Love through the Centuries

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at the different way that love was portrayed in these centuries when viewed through Hollywood film. A brief comparison of the legalities of marriage, the way courting took place and the different ways in which the man pursues the woman are discussed when comparing the story-lines of the two movies.

From the Paper:

"In both the 16th and 20th Centuries, marriage is only legally binding when sanctioned by the state. In Elizabethan times the Queen or monarchy was the state, as portrayed in AShakespeare in Love.@ Although the institution of marriage in Western culture underwent tremendous changes in the 20th Century, marriage still must be authorized by the state. Whether the marriage ceremony is civil or legal, the person performing the marriage must say, Aby the power invested in me by the state of...I now pronounce you husband and wife.@ Therefore, in both the 16th and 20th centuries, marriage is essentially a social practice reflecting the purposes and character of the society of its time. The concept of romantic love as the key foundation for the institution of marriage is a modern idea. "

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