Three’s a Crowd
At its core, the love triangle trope is not about who wins, but about our innate, human desire to matter
It’s time to ask the oldest question in the book, one that has ruined friendship and started online wars: are you Team Jacob or Team Edward?
Twilight is one in a sea of many media forms featuring this type of setup. Turn on almost any show or movie or open almost any book, and you will come face-to-face with one of, if not the most, popular romance tropes: the love triangle.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “a situation in which two people both love a third person.” While this is the version we see most often in the media, it fails to cover the variations that this trope can have. The love triangle trope involves—as the name suggests—three people, love, and a whole lot of conflict. At its core, it’s all about the drama.
History of the trope
One of the earliest—and most dramatic—examples of this trope is the epic tale of the Trojan War in Greek mythology. In it, Paris and Menelaus both fall for Helen of Troy and are willing to go to war for her, literally.
Another famous love triangle can be found in The Legend of King Arthur, wherein Arthur’s wife, Guinevere, is involved in a love affair with one of the knights of the round table, Sir Lancelot.
The love triangle trope also found its place on stage in operas like Carmen and Tosca. This trope practically carried Shakespeare’s plays—befitting, considering his affinity for drama. From mistaken identities in Twelfth Night, to tragedy-causing rivalry in Othello, Shakespeare kept audiences on the edge of their seats for the resolution of those love triangles.
This trope continued to thrive in classical literature. Works like Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion, as well as Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, used love triangles to create tension and explore the pressures, norms, and values of contemporary society.
Now, love triangles permeate modern fiction, from iconic YA work, such as The Hunger Games and The Vampire Diaries to newer iterations of this trope, like Materialists and The Summer I Turned Pretty.
What draws us to it?
It’s clear that our society as a whole is captivated by love triangle tropes. We even look past the screen to find them. Just look at the way tabloids erupted over Prince Charles, Princess Diana, and Camilla Parker-Bowles.
However, despite its widespread popularity, the love triangle trope is not without its faults. In fact, its appearances in so many narratives can make it overused and predictable. Often, improperly written love triangles lead to complete character assassination, whether it is a one-dimensioned main character or a love interest who just can’t seem to decide if they’re nice or abusive.
By its nature, love triangles are a breeding ground for toxic relationship dynamics and their romanticization.
Yet, despite all of this, despite having seen this trope play out over and over again, we keep coming back. There must be something about it that intrinsically draws us in.
Maybe it’s the magic number three. In having a triad instead of a duo, authors are able to explore a greater variety of relationship dynamics and create more tension. This tension is what makes the trope so appealing. It captivates the audience by making them connect with a love interest and become emotionally invested in seeing that character “win.”
When there is someone to root for, there is not only competition within the story, but among those engaging with it, too. It’s the perfect marketing strategy: the polarizing nature of the trope gives rise to “teams”, which in turn participate in online debate and thus promote the piece of media further. Even when the “winner” may be obvious, love triangles still have a sense of suspense that you just can’t get with a two-person love story. This trope keeps the audience guessing, makes them read into every action and line of dialogue for clues.
The trope also holds up a mirror to our psyche; it makes us reflect on how we see love. We seem to believe that love gains more meaning when it is contested. Perhaps, we are more confident in love that has been “fought for” and “won.” There is comfort and security in the idea that someone can put in so much effort and risk loss for us, which reassures our relationships. Someone who has “won” your heart wouldn’t dare break it.
On the flip side, when someone acts possessive or jealous in regards to you, it can bring on a strange satisfaction. It can feel like proof of just how much matter to them.
But, the love triangle is a fantasy.
We want to feel desired. We want to be chosen. We want to be fought for. There is a reason this trope has stood the test of time even with all its flaws. It touches something deep within us all—our need for validation and our hope that love can guide us to the correct choice. And perhaps that is why it endures.
Because at its core, the love triangle trope is not about who wins, but about our innate, human desire to matter.
