Failed in finding your prince charming or snow white? Here's why.

How Fairy Tales Set Us Up For Romantic Failure

Explore the world of fairy tales and folk tales stories. Overcome romantic failure and sad rejection. Discover the lessons learned from stories like Romeo and Juliet.

Overview

Growing up, every story that we heard or every kids&rsquo; movie that we watched, all had one thing in common. It was that the princess got a loving, ready-to-give-it-all-away prince. Also, despite not bring very blatant about it, often these stories have glorified that mere title of the prince and how it indicates that the ending is a happy one because the significant other is rich.&nbsp;

There is are a plethora of things that are morally wrong with our go-to favorite fairytales that we normalized so much as kids that it never raised a red flag in our heads until now. A great example of this is of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White and the 7 dwarves. Both of these fairytales normalized getting kissed by a stranger while you are asleep. 
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Fairy tales have been a staple of children&#39;s literature for centuries. They are often filled with magical characters, enchanting settings, and tales of love and <a href="https://merisehat.pk/article/more-than-just-romance" target="_blank">romance</a>. While they are beloved by many, fairy tales can also be incredibly damaging. From a young age, children are exposed to the idea that love is easy, and that their lives should be filled with romance and passion. However, this is not always the case, and fairy tales can set us up for romantic failure in many ways. 
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False Hopes

Fairy tales often portray love as an all-encompassing, all-consuming emotion that is easy to find. Characters fall in love at first sight, and live happily ever after without any problems. However, this portrayal of love is unrealistic and sets up false hopes for children. When they grow up, they may feel that love should be easy, and that their relationships should always be filled with passion and romance. However, this is not the case. Relationships take work, and it is unrealistic to expect that they will always be perfect. 
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Fairy tales often portray rigid gender roles, with men as the strong, heroic figures and women as the passive, helpless victims. This perpetuates harmful stereotypes and reinforces gender inequality. It also sets up unrealistic expectations for relationships, with men expected to be the strong protectors and women expected to be the submissive partners. This can lead to toxic relationships where one partner feels they have to be dominant over the other, rather than working together as equals. 
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Fairy tales often portray physical beauty as the most important attribute of a person. Characters are often described as stunningly beautiful, and this is often what attracts the hero to the heroine. This can lead to unrealistic beauty standards for young people, especially young girls. They may feel that they have to be physically perfect to find love, and this can lead to negative body image and self-esteem issues. 
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Fairy tales often portray the idea of the one true love, the idea that there is only one person in the world for each of us. This is a harmful idea, as it can lead people to hold out for an idealized version of love that may not exist. People are complex, and it is unrealistic to expect that there is only one person in the world who can make us happy. This can lead to a pattern of chasing after an idealized version of love, rather than focusing on building real relationships with real people. 
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Move Beyond Fairy Tales

Moving beyond the damaging effects of fairy tales is a process, and it takes time and effort. Here are some steps you can take to move beyond fairy tales and create healthier relationships: 
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<ul>
	<li>Recognize the Unrealistic Expectations - The first step is to recognize that the expectations set up by fairy tales are unrealistic. Love is not always easy, and relationships take work. It is important to be realistic about the challenges that come with relationships.</li>
	<li>Challenge Gender Roles - Challenge gender roles and stereotypes in your own life. Be aware of the messages you receive from media and society about what it means to be a man or a woman. Work towards creating a relationship where both partners are equal and share responsibilities.</li>
	<li>Focus on Inner Beauty - Instead of focusing on physical beauty, focus on inner beauty. Look for qualities like kindness, compassion, and empathy in a partner. These are the qualities that will make a relationship last.</li>
	<li>Let Go of the One True Love Myth - Let go of the idea of the one true love. Instead, focus on building real relationships with real people. Love is not always easy, but it is possible to find happiness with someone who loves and respects you. 
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Conclusion

In conclusion, fairy tales can be damaging to our understanding of love and relationships. They perpetuate harmful stereotypes, unrealistic expectations. 
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