"Historical fiction is a literary genre in which a fictional plot takes place in the setting of particular real historical events."
A story set in the past that uses real historical figures as characters.
Historical events: Learning about significant events in history forms the backbone of historical fiction. Understanding historical events is crucial for a reader to make sense of the narrative.
Biographies: Fictional accounts of the life stories of real people can be a valuable tool for historical fiction writers. Biographies provide insight into what motivated people and what they endured in their personal lives.
Historical figures: Knowledge about significant historical figures informs readers about their struggles and achievements. Readers gain a sense of the context in which these people existed, and how their lives shaped the course of history.
Cultural norms: Cultural norms vary from place to place and from period to period. Understanding the social rules and values of a particular time and place is essential for writing and understanding historical fiction.
Language: Language is constantly changing and evolves over time. Readers need to be aware of the language used in the era being portrayed to fully comprehend and appreciate the author's writing.
Time periods: Identifying and understanding time periods is critical to historical fiction. Proper research and knowledge of various eras can assist readers to understand the setting, tone, and themes of the novel.
Politics and government: Politics and government heavily influence the course of history. Understanding the machinations of politics from different eras throughout history can provide rich material for historical fiction writing.
Religion: Religion is a vital aspect of many periods throughout human history. Understanding different religious beliefs, traditions and rituals is an essential component of writing authentic historical fiction.
Art and architecture: The art and architecture of different periods have a huge impact on culture and society. Knowledge about these areas can provide a tangible context for historical fiction.
Fashion and costumes: Dress patterns, clothing styles and other aspects of culture change over time. Having knowledge of these details can help render an accurate portrayal of the historical era being depicted.
Historical Biography: This type of historical fiction focuses on a single person's life, often with additional research and information to make the story more accurate and educational.
Autobiographical Historical Fiction: This type of historical fiction is a personal account of someone's life or experiences, usually written by the figure himself/herself.
Historical Fiction Series: These are multiple books in a chronological series that chronicle the events of a particular historical era or figure.
Historical Fantasy Fiction: This type of historical fiction incorporates magical elements into the story while still remaining grounded in actual historical events or figures.
Historical Romance Fiction: This type of historical fiction is a story that involves a romantic relationship between two characters set in a particular historical era.
Historical Mystery Fiction: This type of historical fiction is a story that uses historical context to solve a mystery, often involving a particular historical figure or event.
Historical Adventure Fiction: This type of historical fiction is a story that follows a character as they travel through a historical period, often encountering real historical figures and events.
Historical Alternative Fiction: This type of historical fiction imagines what would have happened if history had gone differently, often by exploring alternate outcomes of famous historical events or famous people.
Historical Literary Fiction: This type of historical fiction is a story set in a historical era that emphasizes character development, language, and narrative style to create a rich, atmospheric world.
Historical Thriller Fiction: This type of historical fiction is a fast-paced, action-packed story that usually involves political intrigue, espionage, or warfare in a particular historical period.
Historical Horror Fiction: This type of historical fiction deals with evil or supernatural phenomena set in a historical period, with the aim of creating an atmosphere of terror or suspense.
Historical Western Fiction: This type of historical fiction is a story set in the American West, often featuring cowboys, settlers, and outlaws as key characters.
Historical Political Fiction: This type of historical fiction explores the power struggles and political intrigue of a particular historical era or figure.
Historical Religious Fiction: This type of historical fiction deals with religious themes or figures in a particular historical period, often exploring faith, sin, and redemption.
Historical Satirical Fiction: This type of historical fiction uses humor and satire to critique the culture, politics, or people of a particular historical period.
"Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to other types of narrative, including theatre, opera, cinema, and television, as well as video games and graphic novels."
"An essential element of historical fiction is that it is set in the past and pays attention to the manners, social conditions, and other details of the depicted period."
"Authors also frequently choose to explore notable historical figures in these settings, allowing readers to better understand how these individuals might have responded to their environments."
"The historical romance usually seeks to romanticize eras of the past."
"Some subgenres such as alternate history and historical fantasy insert intentionally ahistorical or speculative elements into a novel."
"Works of historical fiction are sometimes criticized for lack of authenticity because of readerly criticism or genre expectations for accurate period details."
"This tension between historical authenticity and fiction frequently becomes a point of comment for readers and popular critics."
"While scholarly criticism frequently goes beyond this commentary, investigating the genre for its other thematic and critical interests."
"Historical fiction as a contemporary Western literary genre has its foundations in the early-19th-century works of Sir Walter Scott and his contemporaries in other national literatures such as the Frenchman Honoré de Balzac, the American James Fenimore Cooper, and later the Russian Leo Tolstoy."
"However, the melding of 'historical' and 'fiction' in individual works of literature has a long tradition in most cultures."
"Both western traditions (as early as Ancient Greek and Latin literature) as well as Eastern, in the form of oral and folk traditions (see mythology and folklore), which produced epics, novels, plays, and other fictional works describing history for contemporary audiences."
"[Historical fiction] allows readers to better understand how [historical figures] might have responded to their environments."
"An essential element of historical fiction is that it is set in the past and pays attention to the manners, social conditions, and other details of the depicted period."
"The historical romance usually seeks to romanticize eras of the past."
"The term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to other types of narrative, including theatre, opera, cinema, and television, as well as video games and graphic novels."
"Some subgenres such as alternate history and historical fantasy insert intentionally ahistorical or speculative elements into a novel."
"Works of historical fiction are sometimes criticized for lack of authenticity because of readerly criticism or genre expectations for accurate period details."
"While scholarly criticism frequently goes beyond this commentary, investigating the genre for its other thematic and critical interests."
"Historical fiction as a contemporary Western literary genre has its foundations in the early-19th-century works of Sir Walter Scott and his contemporaries in other national literatures such as the Frenchman Honoré de Balzac, the American James Fenimore Cooper, and later, the Russian Leo Tolstoy."