Are Puritanical Cultures More Romantic?
Maybe they are fruitful romance settings because the Puritanism easily creates both external and internal conflict for the characters. Romeo and Juliet are thought to be the epitome of romance, and why is that? Because there were several obstacles they had to conquer in order to be able to love each other. (So they did a bad job, but that’s not the point.) Puritanical societies are just bursting with these obstacles on the road to love. When sexual attraction is frowned upon, the path of true love doesn’t run smooth. For example, the lovers have to struggle to do one or more of following: a) to meet at all b) to talk without having been introduced c) to meet without a chaperone d) to meet without a chaperone without becoming ruined e) to see bits of skin without the full garderobe on f) to touch said skin g) to find a suitable spot for a clandestine kiss h) to find a suitable spot for a clandestine deflowering session i) to overcome guilty conscience for enjoying it j) to ease guilty c
