Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.2, 2021

Analysis on Narratives of Online Urban Romance Novel

(Abstract)

Su Xiaofang

Online urban romance novel is an important type of online novels, which sets six main character types centered on the heroine. Among them, the virtual and perfect image of the hero reflects the gender consciousness and gender order of this type of novel. The common plots of heroes saving beauty, contract marriage, two women fighting for a husband, sadomasochism and sweet pets in the works are closely related to traditional literature and foreign popular culture. From the perspective of narration, they are often objective, commentary, and subjective in the third person. The narrative is freely switched between the three, and the ideal reader of the work is presumed to be young female audience who gain pleasure in reading with substituting empathy. Such works generally have defects such as catering to an unreasonable gender order and lack of imagination.