History PlayingWith / OldManMarryingAChild

** Tropestan is in the midst of some kind of humanitarian crisis (e.g. a war, [[ThePlague a plague]], a natural disaster). Alice's parents see marrying her off to Bob as a way to ensure that her needs will be met (as they can no longer afford to care for her), and to protect her from losing her virginity out of wedlock and becoming DefiledForever. If a bride price is involved, her parents may see that as a valuable resource to help them rebuild their lives.

** In their culture, marriages often involve an exchange of money or material goods between the parents. If it's a bride-price, a younger and prettier ([[NatureAdoresAVirgin and more-likely-to-be-a-virgin]]) bride is worth more. If it's a dowry, Alice's parents don't have to pay Bob's parents as much money if Alice is younger and less educated.

* '''Reconstructed''': [[ArrangedMarriage Alice is betrothed to Bob]], but they will wait until she's old enough before actually getting married or consummating the marriage. And either one of them can break off the engagement at any time.

** In their culture, marriages often involve an exchange of money or material goods. If it's a bride-price, a younger and prettier ([[NatureAdoresAVirgin and more-likely-to-be-a-virgin]]) bride is worth more. If it's a dowry, Alice's parents don't have to pay Bob's parents as much money if Alice is younger and less educated.

'''Basic Trope''': {{Lolicon}}, where the young girl is legally married to the older man.

** May be used in a {{Lolicon}} work as FetishFuel.

** Alice is ReallyWasBornYesterday with a body of a prepubescent girl, while Bob is ReallySevenHundredYearsOld.

%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???

** Alice is 12 and Bob is 80.

** It's illegal in the setting to marry before age 18.

** Alice is ReallySevenHundredYearsOld, but Bob is [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld nearly 100,000]] and was engaged to Alice almost as soon as she was born.

* '''Exploited''': In Alice's culture, daughters are considered commodities, and the younger and prettier they are, the more valuable. So Alice's parents marry her off to someone wealthy, who will pay them nice sums of money/livestock/land/etc. in exchange for Alice's hand.

* '''Exploited''': ???

* '''Downplayed''': Alice is 15 and married to a 27 year old man.

** An ArrangedMarriage is necessary in a hurry to seal TheAlliance and Alice and Bob are the only ones available.
* '''Inverted''': Bob is 12 and being married off to 50-year-old Alice
* '''Subverted''':

* '''Double Subverted''':

** But her youthful appearance makes her more desirable to Bob.

* '''Parodied''': A 100 year Bob gets married to Alice while she is still a fetus in her mother's womb.

* '''Averted''':

* '''Enforced''':

** May be used in a {{Lolicon}} work as FetishFuel.
* '''Lampshaded''': ???
* '''Invoked''': Bob comes to the home of Alice's father and offers him the customary bride price (and maybe some more) for the privilege of Alice's hand (and presumably the rest of her)

* '''Defied''': Bob doesn't want to marry a little girl, no matter how [[VirginPower innocent and pure]] she may be.
* '''Discussed''': Can you imagine living in a place like that, where a little girl could be married off to a middle-aged man?
* '''Conversed''': [[WhatTheHellHero But she's still just a little girl!]]
* '''Deconstructed''': This can lead to problems; Alice's reproductive system may not be ready to handle Bob's full-sized penis yet (which can lead to injury and infertility), and younger mothers have a hard time giving birth. (Which could result in DeathByChildbirth). Not to mention, Alice may not be given a say in whom she marries (especially if this is a [[ValuesDissonance cultural thing]].)

* '''Downplayed''': Alice is 15 and married to a 45 year old man.

* '''Downplayed''': ???

'''Basic Trope''':{{Lolicon}}, where the young girl is legally married to the older man.

'''Basic Trope''': {{Lolicon}}, where the young girl is legally married to the older man
* '''Played Straight''': Alice is 12, and she's married off to Bob, who is 50.
* '''Exaggerated''': Alice hasn't even reached puberty yet, and she's already being married to Bob.
** Alice is 12 and Bob is 80
* '''Justified''': Alice and Bob come from a time and/or place where young girls are [[ArrangedMarriage married off]] as soon as they reached puberty, to older men who could provide for them (and pay a nice bride price to the girls' families).

* '''Subverted''': Bob is engaged to marry Alice, but they are going to [[JailBaitWait wait until she's old enough]].

* '''Double Subverted''': Which in their culture means as soon as Alice has her first period.

* '''Deconstructed''': This can lead to problems; Alice's reproductive system may not be ready to handle Bob's full-sized penis yet (which can lead to injury and infertility), and younger mothers have a hard time giving birth. (Which could result in DeathByChildbirth). Not to mention, Alice may not be given a say in whom she marries (especially if this is a [[ValuesDissonance cultural thing]].)
* '''Reconstructed''': [[ArrangedMarriage Alice is betrothed to Bob]], but they will wait until she's old enough before actually getting married or consummating the marriage. And either one of them can break off the engagement at any time.

* '''Lampshaded''':
* '''Averted''': Alice is not being married off to Bob.

* '''Enforced''': The setting is (and/or the writer is from) a place where this is the norm. (See "Justified")

* '''Played For Laughs''':
* '''Played For Drama''':

----

* '''Subverted''': Bob is engaged to marry Alice, but they are going to wait until she's old enough.

* '''Reconstructed''':

* '''Basic Trope''': {{Lolicon}}, where the young girl is legally married to the older man

* '''Played For Drama''':

* '''Parodied''': A 60 year Bob gets married to Alice while she is still a fetus in her mother's womb.

* '''Parodied''':

* '''Basic Trope''': {{Lolicon}} turned UpToEleven