Family is considered to be the strongest bond and the pillar that builds a society. This is because of the blood relationships that the relatives share which ultimately brings people together. It so happens that many families have values that they hold dear to which they have always passed on to the successive generations. It is such values that distinguish one family from the other. However, amidst such agreements to the values, a few feel uncomfortable conforming to them especially after they realise that they have a totally different paths. Many people are usually obliged to make sacrifices for the sake of their loved ones yet others feel the need to live their lives not minding their families (Behn 54). As we read from the two stories, Love Suicide and Oroonoko we learn how such bonds can be too strong that lovers decide to outlive society values to pursue a selfish decision that will satisfy them.
Love suicide is a tale of two lovers, Jihei and Koharu who have had numerous challenges in their love lives. It seemed as if no one around them gave them the chance to love each other despite the fact that they had strong feelings. After walking through the journey and realising that they will never have to effectively have each other and just enjoy their live life, they decided to die together. This was for the main reason of not allowing any of them to fall prey to the traps of other people and proving to the world that they were lovers. This is a tale of a family that felt strained because of a man who insisted on loving a woman (Monzaemon 73). Even though Jihei had decided to terminate his relationship for the sake of his family, he could not hold it any longer and decided to die for what he believed was right.
Oroonoko on the other hand is a tale of a father and a son falling in love with the same lady, Imoinda. Since the father has greater powers, being a king to his son, he takes Imoinda to be his wife. This however did not prevent Imoinda from loving Oroonoko, a relationship they try to keep secret without success. After some time, they are discovered and Imoinda sold to be a slave and acclaimed to be dead. Fate however again reunites the two lovers who ultimately plan to die just to free themselves from the turmoil they face. Even though Imoida successfully died, Oroonoko is prevented from killing himself but later on prosecuted (Shively 34). Even though his death did not happen as he so desired, he ultimately died just because he could not handle being away from the love of his life.
When it comes to lovers and the matter of the heart, it has always been difficult to make a choice between love ties and family ties. This becomes more challenging when one feels being pulled by both bonds. However, the fact that one has to live with one at the expense of the other, they are made to make sacrifices, some which may haunt them for the rest of their lives. From the two stories, we realize how strong the family bond was, yet it could not break loose the bond of the lovers. Since they did not want to live in between such strong bonds, the lovers decided to commit suicide just to neutralize their situation. It is however difficult to ascertain which bond ultimately won as the decision was simply a means of escaping from the realities that surrounded them.
Works cited
Behn, Aphra. Oroonoko: The Royal Slave. London: ReadHowYouWant.com, 2008.
Monzaemon, Chikamatsu. “The Love Suicides at Amijima.” The Norton Anthology World Literature Vol. D. Ed. Peter Simon. Trans: Donald Keene. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2012. 48-73. Print.
Shively, Donald. H. "Cambridge University Press." Cambridge University Press. (2009): 605-606. Print.
