| 1 | %%Image chosen via crowner in the Image Suggestion thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php/ImagePickin/ImageSuggestions116 |
| 2 | %%https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1452266899092104700 |
| 3 | %%Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 4 | %% |
| 5 | [[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/TheSwanPrincess https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sp_arrangedmarriage_4.png]]]] |
| 6 | [[caption-width-right:350:A childhood betrothal turns out to be true love.]] |
| 7 | %%Caption chosen via above crowner. Don't change or remove without approval from the Caption Repair thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1404492079030138900 |
| 8 | %% |
| 9 | ->''"Yesterday, my mom and dad told me I was getting engaged to the grandson of my grandfather's best friend. We're Japanese-American so it wasn't that unusual. So today I met my new fiance and realized that it was the same guy that I spent 3 hours with on Facebook, debating whether ''[[Anime/PokemonTheSeries Pokémon]]'' was better than ''Anime/YuGiOh.'' I think it's fate."'' |
| 10 | -->-- [[https://web.archive.org/web/20091022080144/http://mylifeisaverage.com/story.php?id=988897 My Life is Average]] |
| 11 | |
| 12 | Nowadays, you have to ''expect'' the bride and groom to object to an ArrangedMarriage. Commit for life to someone they might not like, or even know? No way. They'll tear their clothes, gnash their teeth, lock themselves in their rooms, and swear that they'll never, ''ever''-- [[SlapSlapKiss is that them necking in the atrium?]] |
| 13 | |
| 14 | Sometimes the couple who have been so strenuously unhappy about their betrothal discover they not only like but ''love'' each other, and it is perfectly clear that they would have paired up even if a third party hadn't put them together. [[RuleOfDrama Drama being what it is]], you can expect one of their initial plans to undo or back out of the arranged marriage to then ''succeed'', and their parents will set them up with a new betrothed that they truly can't stand. Expect one or both to have to swallow their pride and [[WillTheyOrWontThey come out and say]] they want their parents' first offer after all. |
| 15 | |
| 16 | A variant is that both meet outside of the home environment (before or after the declaration) [[TwoPersonLoveTriangle without recognizing each other]]. Maybe they ran away from home entirely, only to happily embrace [[LonelyTogether "a fellow in misery"]] -- and ''later'' commiserate about their bossy parents. Eventually, once they recognize one another, their common experience helps them fall in love. |
| 17 | |
| 18 | Sometimes this perfectly arranged marriage doesn't come about randomly, but intentionally by parents, like a BatmanGambit scenario. One or more of the parents involved who knows both well enough has arranged the marriage since both are highly compatible and could naturally fall in love. In fact, this is the ''purpose'' of an 'arranged marriage' in the first place. It is akin to a matchmaking service, and the couple will generally have some sort of courtship before tying the knot, and it's very rare for someone to be forced to marry a person they despise. Even a GoldDigger would want a decent relationship if for no other reason than to help in securing the knot. |
| 19 | |
| 20 | In other cultures, however, especially feudal societies, marriages would be struck between noble houses [[AltarDiplomacy to secure alliances, build power, get closer to the throne, etc]]. In cases like this, the couple's individual romantic tastes are a very low priority, as they see the marriage as a duty to their families. But then it turns out they love each other after all. |
| 21 | |
| 22 | This trope is frequently used as a justification for the use of the ArrangedMarriage and AltarDiplomacy tropes to audiences with Western sensibilities, who are often uncomfortable with the concept of forced marriage. It's not a violation of free will if both ''want'' to get married, after all. |
| 23 | |
| 24 | Compare MarriageBeforeRomance for when a couple has gone through with a marriage for other reasons than love and only then starts to develop feelings for one another. Expect a lot of arguing and bickering to contrast with the more idealised love story of the unwed, ending in a big AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther moment, to the surprise of everyone, most of all themselves. Can go hand-and-hand with ChildhoodFriendRomance if the betrothed pair grew up together. |
| 25 | |
| 26 | ---- |
| 27 | !!Example subpages: |
| 28 | [[index]] |
| 29 | * PerfectlyArrangedMarriage/AnimeAndManga |
| 30 | * PerfectlyArrangedMarriage/FanWorks |
| 31 | * PerfectlyArrangedMarriage/{{Literature}} |
| 32 | * PerfectlyArrangedMarriage/VideoGames |
| 33 | * PerfectlyArrangedMarriage/RealLife |
| 34 | [[/index]] |
| 35 | |
| 36 | ---- |
| 37 | !!Other examples: |
| 38 | |
| 39 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 40 | |
| 41 | [[folder:Asian Animation]] |
| 42 | * Earlier seasons of ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf'' imply that the main villain Wolffy and his wife Wolnie dated each other before becoming HappilyMarried, but the [[Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolfMoonCastleTheSpaceAdventure third film]] retcons it into an arranged marriage. In the film, Wolnie works at a canteen before she meets Wolffy. The canteen prepares a horrible-tasting plate of fried rice and tells all the male wolves in the building that if any of them can eat the whole thing, they'll get to marry Wolnie. Wolffy, who misses this announcement, sneaks into the canteen to eat the fried rice. Cue Wolffy and Wolnie getting married and being happy with each other. |
| 43 | [[/folder]] |
| 44 | |
| 45 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 46 | * ''ComicBook/{{Alone}}'': Saul and Camille, per the former's group's rule, ends up being married. As they spend time together, they genuinely fall in love with each other, with Camille being Saul's MoralityPet. [[spoiler: Up until Saul ends up being the champion of the First Families and of Good while Camille is the "Midnight-Child", champion of the Last Families and of Evil. And even then, it's clear Saul still loves Camille. It's a bit more unclear on Camille's side of things, though.]] |
| 47 | * ComicBook/{{Gambit}} and his ex-wife Bella Donna Boudreaux met when the two were both eight years old, before they would be betrothed to one another to end the feud between the Thieves' and Assassins' Guilds. [[ChildhoodFriendRomance The two became best friends naturally and deeply loved each other]]. Gambit only left her behind because he didn't want to take her away from everything and everyone she loved. |
| 48 | * ComicBook/DoctorStrange's manservant Wong was betrothed as a child to a girl who wasn't even born yet. Nevertheless, he has no problem falling in love with Imei once they meet, though she dies before they can get married. |
| 49 | * Played for drama in ''ComicBook/LesLegendaires'': prince Halan had an arranged marriage with Jadina. She wasn't interested, so when she was demonstrated the arrangement attracted more assassination attempts than it solves conflicts, she ran away to become an adventurer magician, founding the team. Halan, on the other hand, was fond of her and sees the mission as an opportunity to get her again. |
| 50 | * ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}} Vol. 2'' gives us an arranged marriage GoneHorriblyRight: Xavin convinces Karolina they must try in order to prevent a war. But a few issues later, war ignites despite the two of them actually loving each other. |
| 51 | * This happened with the former king and queen Maximillian and Alicia Acorn in ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics''. This was a case of BecauseDestinySaysSo since the Acorn family consulted with The Source of All to decide whom the royal family should marry. |
| 52 | [[/folder]] |
| 53 | |
| 54 | [[folder:Films -- Animated]] |
| 55 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfTomThumbAndThumbelina'': The title characters (not their names at the time) were betrothed as babies... [[SarcasmMode Well, that was lucky, wasn't it!]] They even had a backup just in case one came home but not the other. |
| 56 | * ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAsThePrincessAndThePauper:'' King Dominick and Princess Anneliese are betrothed, and he ''thinks'' his burgeoning romance with her is this. In reality, it's not actually Anneliese but her IdenticalStranger Erika, who's disguised as her to keep the engagement on while the real princess has been kidnapped. In the end, everything works out when Anneliese returns, and Dominick and Erika marry. |
| 57 | * ''{{WesternAnimation/Brave}}'': |
| 58 | ** Elinor admits that she had doubts about her arranged marriage to Fergus years ago - getting a FlatWhat from her husband. But it's clear that they do love each other very much. |
| 59 | ** This would have been the case in earlier drafts where Merida would end up with one of her proposed suitors - Young Macguffin - but not in the finished film. |
| 60 | * In ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'', Victor is apprehensive about being put into an arranged marriage... until he actually meets his bride-to-be Victoria and finds her [[ProperLady gentle intelligence]] very appealing. She likewise is charmed by his excellent piano-playing and shyly genteel manners. |
| 61 | * The marriage in the end of ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfSuLing''. Su-Ling didn't know that Chang was actually the Emperor's son and was angry about being forced to marry him. Chang also didn't know that his father was forcing him to marry Su-Ling and he returned home so that the peasants wouldn't suffer his father's wrath. When they both saw each other, it worked out just fine. |
| 62 | * A major case happens in ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie2TheSecondPart''. [[spoiler: Queen Whatevra Wa-Nabi wants to marry Batman as a way to merge her kingdom with the LEGO Apocalypseberg - thinking Batman is the ruler of said land. Batman insists he is a permanent "Bat-chelor" and there's no way he's marrying her. Using ReversePsychology, she says she actually wants Superman and just chose him to make Superman jealous. This causes Batman to try and outdo Superman by wooing her. Though things start off on a non-altruistic note for both, they eventually do end up falling for each other as they spend time together, and they are married at the end of the film.]] |
| 63 | * In ''WesternAnimation/{{The Lion King|1994}}'', Simba and Nala both recoil a bit when they're told that they were betrothed when they're children. Simba's initial reaction has nothing to do with not ''liking'' Nala (they're best friends, after all), and everything to do with him apparently being at the GirlsHaveCooties age. The cubs also bring up the point that, because they're best friends, it would be "too weird." However, neither makes much attempt to foil the marriage, as Simba goes into self-imposed exile for unrelated reasons long before it becomes an issue. When they meet again as adults, they follow the rest of the trope to the letter. |
| 64 | * ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooInArabianNights'': In the gender-flipped version of Aladdin, the Prince [[ArrangedMarriage was supposed to marry the Princess of Serendibe]] but she disappeared back when she was a little girl. Aliyah-Din was eventually revealed to be the lost Princess. It's very similar to the ''Sleeping Beauty'' example below. |
| 65 | * Disney's ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty''. "Father, you're living in the past. This is the Fourteenth Century!" declares Prince Phillip. Luckily, the girl he met in the woods turns out to be the princess to whom he's been betrothed for sixteen years. It works with the princess herself as well. Aurora (aka Briar Rose) is [[HeroicBSOD rather understandably devastated]] when she finds out about her arranged marriage to Prince Phillip (not to mention that the poor girl has just found out that she's a princess, meaning ''her whole life up until then was a lie'') until she discovers that Prince Phillip and that nice guy, she met in the forest are the same person. The TrueLovesKiss that Phillip gave Aurora to wake her up certainly helps. |
| 66 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSwanPrincess'' toys with this, as pictured above. Prince Derek and Princess Odette, the heirs of two neighboring kingdoms, are betrothed to each other by her widowed father and his widowed mother, who are good friends and want to unite their realms. Forced to spend every summer together, the two generally dislike each other and have to be physically forced into the same space. Then one day they meet each other after puberty, and it's LoveAtFirstSight. Derek demands that the wedding be arranged, but when Odette asks him why, he replies that she's beautiful... and when she asks, "Anything else?" he replies, "What else is there?" (Cue the mass FacePalm from the guests.) Odette promptly refuses to marry him, but they are happily married in the end, so the trope is ultimately played straight. |
| 67 | [[/folder]] |
| 68 | |
| 69 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 70 | * In a bit of a roundabout way in ''[[Film/TheHungerGamesCatchingFire Catching Fire/Mockingjay]]''. President Snow does not arrange Peeta and Katniss's marriage per se, but they know they will have to play the role of lovebirds for the rest of their lives unless they want the Capitol to punish them (and murder their friends and family), so marriage will be inevitable. Katniss suggests the marriage in the hopes of appeasing Snow a bit and Peeta very reluctantly agrees to it (he's in love with her but doesn't want her to marry him because she ''has'' to). In the end, she marries him out of genuine love, and they live as happily ever after as a pair of deeply traumatized young adults can. |
| 71 | * In ''Literature/FlowerDrumSong'' (the musical adaptation), in order to get out of his CitizenshipMarriage contract to Mei Li, Sammy Fong facilitates an arranged marriage between her and Wang Ta. Although Ta initially wants to marry Linda Low ([[LoveDodecahedron who wants to marry Sammy]] himself) he falls for Mei Li for real. |
| 72 | * In the Creator/ShawBrothers flick ''Film/HeroesOfTheEast'', the protagonist, a Chinese martial artist named Ho Tao, is absolutely disgusted at his father's prospect at marrying him to an unknown woman of a Japanese family who is a business ally of his father... until he saw his bride, Yumiko Koda, who turns out to be absolutely gorgeous. They both end up bonding through their common knowledge of Oriental martial arts, and eventually ends up a happily married couple. |
| 73 | * Inverted in the fantasy film ''Film/{{Krull}}'', where the hero and his girlfriend are the children of two rival kings who choose to marry against their fathers' wishes to form an alliance against the movie's BigBad; inverted because the kids arrange it instead of the parents. The princess gets kidnapped during the wedding and the hero [[RescueRomance goes off to save her.]] [[spoiler:Their love turns out to be the final weapon that offs the main villain.]] |
| 74 | * Emperor Pu Yi and Empress Wang Rong are described as such in ''Film/TheLastEmperor'' since Pu Yi says that his dream girl is "a modern wife who could follow the new dances and was educated outside China" and she fits in perfectly. [[spoiler:It doesn't last.]] |
| 75 | * Not exactly marriage, but in ''Film/MySassyGirl'' the male lead puts off his aunt's attempts to introduce him to her late son's former girlfriend because he is already interested in the female lead. The female lead meanwhile has been putting off meeting her dead boyfriend's cousin at his mother's request because of her budding interest in the male lead. At the end of the movie, it's revealed that the male lead's aunt ''is'' the female lead's dead boyfriend's mother. This startling coincidence convinces the pair to give their romance another chance. |
| 76 | * In ''Film/WhatsLoveGotToDoWithIt2022'', Kaz's brother Farooq and his wife are both happy in their arranged marriage. In their interviews it's established that they had a lot of common interests and were in similar social circles but just hadn't crossed paths until their engagement. |
| 77 | * ''Film/Sissi1955'' describes Sisi and Franz's love deals as this, as the LonelyRichKid Emperor is fascinated by the ManicPixieDreamGirl lead female who comes as her ProperLady older sister/his betrothed's traveling companion. She's smitten back with him but is reluctant to accept his feelings because [[SiblingTriangle she doesn't want to hurt her beloved older sister]], so he plays a small BatmanGambit to get her engaged to him instead and, after Sisi [[FishOutOfWater is a bit more comfortable in the imperial court]], they get married. In RealLife, however, things weren't exactly that way: Sisi ''never'' [[RebelliousPrincess got used to the strict etiquette and that badly affected her]]; both had affairs; two of their children died; and even after their relationship was somewhat more stable, [[DownerEnding Sisi was stabbed to death in Switzerland]], [[TheMourningAfter and Franz never got over it]]. |
| 78 | * ''Film/{{Vivah}}'': Prem and Poonam meet for a prospective marriage at the behest of their respective father figures, but when the two meet they're charmed by each other and soon agree to get engaged. The two only fall deeper in love throughout the film. |
| 79 | |
| 80 | [[/folder]] |
| 81 | |
| 82 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 83 | * George and Susan on ''Series/AlienNation'', being former slaves, were paired up by an overseer. |
| 84 | * On ''Series/{{Angel}}''. Not exactly a marriage, but Cordelia's objections to her required ritual "com-shuk" with the "Groosalug" get a lot less strenuous once she gets a good look at him, and even less so once they start to talk. A very sweet [[RomanticFalseLead (if eventually doomed)]] relationship results. |
| 85 | * ''Series/DowntonAbbey'': |
| 86 | ** Sort of. There is no arranged engagement between Mary and Matthew, but her parents and grandmother seem to think it would be awfully convenient if they fell in love (their marriage would keep the estate in the family), and they do everything they can to facilitate it. [[spoiler:They do fall in love, though Mary regards the family's meddling as more an impediment to their eventual marriage than helpful.]] |
| 87 | ** In the backstory, Lord and Lady Grantham are themselves a quasi-example: although there was no direct arrangement between their families, Robert married Cora for her money and her money alone. Cora loved Robert from the beginning, and Robert quickly (by which we mean about a year after the marriage) grew to feel the same towards her, to the point where he became deeply ashamed of his initial motivations. By the time we meet them, they're clearly happy together. |
| 88 | * ''Series/GameOfThrones'': |
| 89 | ** Myrcella Baratheon is shipped off to Dorne for a marriage alliance, due to her uncle Tyrion's machinations -- or rather, to keep House Martell from marching against House Lannister, as well as to protect Myrcella herself from any dangers lurking in King's Landing -- and is seen crying as she sails away, with her mother Cersei vehemently opposed to the idea. However, by the time of "Recap/GameOfThronesS5E6UnbowedUnbentUnbroken," she is ''very'' much in love with Trystane Martell, who reciprocates that love, and they cannot wait to get married. [[StarCrossedLovers Too bad for them]] that the [[FeudingFamilies families' feud]] isn't over... |
| 90 | --->'''Jaime:''' You're lucky. Arranged marriages are rarely so... so well arranged. |
| 91 | ** Zigzagged with Daenerys Targaryen's betrothal to Khal Drogo. It's initially subverted, in that she's not happy to go with him at first and their wedding night is consummated against her will, but then played straight in that gradually they get happier; by "Lord Snow," they seem pretty damn happy together and are expecting their first child before happy times go down the drain. It's then double subverted in ''The Queen's Justice'', where a livid Daenerys recounts "being raped" as one of the indignities she suffered to regain her throne, which reveals she never did forget or necessarily forgive Drogo for their wedding night. |
| 92 | ** According to the History and Lore videos, Catelyn Tully believed she would have this with Brandon Stark, to whom she was initially betrothed. She ended up having this with his younger brother Ned when Brandon was murdered; although their marriage was political, they're mostly very compatible. There ''was'' a major setback at the beginning when Ned brought home another woman's child, though it later turned out that [[spoiler:the child wasn't even his and he wasn't guilty of adultery]]--but she eventually got over this "adultery" anyway and after that their marriage was pretty smooth sailing. |
| 93 | ** Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey appear to be this at first, but it gets {{subverted}} when it turns out the Freys are just invoking this trope to catch their guests off guard. |
| 94 | ** How Sansa initially views her engagement to Joffrey. In Season 3, Sansa thinks that Loras would be an ideal husband for her when they're betrothed. |
| 95 | ** Joffrey likewise thinks of his engagement to Margaery as this, as he grows to like her well before they're married. Too bad he's oblivious to the fact that she knows he's a monster. |
| 96 | * ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'': Rose's cousin Sven is scheduled for an arranged marriage but falls for Blanche instead. When the arranged bride shows up, she's a gorgeous Swedish girl, and he drops Blanche like a hot potato. |
| 97 | * ''Series/LegendOfTheSeeker'': In the episode ''Identity'', Shota the Witch-Woman swaps Richard's body with that of Gryff, an idealistic son of a merchant friend of Kahlan's who both are secret allies of the resistance, soon to be married off to a woman, from a Pro-Rahl family, he has never met, something he is regretting. While stuck in Gryff's identity, Richard finds out that Gryff's fiancee, Bronwyn, also deposes Rahl, something she has hid from her family, and is a variable ActionGirl, matching Gryff's proficiency in swordplay, who also hopes to fight the D'haran for the Seekers cause. After Shota's magic is reserved, Gryff properly meets his wife and it is heavily implied the two will indeed fall in love with each other, and serve as members of the resistance together. |
| 98 | * The aim of the reality series ''Series/MarriedAtFirstSight'', which arranges marriages between strangers based on compatibility. And they don't even meet until the day of the wedding. Surprisingly enough, some couples did stay together after the show. |
| 99 | * ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}''. |
| 100 | ** Uther promises Arthur to Princess Elena, who comes with her father for the wedding. She is quite a nice person, even when [[spoiler: unknowingly being possessed by a faerie]]. She and Arthur get along very well but realize there is [[BetterAsFriends zero romantic attraction between them]], so they mutually agree to call off the wedding and part amicably. |
| 101 | ** After Guinevere is MistakenForCheating and banished from Camelot, Arthur becomes engaged to Princess Mithian on the rebound. She's beautiful, charming, and witty. She effortlessly integrates herself at court and proves herself to be quite politically savvy. Their marriage will solve the land dispute between their kingdoms. They get along well and have plenty of things in common. In many ways, she's designed to be a ''better'' match for Arthur than Guinevere, and had they met at any other time or place ([[WrongGenreSavvy or in any other story]]) they probably would have ended up HappilyMarried. But unfortunately for Mithian, Arthur comes to realize that he's still deeply in love with Guinevere, and can't bring himself to give her up - not even for the [[RelationshipSue perfect woman]]. |
| 102 | * ''Series/PeakyBlinders'': John Shelby and Esme Lee are married off to one another to bring their families together and stop an all-out war. John is none too pleased when he first finds out but doesn't mind much when he sees that Esme is beautiful. They seem quite happy together after a little while and genuinely love one another. (John’s eye does wander a little after a few years, but not much, and not near as much as usual for a gangster.) |
| 103 | * ''Series/QueenCharlotteABridgertonStory'': Half similar to its real life history. Both Charlotte and George were initially reluctant to be married against their will. However, upon meeting and introducing themselves, they agree to the marriage. [[spoiler:Despite George’s [[MoodSwinger erratic behavior]] due to his mental illness/madness]], it is obvious that they [[HappilyMarried have a loving happy marriage]] [[spoiler:whenever he is lucid]]. |
| 104 | * ''Series/{{Rome}}'': |
| 105 | ** Jocasta's family are killed in a mass proscription set up by Antony and Octavian, leaving her with nothing. She is subsequently married off to Posca, a former slave of Julius Caesar. Posca's relationship with Caesar has left him wealthy and influential, but his ex-slave status (which causes him to still be looked down on in Roman society) and the fact that he is far older than her means Jocasta is scared and in tears at the thought of marrying him. Posca, however, proves to be a doting husband and Jocasta becomes very visibly fond of him. |
| 106 | ** Livia is overjoyed to be matched with Octavian, a member of the triumvirate that rules Rome. She's still pretty enthusiastic after he tells her that he'll occasionally beat her for sexual pleasure. When they first consummate their marriage, it's quite a mutual BDSM affair, and they're happily married from then on. |
| 107 | ** Lucius Vorenus and Niobe- though strained at first it grows into love |
| 108 | --->'''Niobe:''' Love doesn't come unbidden. You must work for her. Strange marriage it would be if you loved each other from the start. |
| 109 | * ''Series/TheShannaraChronicles'': Played with in season 2. Princess Lyria's mother suggests she marry King Ander in order to unite their kingdoms (and to give the queen the opportunity to take advantage of a civil war in Ander's kingdom to easily conquer it while being hailed as a savior). Both Lyria and Ander are in love with other people, but they decide to go through with it for the sake of their respective kingdoms. They become fast friends and close allies, working together to undermine Lyria's mother's ambitions. [[spoiler:Ander dies saving Lyria before they can actually be married, so Lyria has to settle for a less iron-clad alliance between their kingdoms]]. |
| 110 | * ''Series/TheWhiteQueen'': Invoked and then subverted with Richard of Gloucester and Anne Neville. They are clearly in deep PuppyLove at the beginning of the series, and Anne is giddy with delight when she thinks her father will arrange their betrothal. This falls through, though, and she has to marry [[TheSociopath Edward of Lancaster]]. By the time Richard and Anne ''do'' get engaged, they are independent adults who set it up themselves. |
| 111 | [[/folder]] |
| 112 | |
| 113 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 114 | * Music/HeatherDale's song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF5oqpYvxyc "As I Am"]] is narrated by a man (presumably royal) who is hoping for one of these. |
| 115 | -->''I'm not looking for perfection, and I'm not offering a saint.'' |
| 116 | -->''I'm not looking for a pretty bird to put in some restraint.'' |
| 117 | -->''The only thing I want is that you love me if you can.'' |
| 118 | -->''And I only ask you take me, you take me as I am...'' |
| 119 | [[/folder]] |
| 120 | |
| 121 | [[folder:Theater]] |
| 122 | * Arthur and Jenny in ''Theatre/{{Camelot}}'' have never laid eyes on each other prior to their wedding day. Despite this, they take an instant liking to each other and have a very happy marriage -- at least until Lance shows up. |
| 123 | * In ''Cinna'' by [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Corneille Pierre Corneille]], the emperor is stunned when he sees Émilie loves Cinna "already" because he arranged their marriage the same day. She clarifies they actually loved each other in secret for four years (not much of a coincidence, Cinna asked for the arranged marriage). |
| 124 | * The fathers in ''Theatre/TheFantasticks'' intend for their children to marry, so they fake a feud and forbid the boy and girl to speak to each other. It works... at least at first. |
| 125 | * In ''The Game of Love and Chance (Le Jeu de l'amour et du hasard)'' by Marivaux, Silvia and Dorante are engaged without knowing each other. They disguise themselves as servants, meet and fall in love, without either one knowing that the other is their betrothed. |
| 126 | * In Creator/TomRobbins's ''Jitterbug Perfume'', Kudra's first husband turns out to be more awesome than expected [[spoiler: and then promptly dies]]. |
| 127 | * In ''Theatre/TheTempest,'' Prospero's plan is for Ferdinand (his rival's son) and Miranda to fall in love at first sight so that they'll marry and reconcile a dispute between their families. Which they do. He makes sure Ferdinand means it by [[ParentalMarriageVeto pretending to oppose the match]]. |
| 128 | [[/folder]] |
| 129 | |
| 130 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 131 | * ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' had the marriage of [[MagnificentBastard Hanse Davion]] and Melissa Steiner. The marriage was due to a political arrangement between Hanse and Melissa's mother, Katrina Steiner, but the couple had extremely strong feelings for each other and succeeded in uniting their two realms into the greatest military and economic power in the Inner Sphere for four decades. |
| 132 | * ''[[TabletopGame/{{Exalted}} Caste Book: Dawn]]'' mentions a Solar who always assumed his Lunar mate married him because [[BigBrotherIsWatching Deliberative society]] forced her to. He didn't realize the truth [[StarCrossedLovers until the day of his death]], when assassins bombed their house and she refused to run and save herself. Seconds after that, he sacrificed himself to give her a chance of escaping, so it's safe to say the feeling was mutual. |
| 133 | * Given how common arranged marriages are in ''TabletopGame/LegendOfTheFiveRings'', it's natural that at least ''some'' of them would be happy. It's actually an Advantage you can take in-game, called "Blessed Betrothal." Besides giving you a spouse you actually like being around, it also gives certain social and economic benefits (since your spouse is more willing to draw on their family's influence to benefit you). |
| 134 | -->'''[[https://kazenoshiro63445525.wordpress.com/2007/05/06/shadows/ Daidoji Kyobu]]:''' ''(to Rekai, his wife)'' I loved you from the moment of our betrothal. I feigned outrage so that you would not think less of me. |
| 135 | * ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'': Vlad Von Carstein married his wife, Isabella, in order to gain control of her lands. To his surprise, he soon found himself genuinely falling for her - and to ''her'' surprise, the feeling was mutual. When Vlad was defeated and killed in battle, Isabella committed suicide. In-game, if both are on the table and one is killed, the other picks up [[UnstoppableRage Frenzy]] and Hatred (enemy army), as they fly into an insane fury and tear through the enemy in a RoaringRampageOfRevenge. They're also [[UnholyMatrimony vampires,]] did we mention? |
| 136 | [[/folder]] |
| 137 | |
| 138 | [[folder:Visual Novels]] |
| 139 | * In ''VisualNovel/LongLiveTheQueen'', crown princess Elodie is expected to marry and give birth to at least one heir for her throne and does so in most routes. A few of her marriage options can potentially lead to this, although for most of them it varies depending on your choices throughout the game. |
| 140 | ** Elodie's parents, Joslyn and Queen Fidelia, are implied to have been this. Joslyn really seems to get over Fidelia's death, flat-out tells Elodie no one will ever replace her mother, and only remarries if events of the game remind him that he needs an heir of his own, since Elodie already holds the throne and can't also inherit from him. In addition, if Elodie ends the game not yet engaged to anyone, it's stated that Elodie waited to marry because she wanted to find the same kind of love that her parents had. |
| 141 | * The official object of the Summit in ''VisualNovel/SevenKingdomsThePrincessProblem'' is to achieve these between the delegates of the eponymous seven kingdoms, bringing them together for seven weeks to foster familiarity and determine which of them make compatible couples. The success rate is said to be quite high, although at least one background provides hints that this may not be as true as believed. You as the player character can end up in one yourself if you pursue a Matchmaker-approved relationship with someone you admit to having genuine feelings for. |
| 142 | [[/folder]] |
| 143 | |
| 144 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
| 145 | * ''WebAnimation/EtraChanSawIt'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggAhAO5wGhM Tsutsuji and Kuroki]] are arranged by their parents to get married as part of business to save the Tsutsuji's father's company from bankruptcy, however it turns out Tsutsuji's parents also want to [[OnlyInItForTheMoney get their hands on Kuroki's family's money]]. Despite the circumstances, Tsutsuji and Kuroki still fall in love with each other. |
| 146 | [[/folder]] |
| 147 | |
| 148 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 149 | * In ''Webcomic/{{Archipelago}}'', Mikel and Deliza didn't like each other very much at first, but after he asked her to dance, sparks flew. When we meet them, the royal couple of Quillotia are really HappilyMarried, with a baby on the way. |
| 150 | * ''Webcomic/CursedPrincessClub'': Zigzagged. When the Pastel King Jack goes to tell his daughters of their arranged marriages to the princes of the Plaid Kingdom, he's worried they'll be upset. His musings are interrupted by them squeeing over their handsome husbands-to-be (and anticipating the wedding night a little too eagerly for his comfort). While her sisters pair up just fine, poor [[FaceOfAThug Gwendolyn's]] introduction to her prospective groom Prince Frederick does not go off rosily. With that said, as the story progresses it becomes apparent that Princes Blaine and Lance are still practically strangers to Maria and Lorena, as much as they might be well suited to their respective betrotheds in the long run. Conversely, it is Prince Frederick -- [[CharacterDevelopment despite originally claiming disinterest in Gwen]] -- who gets to know her a lot more personally by [[TrueBeautyIsOnTheInside focusing on her personality rather than being satisfied with looks alone]]. |
| 151 | * ''Webcomic/{{Garanos}}'': The main character had one of these, but her fiance got kidnapped, and her current quest is to find him again. |
| 152 | * In ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'', the Arguron princess Larana Chroma [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160111#.Wsyw6HJOm2w has fallen in love with]] dashing hero Jiminez Hoffman, but [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20151111#.WsyxlHJOm2w is scheduled to marry the prince of the mole-people.]] Who [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20151116#.Wsyx1HJOm2w turns out to be Hoffman]], whom [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20151113#.Wsyxt3JOm2w the Mole King adopted as his son.]] For most of their arc, he has [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160205#.WsyzSnJOm2w no idea how she feels]] and she is too shy to tell him, until [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160808 Larana's father tries to execute Hoffman under the mistaken impression that his daughter was against the marriage]]. [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160810 Larana confesses out loud that she loves Hoffman]], who by this point [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160801 has begun to notice her good qualities but mistakenly believed that Larana loved his brother Aldin]], and promptly [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160812 takes her father's throne]] (by the ancient tradition of [[TheUsurper filial usurpation]], no less). [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160819 Hoffman, for his part, confesses that he loves Larana right back, who kisses him and names him her consort]]. They are last seen [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20170728 sharing a bed together a week before their wedding]]. |
| 153 | * ''Webcomic/NoNeedForBushido'': The arranged marriage was an assassination plot on one side. Then both principals skipped, and they look like they're in the process of developing BelligerentSexualTension. [[spoiler: Eventually, during the siege of the village, they reach this trope. Probably.]] |
| 154 | * ''Webcomic/TheOverture'': Richard Olsen and Janis Lashway were childhood friends long before their mothers arranged for them to be married. Thirteen years later, the fire between the two is still strong. |
| 155 | * ''Webcomic/RedString'' uses the "arranged couple meet without recognizing each other variant" before it turns out [[spoiler:the arranged marriage was set up by the boy's mother, so he'd at least have the chance to marry a spirited normal girl instead of a stuffy socialite as per his father's wishes. Then his father called it off.]] |
| 156 | * ''Webcomic/WhaleStarTheGyeongseongMermaid'': As Yeongyeong describes it, her marriage was actually arranged by a matchmaker, but she grew to love her husband and still carries the memory of him. Too bad he was sickly and then died after being tortured by the Japanese only a few years into their marriage. |
| 157 | %%* There's one of these in the backstory of the ''Webcomic/TsunamiChannel'' comic ''Experimental Comic Kotone''. - ZCE |
| 158 | [[/folder]] |
| 159 | |
| 160 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 161 | * ''Roleplay/ThereIsNoGATEWeDidNotFightThere'': Kell and Adrianna, the parents of the main character, were betrothed from birth after their respective parents (and Kytheus' grandparents) secured an alliance of friendship after defeating a hive of monsters. They had a rough start but grew to love each other after Kell proved himself to her. |
| 162 | * In the Website/AlternateHistoryDotCom timeline ''Literature/AMorePersonalUnion'', Elizabeth of England devised the marriage between Madeleine Stanley and Henri the Cyclops to strengthen Henri's claim to the English throne, nothing more. Henri and Madeleine are [[HappilyMarried happy together]] anyway, probably thanks to them growing up together. |
| 163 | * ''[[WebVideo/MiraRaesRoyalFamily Mirarae's Royal Family]]'' has a few examples: |
| 164 | ** Araminta was betrothed to Han when she had a crush on Charles. Eventually however she fell in love with Han and has three children with him. |
| 165 | ** Henry IV and Alice were betrothed as children as they got on well. They ended up dating as teens and married as young adults. |
| 166 | ** Similar example to Henry IV and Alice with Naya and Phillip. |
| 167 | [[/folder]] |
| 168 | |
| 169 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 170 | * ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': |
| 171 | ** According to [[AllThereInTheManual supplementary materials,]] [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderFireLordOzai Ozai]] and Ursa had this, though they grew distant later. Subverted in ''[[ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheSearch The Search]]'', which reveals that Ursa pretended to love Ozai because the alternative would have endangered her original fiancé and both of their families. |
| 172 | ** [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] interestingly: Pakku and Kanna were engaged when they were younger, but she apparently didn't love him and ran off to the South Pole, having a more or less happy family with somebody else and becoming Katara and Sokka's grandmother. (Meanwhile, Pakku became ''really'' embittered towards women as a whole and didn't get over it until meeting Katara.) [[NewOldFlame They met decades later]], [[DecemberDecemberRomance and married in their senior years]]. |
| 173 | * Subverted in the ''WesternAnimation/BojackHorseman''. [[Characters/BojackHorsemanBeatriceHorseman Beatrice Horseman]] and Corbin Creamerman were paired off by their parents in their youth. As heirs to their respective companies, a marriage would join them in a strategically powerful conglomerate of Sugarman Cubes and Creamerman Ice Cream. Neither parents cared what their children thought but nevertheless the two grew to respect and like each other and their marriage would become this trope. However, Beatrice ends up knocked up by Butterscotch Horseman and the marriage is called off. To this day, Beatrice bitterly [[TheOneThatGotAway regrets her youthful mistakes.]] |
| 174 | * Subverted in the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS10E20LeggoMyMegO Leggo My Meg-o]]": a parody of ''Film/{{Taken}}'', where Meg and a friend are abducted in Paris by human traffickers. As Brian and Stewie go about trying to find and rescue her in Paris, she is sold at an auction to a wealthy Arab sheikh. She ends up on his yacht, and it turns out the Sheikh's son wants to marry her and make her his princess, with full access to all the riches of his kingdom -- and he's a nice guy, about Meg's age, and not bad looking -- and if she turns him down, he'll be sad, but he'll fly her home on his private jet. Meg thinks her dreams have come true and wants to marry him -- [[UnwantedRescue but just then Stewie bursts into the yacht's stateroom and shoots the prince dead]]. |
| 175 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' had it happen with Apu. He spends the entirety of "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS9E7TheTwoMrsNahasapeemapetilons The Two Nahasapeemapetilons]]" trying to get out of his arranged marriage, but when he meets the woman (Manjula) at the wedding he's instantly charmed. (And, she points out, if it doesn't work, they can always divorce.) |
| 176 | * ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' had this, although Aisha's objection to being in an arranged marriage wasn't because she didn't like the guy (in fact, [[TwoPersonLoveTriangle she didn't even know that he was her intended]]), but because she wanted to have the freedom to choose for herself. Once her parents stop making her be in an arranged marriage, it turns out the person she's been dating, Ophir, is actually the arranged marriage guy, Nabu. [[spoiler:This relationship also didn't last: the writers did the unthinkable the following season. Nabu was KilledOffForReal! Poor Aisha.]] |
| 177 | [[/folder]] |
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