Pérez-Gil, M. D. M. (2019). Representations of Nation and Spanish Masculinity in Popular Romance Novels: The Alpha Male as “Other”. The Journal of Men’s Studies, 27(2), 169-182.
The author claims that the hegemonic masculinity that has long dominated romantic novels is embodied by the alpha hero. When he is an exotic foreigner, however, the portrayal of this male type becomes problematic, as his hyper-hetero-sexualized masculinity is frequently associated with his country’s gender backwardness.
In this article, the author analyzes popular romantic novels from the 1970s set in Spain. It reviews how British authors use gender and national stereotypes to create a stereotypical image of Spanish men. These works’ participation in the notion of Britain’s superiority is revealed by the raw and instinctual masculinity assigned to them.