So all the lovesick teenagers out there, here's a question for you: have you ever wondered why love stories end the way they do?
Possible Ending #1: Death Of Protagonists
Take, for example, Romeo and Juliet. Both of them die in the end. Heer and Ranjha meet the same end. Sohni and Mahiwal? Same old story. There is a story from the Andaman and Nicobar islands called 'Tatara-Vamiro katha' in which male protagonist Tatara's sword splits the earth in two and Tatara dies when he cannot make it to either of the two halves.
Possible Ending #2: Happily Ever After
This is the stuff of fairy tales. Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty- all of them ended with the prince and the damsel in distress both getting what they wanted. The atmosphere created by these endings is so warm, fuzzy and cuddly that readers (most of which are not over three years of age) start expecting the same ending from their lives.
Possible Ending #3: The Jane Austen Marriage Ending
Jane Austen, although old, was a very modern writer. Despite my hatred for love stories, I like all the Jane Austen novels, not only because these are romantic comedies which still form the basis for many movies, but also because she never underestimated the power of money and a big mansion when it came to choosing a husband. These stories always end with the haughty female protagonist marrying the rich, misunderstood male protagonists and becoming the mistress in what looks like a five-star hotel.
Possible Ending #4: The Twilight Ending
These days, Twilight is ruling the world. I think it is an old-world romance set in the modern world and can never represent teenagers of today, but who am I to say anything when the book has sold 87 million copies (Okay, I admit it. Four of those copies were bought by me.) The ending to the Twilight series is mainly the conclusion of the love triangle, with Bella choosing Edward over Jacob (and Jacob imprinting on a baby and forgetting all about Bella). If the love story involves three people, it usually ends like this, with the girl choosing 'what her heart wants' and not what is good for her. Not that hairy werewolves who burst out of their clothes every time they change form are good for anyone, but still.
Now, come back to my question: why do love stories end the way they do?
The answer is pretty simple- Because that's how people want it to end!
For example, Romeo and Juliet had to die in the end because nobody wanted their families to patch up and attend a lavish wedding, because then the story would become as mundane as that of Chetan Bhagat's '2 States'. So, Shakespeare thought it was much better for both of them to die so that readers admire their rather romantic sacrifice. But isn't death a little risky? I mean, how can you be so sure that you are going to meet on the other side? What if Romeo fell for another hot dead girl and forgot about Juliet? That wouldn't be good.
And then there's the happily ever after. Well, here's the thing- Happily Ever Afters suck! Once you get your perfect ending, there will be nothing left to want and then, there will be no reason to live. And besides, is it right for a young girl's dream to be to get rescued by a charming prince? There are way better dreams one could have.
Jane Austen may have been modern and honest about her views on the society's obsession with money and marriage. But what happen after the main characters marry? Do their kids have stomach infection and drive them crazy? Does the boy become bankrupt and the girl leave him? Hmmm..... Lots to wonder.
Then comes the situation with love triangles. Any person at the center of this non-geometrical triangle would probably never choose either suitor because he/she would be enjoying the double attention and the fight for him/her way too much. That's just how egotistical and self-centered people usually are!
Last but not the least, in real life, people aren't the way they are in stories. For example, can you imagine Edward Cullen going to his eight-hour job and coming back home late in the evening and losing his bronze hair as it gets older. And if Edwards had really been like that, would Bella, who has a strange obsession with beauty, ever fall in love with him? i don't think so.
But there is some good news for all those who have just had their romantic bubble burst- real life is way more interesting than 'happily ever after'.
Throughout your life, different people are going to love you in different ways. If you did happen to come across romantic love, it would not be worth losing all the other forms of love you have in your life. So open your eyes! Don't chase after the kind of love you have only read about. You won't find it, it will find you. In the meantime, enjoy all the other forms of love coming from your people and in the end, you will have your own 'happily ever after'.
