What'd Sinatra say about love and marriage? That they go together? That you can't have one without the other? Well, this book certainly proves that one wrong. There are many different types of love in Beneath a Marble Sky, but one thing's for sure: there's no love in the arranged marriage between Jahanara and the disgusting Khondamir. In fact, let's just say their marriage ends with a devious twist on the phrase "'til death do us part."
And yet, some marriages in the book do work out. The marriage of Jahanara's parents has gone down in the history books for its awesomeness, after all, and it inspired the Taj Mahal. But for the most part, this couple is the exception to the rule. When Jahanara does find love, it is outside of marriage—with Isa, duh—and Ladli and Nizam have their own unconventional arrangement later in life as well.
Questions About Marriage and Love
- What are some of the ways Jahanara's father describes love? Why is he uniquely positioned to advise her on such things?
- Do you think Aurangzeb loves Ladli? Why? Does he actually love her?
- Nizam has some pretty interesting thoughts on love for a guy who thinks that he "can't." Would you say his love for Ladli is any less because of his physical handicap?
- How does love complicate Jahanara's planning and scheming?