In 1988, R.J. Sternberg published his Triangular Theory of Love. His model describes the various types of love that exist based on intimacy , passion, and commitment (Sternberg 233). At the center of the triangle, where all three components join, is what Sternberg called “consummate love.” Socially, consummate love is the ideal true love. However, many of the other types of love are mistaken as true love. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez deals with, as the title suggests, love. However, not all love in the novel is true love. Marquez fills the novel with marriages and affairs, but takes a clear stance on the idea of love. Love that is not consummate love will eventually end. The author uses companionate love, intimate
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Florentino Ariza has slept with “six hundred twenty-two” (101) women in his life. The use of detail shows that Florentino has had relationships with a large amount of women, and he “loved [all] the casual women in his...life” (178). “Casual” carries a negative diction. It denotes impermanence, and connotes detachment. However, Florentino contradicts that meaning with the word “love,” which carries a positive diction, denoting deep affection, and connoting an emotional attachment. The detail describes the casual encounters with the women as loving encounters, meaning Florentino felt love towards them, but never intended to stay with them. Therefore, his relationships contain romantic love. While having an affair with Olimpia Zuleta, a married woman, he writes on her body (141) to express his passion toward her. However, she forgets to clean herself off, and exposes the vulgar writing to her husband. He promptly goes to the bathroom, grabs a razor, and “cut[s] her throat” (141). Due to Florentino’s selfish expression of romantic love, he causes the death of a woman who he claims to love. Therefore, romantic love - composed of passion and intimacy - ends in failure. Because this type of love fails to have commitment, Marquez believes it is a failed type of
Florentino Ariza has slept with “six hundred twenty-two” (101) women in his life. The use of detail shows that Florentino has had relationships with a large amount of women, and he “loved [all] the casual women in his...life” (178). “Casual” carries a negative diction. It denotes impermanence, and connotes detachment. However, Florentino contradicts that meaning with the word “love,” which carries a positive diction, denoting deep affection, and connoting an emotional attachment. The detail describes the casual encounters with the women as loving encounters, meaning Florentino felt love towards them, but never intended to stay with them. Therefore, his relationships contain romantic love. While having an affair with Olimpia Zuleta, a married woman, he writes on her body (141) to express his passion toward her. However, she forgets to clean herself off, and exposes the vulgar writing to her husband. He promptly goes to the bathroom, grabs a razor, and “cut[s] her throat” (141). Due to Florentino’s selfish expression of romantic love, he causes the death of a woman who he claims to love. Therefore, romantic love - composed of passion and intimacy - ends in failure. Because this type of love fails to have commitment, Marquez believes it is a failed type of