Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Tuesday Tropes: The Cultured Warrior


The enemy line has fallen. You charge in. Victory is at hand, but over the next hill, an enemy leader sits on a stool, sipping hot tea while listening to Bach on the phonograph next to him. Then, with a gentle wave of his hand, he sends in the second wave. Time to retreat!

The Cultured Warrior - a character trope with two key characteristics: 1) the person is well acquainted with battle, well trained, has the muscles to show for it, and knows how to pick and win a fight, no matter how big or small, and 2) the person is very well versed in the arts and sciences, and may be a connoisseur or a wine taster, as a hobby. This character is more likely to start a war because you've insulted his favorite book instead of talking smack about his mother.

Beast from X-Men is an excellent example, his favorite pastime being reading while he hangs upside down. Need a real life example? How about that George S. Patton, an avid reader and decorated general who fought in the WWII European Theater?

"May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't!"

The Cultured Warrior is something of a neutral trope, since the character in question can be a good guy, bad guy, or something in between. Come to think of it, both the Sith and Jedi pride themselves on their cultural knowledge - they just have a difference of opinion.

"It's all about Power!"       "It's all about Peace!"

These guys have the tendency to be suave, debonair, intellectually intimidating, and oftentimes annoying, because, let's face it - who likes it when someone acts like they're smarter than you? It's enough for any star fleet captain to launch a tracking torpedo at them!



Moral of the story: I wouldn't quote Shakespeare during a fight ...

Where else have you seen The Cultured Warrior? Are you brave enough to use this trope in your writing? Have you already? 

I'm David, and *unsheaths sword* have you any Grey Poupon?

21 comments:

  1. I think I've used this one before. Grand Admiral Thrawn in the Star Wars novels is one of my favorite cultured warriors. Most Bond villains tend to be in that category since they're usually rich and have a bunch of fancy stuff but also don't mind disintegrating someone with a ray gun.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think villains who are cultured are the scariest. I'm all for complex bad guys, but this makes them somewhat psychotic to me. *shivers*

    ReplyDelete
  3. In one story I'm writing, I made a warrior who can't read. I kind of went "anti-culture" on this trope.

    ReplyDelete
  4. An character trait for sure. I think a well read, cultured, warrior or bad guy adds interest to the character.

    As of yet, I haven't written any character like this. But who knows what the future brings... insert evil laugh here. LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Funny. I'm using this one for the first time in the current wip.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I don't think Kirk really pulled off the cultured warrior type. He tried but captain Picard did it much better.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This was so interesting! I don't think I've heard the term before, but that type of character is all over in fiction and TV & movies.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The cultured warrior...I like that the juxtaposition of grace and violence, very intriguing:)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nice trope! The character of Saladin from Kingdom of Heaven also comes to mind. I don't think I've used this one yet, though I do have a cultured "warrior wannabe" as a bad guy in on story. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I immediately thought of Abe from Hellboy. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. This is my main character exactly. But she only quotes Shakespeare in between battles. :P

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is a very interesting post! Thanks for the video.

    www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Very interesting, not something I thought about before but so true. I think, in a way, later generation Samurai in Japan because sort of cultured warriors. Although they were still definitely more warriors than anything else.

    ReplyDelete
  14. You have to be careful when using this warrior.

    ReplyDelete
  15. This one I've used! It's a very interesting trope, and one I actually rather enjoy using in moderation.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ooo, I'm not sure, but I do like the thought behind it. I can see lots of those people getting a torpedo launched at them. Possibly Khan.... :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I have so used this, for both a MC and a villian.

    ReplyDelete
  18. The Undiscovered Country. I remember that one. Not one of my favs but better than 5.

    I don't think I've used this trop.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I haven't used this one, though I think I might--it's totally sparking an idea for a wip :) I will admit to being married to this type though, and I think that counts!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oh- I love Beast. He makes such an interesting character.

    ReplyDelete