In the introduction to my For Love and Money I argued that many Harlequin Mills & Boon romances "are well-written, skilfully crafted works which can and do engage the minds as well as the emotions of their readers, and a few are small masterpieces—as I shall show" (15). However, as Jackie C. Horne points out in her review of my book,
as Vivanco never gives her readers a definition of just what constitutes "literary art," readers are ultimately left unable to judge whether or not any of the 147 books she discusses embody it, or which among those 147 are "small masterpieces."
I was using the words in a very basic sense. "Literature" can be defined as:
The result or product of literary activity; written works considered collectively; a body of literary works produced in a particular country or period, or of a particular genre. Also: such a body of works as a subject of study or examination (freq. with modifying word specifying the language, period, etc., of literature studied). (OED)
"Art" can be used to refer to "Any of various pursuits or occupations in which creative or imaginative skill is applied according to aesthetic principles" (OED), so one might use "literary art" to distinguish between written works and examples of the dramatic arts or the visual arts.
The Oxford English Dictionary's first definition of "art", though, refers to "Skill in doing something, esp. as the result of knowledge or practice" and, "With modifying word or words denoting skill in a particular craft, profession, or other sphere of activity." The "literary art of the Harlequin Mills & Boon romance" can be taken to mean the creative and imaginative skill (which is honed through practice and the acquisition of knowledge) required to produce a written work of romance fiction published by HM&B. To romance readers it may seem rather unambitious to claim that HM&B authors have some skill, but given the number of times words such as "churned", "mass-produced" and "formula" are invoked when HM&Bs are under discussion, it seemed to me that I had a job on my hands just trying to show that there's any skill at all required in their production.
Some authors are, of course, more skilled than others and a "masterpiece" is
A work of outstanding artistry or skill, spec. the greatest work of a particular artist, writer, etc.; a consummate example of some skill or other kind of excellence. Also: a piece of work produced by a craftsman in order to be admitted to a guild as an acknowledged master. (OED)
That refers to the medieval guild system, in which an individual would hope to work their way up from apprentice to master:
Apprentice - A Medieval Guild Apprentice was sent to work for a 'Master' during his early teens. The Apprenticeship lasted between 5 and 9 years depending on the trade. During this time the apprentice received no wages - just his board, lodging and training. An Apprentice was not allowed to marry until he reached the status of a Journeyman.
Journeyman - A Medieval Guild Journeyman was paid for his labour. During this time the Journeyman would create his 'Masterpiece', in his own time, which he would present to the Guild as evidence of his craftsmanship in the hope of being accepted as a 'Master'. It was difficult to reach the status of 'Master' and much depended on the Journeyman's standing and acceptance by the top members of the Guild
Master - A Medieval Guild Master craftsman could set up his own workshop and train his own apprentices. (The York Guild of Building)
There were a wide range of guilds, each with different skills and requirements, but it seems that in general
The middle of the thirteenth century brings us to the point when economic motives, group solidarity, and craftsmanly pride, no doubt combined in varying proportions from place to place, led some guilds to require a test of competence for mastery. [...] At first, the competence of would-be masters does not seem to have been formally tested, but by the middle of the fifteenth century, masterpieces were required in an increasing number of cities of north and central Europe.
The task imposed on painters was generally the execution of a panel of given dimensions; on sculptors, a statue; and on glaziers, a panel of stained glass. The subject is sometimes specified, along with the nature of the material to be used and the technical procedure to be followed. [...] The kind of skill to be demonstrated may be illustrated by the stipulation of the Strasbourg guild statutes of 1516, which call for the aspirant to make a picture of the Virgin or 'some other appropriate image with garments that are carved [which] he should paint, polish, gild, varnish, along with other decoration.' Such requirements may similarly be thought of as tests of standard skills, acquired in a period of apprenticeship during which the novice was by all accounts kept busy with the grinding of pigments, the preparation of grounds and similar technical procedures....[T]he documents only hint at the expectations of the jury through laconic phrases: the work must be 'well and suitably made,' 'in the appropriate manner and style,' and the like. (Walter Cahn, Masterpieces: Chapters on the History of an Idea, Princeton, 1979, as excerpted here, pp. 10-12)
So I was thinking of "masterpieces" as works which are outstanding because they showcase the various skills required to produce literature of the kind published by Harlequin/Mills & Boon i.e. relatively short novels which are tightly focused on the achievement of a happy long-term romantic relationship between the protagonists. Those skills would include an ability to match the register of the writing to the mimetic mode chosen, effective use of modal counterpoint, appropriate use of metaphor and perhaps additionally the ability to rework mythoi and/or use literary allusions and metafictional elements in ways which will delight rather than bore a frequent reader of HM&Bs.
Any such assessment will, of course, be somewhat subjective but I hope I have at least outlined some of the criteria on which one might base an assessment of the skill demonstrated in any given work and presented my readers with enough examples that, should they choose to read the novels in full, they might find at least some that they would consider to be "masterpieces".
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The image depicts Benjamin Franklin as a printer's apprentice and came from Wikimedia Commons.
