Contrasting Romances in Much Ado About Nothing

Perhaps my favorite example of my type of romance is the Shakespeare play “Much Ado About Nothing.” I like it because it’s a great play (the original romantic comedy), and I admit because a petty part of me likes the legitimacy Shakespeare lends my ideals of romance and marriage. Enter the two couples: the young Claudio and Hero, in starry-eyed infatuation with one another, and the older bickering Beatrice and Benedick, who always try to outdo each other in a war of wits. Benedick and Claudio are soldiers who made the acquaintance of Beatrice and Hero when they stayed at … Continue reading

Evil Spirits and Sword Fights: More Wedding Tradition Origins

Today I want to share some of my favorite origins behind wedding traditions. The traditions themselves aren’t my favorites, but I’m very tickled by their roots. These traditions have to do with the wedding party and originated in medieval Europe. It’s easy enough to imagine why a bride is surrounded by bridesmaids; they often spent the night with the bride before her wedding to make sure that she wasn’t visited by any men before becoming a wife. But that’s not the only reason for their presence. Centuries ago brides and their maids all dressed alike (which is why bridesmaids still … Continue reading

Passion’s Place in A Marriage

Maybe I should stop expecting television to accurately portray life or romance, but I can’t help it. Media has a subtle yet powerful influence on our thinking, especially on younger folks, that just makes me want to address the issues it raises. Fox’s trendy new sitcom “New Girl,” starring Zooey Deschanel, just wrapped up its freshman season. In the last few episodes Deschanel’s character Jess breaks up with her boyfriend after having dinner with him and his ex-wife (something that was a bad idea in the first place). At the dinner she observed the formerly-married couple at each other’s throats, … Continue reading