Victorians and spurned lovers

Both actually felt the same way. Think about it. Victorians were people of an era who felt that they came to the pinnacle of knowing everything there is to know about how the universe works. All of a sudden, Darwinism came along and turned the Victorian paradigm on its head. There's all this confusion, crying and disappointment for placing such high hopes that Victorianism, once and for all, really believed that an understanding of the universe is possible. All because this theory of evolution might refute the existence of God and pretty much everything they've ever believed in.

It's like that feeling that one feels when they really believe that they have found the person that they will be with forever and ever. All of a sudden, some external force like Darwinism creeps in and sows the seeds of doubt, ultimately leading to the idea that maybe everything was a whole lie, and maybe they'll never understand the Universe, much like how some people feel that no great person will never waltz into their life ever again. It's like these Victorian people have been dumped and now question where their lives are headed, now that their understanding has caused them so much pain.

History changes. So can relationships, whether they're with another person or even with our own minds and understanding.

Irresistible woman, Intolerable partner

Enter Anne Boleyn. She had many suitors, had good fashion sense and could talk about anything, including high-falutin' literature and she knew about herself and her place in the game with men. Basically, she made the most of what she had and knew. And if that and her dark eyes and hair didn't make King Henry VIII any more crazy for her, she knew exactly what she wanted and knew exactly how to control the man who could give her that coveted power. She teased Henry, and that made her all the more desirable in Henry's eyes.

So what did Henry do? He tried to prove his wife of the time to be a whore, having consummated her earlier marriage to his older brother. When that didn't work, he then broke off from the Catholic Church, and treated Catherine of Aragon horribly just to be able to marry Anne (More like do her, because that was her stipulation). She wouldn't give in so easily until he gave her what she wanted: power in the form of marriage to her. Look at how much he did for her! Anne had chops, and you've got to be quite a woman to have so many men become obsessed without you even trying, and to have someone like the king shoving history, government and religion around for you.

All the things that made Anne Boleyn impossible to resist now made her a demanding and overbearing wife. All of her tricks of getting Henry to do whatever she wanted no longer worked because they're finally married, meaning Henry already got what he originally wanted from her. The fire in her belly then became this conflagration in Henry's palace that could only be extinguished at the source. Eventually it became very obvious that Anne Boleyn was very manipulative. And that's why she got beheaded.

Moral: Beauty and attractive qualities are double-edged swords. Don't abuse it or you just might be slicing off your own head.

"Extreme beauty is an affliction..."
-Gregory Maguire, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

The "men of prowess" in my life

One thing I learned from Southeast Asian History class was how communities were developed, or in the case of Philippine locals, barangays. The one cultural commonality between the Southeast Asian countries, despite the people rarely having contact with each other is the idea of charismatic leadership and men of prowess or in the Philippines, the datus and the rajahs. Basically, we go with whomever we think has the most to offer us; it's like popularity in high school.
So how does all of this relate to this blog's collective theme?
Simple. Who are the men of prowess in my eyes? The ones whom I'd like to offer myself to for an equal amount of offering in return. The one that demands that I should be a part of him for all the good reasons.
But there's a catch to this system of charismatic leaders. Coolness, charisma and popularity (call it whatever you want) is fluid and fleeting at times. The current datu can easily be replaced by someone who either claims to have a bigger connection with the spirit world, is more attractive or popular, or who picked the best place for everyone to live.
My personal conclusion: I doubt I could be a one-man girl. I can willingly stick with one, but I'm always open to someone seemingly better coming along. And if my feelings lead me, I easily get caught in highs after spending a night in their dorm, having deep conversations about things both of us can relate to. It makes me forget my previous prospects. As "bad" as it may look, it's a culturally phylogenic trait for many Southeast Asians. No wonder the Philippines have celebs running for president...they're popular.