Akhil Dearest,
These are my thoughts on the subject of Duchess of Alba. I read all the details contained in both Wikipedia and Guardian. This is the third time that she is entering into marriage. The report says that many had objections about her age also the age gap between the two. This I view as the manifestation of gender discrimination that is still dominant all societies whether advanced, developing and backward. Today’s world though accepts formal and legal equality between genders in practice there remains a lot of discreet and indiscreet discriminations. From my younger year I have noticed cases of young girls given in marriage to older men. Even today the tradition continues all over India though girls above 18 are considered as mature and independent. Some media polls show that a large percentage of young women consenting to arranged marriages. The other side is that young men wanted to choose their partners. Here is a real dilemma.
I wrote a note on a novel titled “Every Woman Knows A Secret” by Rosie Thomas. This note is there in blog uploaded by you. Here is a quote:
“I think that the author is averse to love between elder woman and younger boy of her son’s age. Does this seem unnatural? Not to this writer. There are examples of older men cavorting young girls without anyone taking serious objection then why if the situation is reverse? The author could have developed a story based on real love between the older and the young. Sex is only secondary and supportive of the theme”.
I have read similar themes in other books of fiction. But they don’t develop it to love or lasting relationship. They are just momentary encounters motivated far from love.
In this connection I might also mention that there is no such thing as pure love unconnected to physical. Poets celebrate pure love in their compositions which is termed as romantic. They are just poetic fancy and no reality. Even ancient poets like Kalidasa do not talk of love without any physical reference. The GeetaGovindam celebrates the relation between Radha and Krishna in complete physical terms. (There is a blog on this.)
K.N.Krishnan.
7.9.2011.
