Fairy Romance Stories Were Popular Hundreds of Years Ago

Today, books about romance and magical fairies are very popular. Many people think this type of fantasy story is completely new. However, people in Europe read very similar stories more than 800 years ago.

this type of= 意為「這種類型的」，用來指稱某個特定的類別。

In the late 1100s, romantic fairy tales began in France and quickly spread across Europe. Rich nobles loved them, but farm workers also knew the stories. Daily life was hard, so people read about magic lands and crystal palaces to escape their real problems.

In the late 1100s= 意為「在1100年代晚期（末期）」，指1170年至1199年左右的時期。

These medieval stories often had strong female characters. Instead of brave knights saving women in trouble, powerful fairy queens often saved the knights. For example, a 12th-century poem tells the story of Lanval, a poor knight. A magical fairy queen saves his life and takes him away to fairyland on her horse.

Instead of= 意為「……的代替」或「而不是……」，用來表示以另一個行動或事物取代原本的選擇。

Women wrote and read many of these medieval romances, just like readers of fantasy romance today. Some critics at the time criticized the stories and called them silly. However, the popularity of fairy love stories shows that this reading tradition is centuries old.

at the time= 意為「在當時」，指歷史上的那個特定時期。

學習筆記

文法整理

句型	意思
this type of	意為「這種類型的」，用來指稱某個特定的類別。
In the late 1100s	意為「在1100年代晚期（末期）」，指1170年至1199年左右的時期。
Instead of	意為「……的代替」或「而不是……」，用來表示以另一個行動或事物取代原本的選擇。
at the time	意為「在當時」，指歷史上的那個特定時期。

詞彙整理

單字	意思
medieval	中世紀的；與歐洲中世紀（約五世紀至十五世紀）有關的
escape	逃脫；逃離受限制或危險處境的行為。
tradition	代代相傳的思想、觀念或行為方式。
palaces	君主、皇室成員或其他顯貴居住的宏偉宅邸；宮殿。
knights	（中世紀歐洲）受過騎馬作戰訓練、遵守騎士道的武士；現指英國由君主授予爵士勳位的人。
critics	專門分析、評論文學、藝術、電影、音樂等作品的人；評論家。

延伸學習

•在中世紀文學中，「羅曼史（romance）」原本是指用羅曼語族語言（如古法語）而非拉丁語寫成的冒險傳奇，後來才逐漸演變為指代浪漫愛情故事。
•文中提及的貧窮騎士蘭瓦爾（Lanval）的故事，出自12世紀著名女詩人法蘭西的瑪麗（Marie de France）所寫的敘事詩（lai）。