Love...It's all a GAME...Of Thrones

I am a woman in love...in love with being in love. Perhaps that's why I write about it. Now it could be argued that romance and erotica are not really love. I will admit; by themselves, they are just components of a bigger picture. Like facets, romance is one cut of the whole gem which is LOVE. 

I've been loved, I've loved and I have been in love so I know each of these emotions have their own unique look, feel, taste, smell, and sound. Yes, you can experience love through your senses and gather joy and pleasure from it. That's the beauty of love, it cannot be defined.  It refused to be painted with one single brush in one single color. I did a little research and found that there are actually six different types of love.

                      This chart illustrates the 6 types of love. 

When I found this chart I knew I wanted to blog about it. As most of you know, I love pictures and showing how things relate to each other. Since I am a fan of The Game of Thrones, I thought, what better example is there then that one show. There are lots of different relationships I thought I would highlight a few here for comparison. 

                  

1. Liking: This is the feeling you have for a friend or family member with whom you feel free to share your personal thoughts, desires and secerets. You can discuss anything with them and vice versa. You truly know and understand that person with out judgement. It is called Agape love in Greek. 

The Stark family embodied Agape love

2. Infatuation: This is a superficial feeling because it is based on emotion. It is more aggressive and causes us to do things we ordinarily wouldn't do. It can be a selfish, jealous and/or reckless love. If left unchecked, this feeling can turn to violence or other extreme behavior like stalking. It's called Mania love in Greek.

Cersei and her brother share this Mana kind of love in my opinion

3. Empty Love: I think of this as a business arrangement kind of feeling. It is a commitment based on what's in the best interest of both parties. This is called Pragma love in Greek. The root word for Pragmatic which means to think strategically about something. It's the type that Joffrey and Sansa would have had if he hadn't kicked her to the curb.

Sansa and Joffrey

(For you fans of the TV series SCANDAL, this is what Fitz and his wife Millie have)LOL 

Fitz and his wife Millie have an Empty Love

  

Now that we have explored the three major components of love, lets combine them. The results are more of what we encounter in our own complex relationships. 

King Robb and Talisa married for love

4. Romantic Love(when 1 + 2 actually = 4 LOL): It's a combination of Intimacy and Passion. Who doesn't like this kind of love. The King of the North: Robb Stark married Talisa after falling in Romantic Love with her. Sure, things might get messy, after all he's betrothed, but hey! it called Romantic Love because it Romantic not pragmatic! 

Tyrion and HIS Shae

This type of love is called Eros love in Greek.

Tyrion and his lover Shae also have this Romantic Love, full of intimacy and passion, yet it's not pragmatic. It's not based on conditions. I would say it a near perfect balance of intimacy and passion. Perhaps that's why I love this couple the most. There doesn't appear to be an agenda. *(as a Game of Thrones fan, I won't say there is no agenda; one can never tell!)

5. Companionate ( 1 + 3): A combination of Intimacy and Commitment. Before Renly was killed off by his brother,  he shared a Companionate love with his wife Margaery. She knew his secret...that Renly was sleeping with her brother and Margaery wanted to be queen. It would have worked perfectly except he died. This type of love is called  Storge in Greek.

Renly and Margaery 

For a kinder less ruthless example: If you have ever seen the movie "The Mirror Has Two Faces", Companionate is the love Rose and Gregory started out wanting. It was based on intimacy, more companionship. Eventually Rose wanted the passion as well, and who could blame her!

Gregory and Rose one of my favorite couples

6. Fatuous Love(2 + 3): A combination of Passion and Commitment. This is what people who like to play around feel. It also called Ludus. It lacks true intimacy.  It thrives on being hot and wild yet, it's still pragmatic, based on what can be gained from the union. Money, power, pleasure, prestige...WHAT"S ROMANTIC LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT. Cersei embodies this type of love. Now that Joffrey and Margaery are together. There might be a new sheriff in town. Margaery reminds me so much of Cersei. It guess it's true. Men look for women who are like their mothers. 

Cersei will do what she has to do

Margaery and Joffrey

Consummate Love: When you have all three pillars of love combined: Intimacy, Passion and Commitmment. That's the Strongest form of love and that what Kahal Drogo and Daenerys Targaryen had. It was complete. I really wished it would have lasted, and in some respects it did. Daenerys still loves Kahal even thought he died. 

Intimacy

Passion

Commitment