The Art of Perfect Proposal: Weaving the magic of romance through words

"In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.''- Jane Austen

The proposal of Fitzwilliam Darcy continues to be one of the sheer moments in literature as it is filled with exuberance, sincerity and spontaneity which embodies true love. 

The heart of every young girl skips a beat at this moment in the narrative. She transcends reality and enter into her imaginary worldwhere she is Elizabeth Bennet, waiting to be found by her Darcy. Austen effectively captures this perfect proposal owing to her mastery in her craft, giving us her method of popping the question with a lot of panache.

Romance has always been a tricky business as it involves a whirlpool of diverse emotions, feelings and sentiments which take us on a roller coaster ride. Be it the love at first sight, long-distance relationship, affectionate dating phase, or even a long and happy marriage, every arrangement experiences this critical moment where the feelings of affection have to be given some form of expression. This critical moment acts as a catalyst for the development of a strong bond that contains within it the potential to pass the test of time and difficult circumstances. No matter how much time goes by, the memory of the moment should fill us with immense joy and happiness and most importantly, with the conviction that love is here to stay.

While ruminating on the subject of love, I ran into a book store the other day as my joy of reading always takes the better of me, owing to the fact that I am constantly on the lookout for these pockets of happiness. Upon entering, I encountered a world of books neatly compartmentalized into different sections. Amidst this universe of ideas, one particular section deeply interested me, the section called Romance. This section has a number of books including Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Emma, Love in the Time of Cholera all of which have a different world, carrying within it their own love stories, their perfect proposals.

Florentino Ariza opts for an old school method and writes his feelings in a letter which was initially as voluminous as seventy pages but later, the letter was shortened to just half a page where Ariza promises an everlasting love and fidelity for his beloved. This timeless saga by Gabrielle Gracia Marquez revives the magic of the letter which carries the eternal love for Fermina Daza as this style of proposing enables him to articulate himself in an elaborate fashion.

George Knightley, on the other hand, refuses to make long speeches to Emma as he claims that the essence of love cannot be captured in verbosity as he convincingly put forward his proposal by stating that he would be able to talk about it more only if he loved her less. Knightley, like other Austen heroes, relies on the potential which is latent in the ongoing moment by making the most of it and designing a proposal that involves not only his expression of his affection to Emma. but also a careful delineation of his shortcomings which gives his proposal, the very human element and character.

What Darcy, Florentino and George Knightley have done to win the hearts of their beloved can be relegated to the realm of fantasy as many of us may think that such methods may not hold any significance in the modern age, owing to the fact that all of us inhabit a technologically advanced society. We constitute a part of a culture where the emphasis is on immediacy, instantaneous expression, perception and reception. We are defined by the portent forces of capitalism and commercialization which influences our perspectives on the demonstration of love. In such an evolving social landscape, how has the dynamics of proposing changed? What is the ideal manner of expression of love? How to pop up the question in style?

There seems to be no coherent answer as the matters pertaining to the heart cannot be worked out like a mathematical problem where we are aspiring for one correct answer. The key to this lock is that there is no single key as every distinct key belongs to a distinct lock. And yet, some valuable tips can enable you to find your key which can unlock your world of happiness. The foundation of every successful relationship is premised upon a great degree of faith and trust which is not a matter of a few days or weeks. It requires a lot of time, effort and investment from both parties to strengthen the connection for it to blossom with time. Every bond requires a deal of time and meaningful interactions in order to develop a considerable amount of faith which cements the connection and empowers it to fulfill the challenges and hurdles.

The initial phase of every relationship is essential as it acts as a possibility for the relationship to take its own course. Sometimes, it is dream-like as in the case of Jane Bennet and Mr. Bingley, two of the famous Austen’s couple of Pride and Prejudice where both of them developed an immediate liking for each other. Sometimes, it may even be a rocky start which can be an indication of a difficult journey. Once the initial phase is gone and there is substantial growth and development, it is an apt time to take the relationship to the next level. An apt moment to face the ultimate test, a moment for the expression of love in the best way possible.

Once there is absolute trust and faith established by both the parties for the relationship, it is time to work towards the perfect proposal. A lot of the preparation will depend on the personality of your partner. If she is an ardent Bollywood movie fan, a real-life Simran of "Dilwaale Dulhaniya le Jayengey" who believes in the larger-than-life romantic tale, then you may have to walk an extra mile to make the moment extraordinary. Candlelight dinner, flowers, chocolate, music or even a bend on your knee gesture, anything that can impress her.

Along with the external decorations which can enhance the impact of your proposal, your expression is of utmost importance. Be creative and try poetry. Weave the magic of the pen wielded by Shakespeare or rather innovate your own poetics, your unique idiom of love. If not poetry, then take recourse to the all-time Kishore Kumar melodies which shall definitely improve your chances. Be it poetry, love song, candlelight dinner or the simple George Knightley’s crisp expression, what matters ultimately is that you should be able to validate your sincerity and dedication for your partner. 

After all, the method doesn’t really matter, genuine sentiments do.