How do High Fantasy stories deal with themes like love and romance?

High Fantasy stories are known for their grandiose settings, epic battles, and mythical creatures, but they also often contain intricate storylines that explore themes of love and romance. These stories can depict different types of love, including romantic love, platonic love, and familial love, and can deal with various aspects of relationships, such as loyalty, betrayal, sacrifice, and heartbreak.

In High Fantasy, romantic relationships often take center stage as a means of character development or as a catalyst for the plot. For example, the romantic love between Aragorn and Arwen in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy is used to highlight Aragorn's character growth and his duty to his people, while the forbidden love between Beren and Lúthien in Tolkien's The Silmarillion is used to underscore the power of love and sacrifice.

High Fantasy stories can also subvert traditional romantic tropes, such as the prince saving the princess or the damsel in distress. Female characters are often given more agency in these stories and can be depicted as strong and independent, rather than solely relying on a male hero to save them. For example, in The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, the character of Moiraine Damodred is a powerful and capable woman who is an equal partner to her love interest, Lan Mandragoran.

Ultimately, High Fantasy stories use love and romance to explore the human experience and to add depth and nuance to their characters and plots. They can depict love in all its forms, from the idealistic to the tragic, and show how it can motivate, inspire, or challenge the characters.