Crimes of love

Disciplines > Storytelling > Plots > Polti's Situations > Crimes of love

Description | Discussion | See also

Previous: Crimes of love

Next: Discovery of the dishonor of a loved one

Description

Elements

The Lover
The Beloved

Summary

The Lover loves the Beloved, but this love is illicit in some way, breaking social codes.

Variants

A mother in love with her son
A daughter in love with her father
Violation of a daughter by a father

A woman enamored of her stepson
A woman and her stepson enamored of each other
A woman being the mistress, at the same time, of a father and son, both of whom accept the situation

A man becomes the lover of his sister-in-law
A man becomes enamored of his sister-in-law
A brother and sister in love with each other

A man enamored of another man, who yields

A woman enamored of a bull

Discussion

There are a number of sexual relationships which are social taboos in many societies, including paedophilia, incest, homosexuality and bestiality.

Whilst the motives for such acts may range from pure love to depravity, they are nevertheless likely to receive rough justice if discovered, and are hence often covered up. This may require the collaboration of kin who may be disgusted at the relationship, but yet play along out of loyalty and hope that the person involved will somehow come to their senses.

Crimes of love such as these tend to appear largely in adult stories, reflecting real social codes. Readers may be horrified and fascinated, perhaps at seeing the 'other side of life' and maybe in vicarious pleasure at seeing their own repressions being acted out. They may also have sympathy for others involved.

'Crimes of love' is the 26th of Georges Polti's 36 Dramatic Situations.