Love of the Conquering Kind?

Love of the Conquering Kind?

Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds

(Shakespeare Sonnet CXVI)

Many authors present true love as overcoming all obstacles but love has been fiercely debated over the centuries regarding its definition, its meaning and even its existence. However, a universally accepted notion is its psychological importance to people and due to this its central occurrence in the creative arts, especially texts. Texts often present love as 'conquering all', but whether that theme should be used in all texts presents issues- its unrealistic image, its selfishness and its predictability. Love should not be represented within novels as 'conquering all'. Readers should be free to enjoy the vastness of love and its outcomes, whether it be tragic or everlasting.

A common answer to the question 'should all texts present love as conquering all' is the statement that people want to read books with the 'happy ending'. However, it does not mean that if it didn't have an ending where all problems are resolved and love did not conquer all does not mean it is necessarily a sad or bad ending. A story that does not follow the universal fairytale relationship such as where a couple fall in love but problems arise such as many Jane Austen and Mills and Boons novels, are often more interesting and original. It is regularly seen in romantic novels that the couple are ultimately perfect for each other. However, novels where the couple are unlike each other and the relationship is not perfect makes the novel much more entertaining and realistic. It excites the reader as it differentiates from the predictable narrative. Another noticeable thing is that it is often the novels that don't follow the 'love conquers all' or don't have the perfect happily ever after, such as Wuthering Heights and novels by Thomas Hardy and Edith Wharton that are memorable or become classics in society.

Many young adult books in today's society show only the naive importance for teenage girls to find a partner. Is this presenting an unrealistic image to teenagers? A problem in today's society is the false perception of relationships. A classic example of love conquering all, where all obstacles are overcome is the novel Twilight. The female protagonist is presented as plain and ordinary of average intelligence, who is even often selfish, ditsy and oblivious. Yet, against this, she attracts a caring, inhumanly strong, seemingly perfect male model. A worldwide bestseller for young adults, many girls believe that, in reality they can all achieve this 'perfect' guy. Books such as this and the famous Mills and Boons also portray that women must lead a devoted life to their husband to be fulfilled. That finding a partner must be the highest priority

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