing Trilogyâ. Further Reading: B. Fuchs Romance (2004).