LOVE LINGERS HERE: INTIMATE ENDURING RELATIONSHIPS XI. STORMING IN AN ENDURING RELATIONSHIP
For other couples, conflict may surface regarding finances or careers or political preferences or family relations. It often seems that several areas of conflict emerge at the same time, each exacerbating the other area(s) of conflict.
Falling out of Infatuation
In Sondheim’s musical fairy tale called “Into the Woods “we discover what happens when the prince and princess (be she Cinderella, Snow White or Sleeping Beauty) are living “happily ever after.” Among other things, the handsome prince loses interest in his attractive princess, despite the fact that she continues to look very beautiful. First of all, he no longer has something to dream about, to fight for, to snatch away from others who also desire her. The fair princess is now his alone and having won the battle, there is little joy in the victory. Sondheim’s two Prince Charmings (one married to Cinderella, the other to Snow White) sing a duet about their painful discovery that the chase may be more interesting than the prize.
Our contemporary princes also discover that their beautiful h014V brides have much more to offer than just a lovely countenance. Sleeping Beauty has something to say when she wakes up, and neither Cinderella nor Snow White are interested in spending the rest of their lives doing housework for an ungrateful and often untidy man. Contemporary Cinderellas want to return to school. They are too tired or too busy with schoolwork to attend many grand balls. Many Sleeping Beauties return to successful corporate positions that they held before going unconscious (falling in love). Snow White becomes active in community programs to eliminate discrimination against short people. Prince Charming is often not very charming at this point. lie must adjust to the realities of his princess’s new (or renewed) vision and hopefully become just as enamored with these aspects of the princess as he was with her beauty or whatever characteristics (intelligence, wit, physical skills, etc.) originally attracted her to him.
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