Love In Sapai Jao

Abstract

          The purposes of this research are to analyze the ideology of love and the construction of love in Sapai Jao with the semiology theory. The study found that the binary opposition between the concept of arranged marriage and choice marriage is the foundation of the ideology of love in Sapai Jao. There are two techniques in the construction of love in Sapai Jao. The first one is textual technique, through  the usage of destiny and love triangle theme, while the other one is love-communication technique,  by directly and indirectly uttering the word “love.” The ideology of love and the consecution techniques of love in Sapai Jao both represent the power relationship between love, marriage, family, gender, and social class between couple, especially the daughter-in-law of a royal family, by having the  Thai patronage system and the Thai value of gratefulness and obligation for parents as the main mechanisms in controlling the selection for the appropriated partner for the descendant. This is to maintain the benefit of the family in terms of social and economic prosperity. Furthermore, the belief in destiny, as seen in the story, can balance and compromise the oppositions in the said power relationship.