A prince came riding on a white horse, only to take away all of her sorrows, and fill her life with eternal happiness. Then, she lived happily ever after.
Almost every girl has read, heard, and watched fairy tales ending with this message. They always end there because they would not be cherished the way they are if told the grave story that begins after marriage. These fairy tales mostly start on a note that a girl is pretty but she does not acknowledge it until a handsome man falls in love with her. She is described as an oppressed and quiet person who does not dare to speak for herself. Here, these fairy tales convey the message that being submissive, passive, and oppressed will later result in having a life that would be perfect.
Although society often dismisses such types of stories, recognizing them as being too unrealistic. But it is of no surprise that society itself has set standards for a girl based on such fairy tales. These standards are manifested as that marriage is a solution to every problem in the world and getting married should be the only purpose in life. In such scenarios, girls’ education, skills, and talents are often disregarded. On the other hand, girls’ physical appearance holds a prominent place, forming a perception that girls who fit the social standards of beauty are fortunate as they are more likely to get better proposals. Girls are raised to believe that a man’s acceptance is extremely important for them, thus reinforcing their need for approval.
Even after marriage, a girl is taught to remain silent, serve her husband and in-laws, and become submissive and passive, so she can win the heart of her prince charming. Girls are described as brave and are made examples if they silently went through abuse from their husbands, verbal or physical. These are the girls who later get the title of “good women” as they quietly endured every wrongdoing.
One cannot deny the importance of marriage from religion, but it is not the only obligation. Marriage is a part of life, as life itself is not centered only around marriage. A woman is not born only to get married. But specifically, in this culture, women are brought up with the mindset that their lives only revolve around getting married and having kids. Parents are obliged to raise their daughters with pride, help them find their potentials and talents, and provide them with every possible support before and even after marriage.
A Prince Will Come On a White Horse
