Other male characters that women fantasise about are less ‘fantastical’ than the likes of vampires and wizards, and come in the form of Atonement’s Robbie Turner, and The Notebook’s Noah Calhoun.
The relationships between these men and their lovers are reminiscent of that of Romeo and Juliet, as all of these couples are torn apart through conflicts of social class and war. A study by Galician noted that some people credited Romeo and Juliet’s relationship as being a ‘fictional ideal’.
“This is troubling”, said Galician, “Considering the obvious dysfunction and failure of that relationship”.
Focusing on unattainable romantic figures and creating rigid ideas of what constitutes ‘perfect’ relationships makes women feel dissatisfied in their own relationships, as their partners simply cannot live up to such high expectations.
Considering this, Katz and Liu said: “It is not sensible to create a fixed image of your ‘ideal beloved’. The key ingredients of true love are shared goals and commitment – as unromantic as it may seem”.
Galician added: “Genuine love includes a balance of mutual supportiveness and independence, and welcomes change and personal growth, rather than fearing it”.
In other words, women should stop looking for brave, rugged loners, and should instead outline realistic characteristics for their potential partners to live up to.
“‘Real love’ is productive, enlarging and joyful, and ‘false love’ is mythic and stereotypic” Mary-Lou Galician
While some women’s mental health is suffering as a result of falling in love with fictional characters, many others develop harmless infatuations with their favourite characters, and can easily determine the differences between ‘real love’ and ‘false love’.
In considering Tennov’s thoughts on the matter, Galician said: “‘Real love’ is productive, enlarging and joyful, and ‘false love’ is mythic and stereotypic”.
Other fictional characters that women have admitted to lusting over include Ron Weasley from the Harry Potter series, Mr Darcy from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Laurie from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.
By Kay Taylor