Dictionary Definition
swashbuckler n : a reckless impetuous
irresponsible person [syn: daredevil, madcap, hothead, lunatic, harum-scarum]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Pronunciation
Noun
- A swordsman or fencer, that engages in showy or extravagant sword play.
- A daring adventurer.
- A kind of period adventure story with flashy action and lighthearted tone.
Translations
A swordsman or fencer
A daring adventurer
- Finnish: hurjapäinen seikkailija
A kind of period adventure story
- Finnish: seikkailukertomus
- ttbc French: fier-à-bras
Extensive Definition
Swashbuckler or swasher is a term that developed
in the 16th century to describe rough, noisy and boastful swordsmen. It is based on a
fighting style using a side-sword with
a buckler in the
off-hand, which was filled with much "swashing and making a noise
on the buckler".
Today the term "swashbuckler" has changed, and
refers to both a type of fictitious character and to a fiction
genre, especially in the world of film.
Swashbuckler, a person or character
The word "swashbuckler", in the modern sense,
generally describes a fearless romantic archetype, a fictitious,
adventurous, sword-wielding, male character who seeks to win the
heart of a beautiful lady while rescuing society from the clutches
of a dastardly villain. A classic swashbuckler exhibits exceptional
courage and swordfighting skill, a strong sense of honor and
justice, a chivalric romantic sense, and the capacity for wit,
style, and resourcefulness under pressure. Such characters include
The
Three Musketeers, The
Scarlet Pimpernel, Robin Hood,
and Zorro.
There have also been a few female swashbucklers, such as Maureen
O'Hara in the film Against
All Flags and Tessie
Santiago in the short-lived
Queen of Swords television series.
Actors famous for their portrayals of
swashbucklers include Douglas
Fairbanks Sr., Douglas
Fairbanks Jr., Errol Flynn,
Tyrone
Power, Burt
Lancaster, and (arguably) Basil
Rathbone, an extremely skilled fencer who often played
villains.
Swashbuckler, a fiction and film genre
"Swashbuckler" also denotes a fiction and film
genre that is
characterized by dazzling swordplay, an adventurous and romantic
plot, a historic setting, and black-and-white heroes and villains.
This genre traces its origins to the chivalry tales of Medieval
Europe, such as Robin Hood and the King Arthur
legends. Among its most famous works are The
Three Musketeers, The
Scarlet Pimpernel, Scaramouche,
Ivanhoe,
Cyrano de Bergerac, and a large number of pirate stories.
Authors who specialized in swashbuckler fiction include Alexandre
Dumas, Rafael Sabatini, the Baroness Orczy, Sir Walter Scott,
Johnston McCulley, and Edmond Rostand.
Stylized, jaunty, and wildly entertaining,
swashbucklers are one of the most flamboyant Hollywood film genres,
the opposite of cinema
verite and modern realistic filmmaking. They first became
popular during the heyday of actor Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., who
became world famous for his cocky and charismatic portrayals of
heroes such as d'Artagnan and
Zorro. The
genre subsequently attracted large audiences who loved the escapist
adventure, historic romance, and exciting athleticism.
During the 1960s, as popular culture became more
cynical and morally ambiguous, the plots and morality of
swashbuckling heroes were interpretted to be simplistic and quaint.
Nonetheless, the romantic appeal of the swashbuckler still endures;
contemporary examples include
Pirates of the Caribbean, and The
Mask of Zorro.
List of swashbucklers
Notable swashbucklers from literature and other
media include:
List of authors of swashbuckling literature
Other uses
The swashbuckler is also a type of men's shirt of the sort worn in swashbuckling movies. It is usually white, with an open neck and chest with a lace up front.See also
External links
References
swashbuckler in Spanish: Novela de capa y
espada
swashbuckler in French: Roman de cape et
d'épée
swashbuckler in Portuguese:
Swashbuckler
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
Herod,
battler, belligerent, belted knight,
bickerer, blade, blatherskite, bluff, bluffer, blusterer, braggart, bravo, brawler, bucko, bully, bullyboy, combatant, competitor, contender, contestant, disputant, duelist, enforcer, fanfaron, fencer, feuder, fighter, fighting cock, foilsman, gamecock, gladiator, goon, gorilla, hatchet man, hector, hectorer, hood, hoodlum, hooligan, jouster, knight, miles gloriosus, militant, peacock, plug-ugly, quarreler, ranter, raver, rioter, rival, roisterer, rough, rowdy, ruffian, sabreur, scrapper, scuffler, squabbler, strong arm,
strong-arm man, strong-armer, struggler, strutter, swaggerer, swanker, swash, swasher, sword, swordplayer, swordsman, thug, tilter, tough, tussler, vaporer, wrangler