Through its depiction of heroines, romance fiction has the capacity to reflect the attitudes and concerns women face in society. However, the depiction of heroines in romance novels is bound by the constraints publishers place upon them. A vibrant, passionate mid-life heroine gets pushed into a subgenre where romance no longer exists as an option, while a mid-life reader in search of a romance heroine to identify with is relegated to novels where romance is a marginal issue, rather than the main impetus that leads the story. This study, and the novel A Basic Renovation, addresses a neglected demographic of reader and heroine who are marginalised within the romance genre. As well, it gives reasons why heroines need not be characterised in particular roles or situations as they age, and a rationale for why their underrepresentation as romance heroines should end.

For my thesis, I plan to research the sexuality and the process of courtship, and the differences between 19th century Vienna and modern America, specifically as to how it relates to my characters in Romance, Romance. My interest in the topic springs directly from the script. What I mean is, my initial idea of sexuality of the 19th century is very Victorian and straight-laced, where as I think of modern day as very sexually liberated. However, in the script, the first act, set in Vienna, is much more sexually explicit and active. In fact, the second act is all building up to an affair that does not even occur. Working as these characters, I believe that a historical view of what sexuality was actually like outside of Victorian England will lead me to a much better understanding of my character, and his particular past and desires for both sexual partners and potential mates. I also believe this research will assist me in constructing the modern character of Sam who can all at once love his wife, desperately want an affair, and cower away from said affair when the opportunity finally arises. Another interesting impact this research will create for my work is the juxtaposition of these two time periods and their individual codes of etiquette for behavior in this play. While the play is divided into two separate one-acts, they are presented together as one collective work, so the combination of each piece clearly leads to comparisons and further understanding of the other play. I believe this research will not only enlighten me about these two eras but also enlighten my performance, and assist me in effectively carrying out this complex pair of roles with a richer character developed. It also will provide me with a better understanding of the juxtaposition of these two plays, why they are paired together in the way they have been, and how this juxtaposition is effective in this particular work of musical theatre.