"Celestial love is what every woman has longed for since the
world began. Even in childhood little girls have tender dreams of romance in
which they are the beautiful princess sought after by the handsome prince. Snow
White and Cinderella are favorites of little girls. During youth, uppermost in
a young girl’s mind is finding a man who will love and cherish her. This tender
love has long been the theme of great operas, novels, and songs. Romantic love,
one of the most moving forces in life, rightfully deserves our study and
consideration."
Helen's
ideas on love are influenced by her Mormon background, hence the term
celestial, which for Mormons represents an exalted heavenly sphere. But
they are also influenced by her extensive reading of 19th century
European literature (Hugo and Austen come to mind) and popular culture
(the Disney films Snow White (1939) and Cinderella (1950) were incredibly popular).
And her ideas bring up questions. Is romantic love truly something we should associate with heaven? Should our wants and needs when we are teenagers dictate the rest of our lives, or should we expect our wants and needs to change and mature as we (and our relationships) mature? What does it mean to love, and which responsibilities does it entail?
And her ideas bring up questions. Is romantic love truly something we should associate with heaven? Should our wants and needs when we are teenagers dictate the rest of our lives, or should we expect our wants and needs to change and mature as we (and our relationships) mature? What does it mean to love, and which responsibilities does it entail?
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