True love is something that can happen no matter the circumstances of the situation. Whether you are a poor beggar boy chasing after the heart of a princess, a chivalrous and courageous Knight immensely in love with the queen that you”ve vowed protection to, or whether your families are hated enemies of one another, it is possible for love to take root and blossom. It also could be the simple attraction to what we cannot have, the forbidden. Regardless of the reason, love of these kinds has spawned off wonderful and inspirational stories. Stories about such couples as Aladdin, Sir Lancelot, Romeo and their lovely ladies have all helped to keep the dream alive. It is the dream that love, although forbidden, or seemly impossible, with great sacrifice is achievable.
“I can show you the world shining, shimmering, splendid. Tell me princess, when was the last time you let your heart decide?” Aladdin and Jasmine will forever be remembered by their magical carpet ride across the night sky, through the clouds, and over the lighted desert city of Agrabah. This Middle-Eastern based romance is only a cartoon, but it does illustrate clearly the aspect of forbidden love. Aladdin, a poor beggar boy from the streets of Agrabah, wished to prove to everyone that he was much more than what they thought he was, a “street rat.” One day, he helped a young girl in the market place and he began to fall in love with her, not realizing her true identity in the beginning.
The young girl in actuality is none other than the princess of his kingdom, Princess Jasmine, and fortunately for him she returned his love. Although the princess could only wed a royal suitor, Aladdin believed that someday he would be able to have his princess. As luck would have it, a mysterious old man took him to the incredible Cave of Wonders, in search of a magical lamp. Aladdin used this lamp to free the genie inside. With the help of the genie, Aladdin was able to save his kingdom from impending doom. This act off goodness convinced the Sultan that Aladdin was a worthy suitor for his daughter Jasmine.
King, Queens, and Knights in shining armor are all that a great epic romance needs to be successful. One such story is that of Sir Lancelot and his love affair with the very queen he swore protection to, Queen Guinevere. Guinevere was the beloved queen of King Arthur, the founder of Camelot. As the champion of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere and premiere Knight of Arthur”s court, Lancelot was an unstoppable warrior. He almost never met defeat and quickly defeated all comers in or out of armor and regardless of the number of his foes. However, he was defeated, but only by the power of love. He was unable to control his love for the queen of Camelot and she returned his love, making it harder for either of them to deny it. They felt this love so strongly for each other they were willing to destroy all that King Arthur had worked for during his entire life, just so they could be together.
Lancelot was Arthur”s best friend and most trusted knight, and Guinevere was his wife and his queen, yet they continued their relationship together. Camelot fell, as they knew it would, and feeling the guilt of it, Guinevere and Lancelot decided they must separate. Lancelot became a monk and lived as a penitent until his death, and Guinevere did nearly the same. She went to a nunnery spending the rest of her life in repentance and serving God, hoping for forgiveness for what she and Lancelot had done. An unfortunate end to such a romance, but a tragedy such as this immortalizes the tale for all of history and the days that precede it.
“Oh Romeo, Romeo. Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love and I”ll no longer be a Capulet. `Tis only thy name that is my enemy. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet must be the most famous romantic couple of all time. Their love was forbidden by social status. Their families did more than not approve of their love for each other; the Montagues and the Capulets were archenemies. Even though centuries of hate ran through their blood, the love of their hearts cleansed the hatred with every beat. It is sad their lives would not last as long as their love. Romeo, hearing that Juliet was dead, went to see for himself and he found it to be true. He soon killed himself beside her body, not wanting to live another moment on this earth without his beloved Juliet. After he died Juliet awoke from her induced comatose-like sleep to find Romeo committed suicide because he thought she was really dead. Juliet, overwhelmed with remorse for causing the death of her lover, killed herself as well. Both Romeo and Juliet choose not to live life without the other.
These tales are only a few examples of forbidden love. It is not that clear whether any of these stories are fiction or non-fiction, but one thing is for certain, many people experience forbidden love like this. Love finds a way and with that thought, cannot be erased by laws or rules. It is the fabric that never fades, no matter how often it is washed in the waters of grief. Love is the power that motivates hope, and hope is what makes us live today as if tomorrow were yesterday. Aladdin and Jasmine, Sir Lancelot and Lady Guinevere, and Romeo and Juliet all saw this and chased their love and proved that even the most forbidden of loves is possible as long as they are willing to sacrifice.
