Adventurer
An
adventurer or
adventuress is one who takes part in a risky or speculative course of action for profit or position, or one who lives by his or her wits.
In fiction, the adventurer figure or
picaro may be regarded as a descendant of the
knight-errant of
Medieval romance. Like the knight, the adventurer roams through episodic encounters, usually involving wealth, romance, or fighting. Unlike the knight, the adventurer was a realistic figure, often lower class or otherwise impoverished, who is forced to make his way to fortune, often by deceit. The
picaresque novel originated in
Spain in the middle of the fifteenth century. Novels such as
Lazarillo de Tormes were influential across Europe. Throughout the eighteenth century, a great number of novels featured bold, amoral, adventuring protagonists, who made their way into wealth and happiness, sometimes with and sometimes without the moral conversion that generally accompanies the Spanish model.
In
Victorian morality it implies a person of no
moral character, often someone trying to marry for money. Lord Barkis Bitteren of the movie
Corpse Bride is such a character.
In
role-playing games, the
player characters are often professional adventurers, who earn wealth and fame by
adventure, such as undertaking hazardous missions, exploring ruins, and slaying monsters. This stereotype is strong enough that
the adventurers can often be used as a synonym for
the player characters. However
non-player character groups of adventurers can also exist, and can be an interesting encounter for the players.
See also:
adventure.
History
*
Calamity Jane*
F.A. Mitchell-Hedges*
Mata Hari*
Richard Francis Burton*
T. E. Lawrence*
Alexander von Humboldt*
Heinrich Harrer*
Ranald MacDonaldFiction
*
Conan the Barbarian*
Lara Croft*
Robin Hood*
Indiana Jones*
Xena of Amphipolis
*
Jack Flanders
