LOVE breaks the CHAIN

Love truly knows no boundaries.

In fact, true love is esteemed, not in the king's relationships to her 100 wives and concubines, but between a reluctant concubine named Tuptim and the peasant named Balat she truly adores.

When an unwilling new concubine, Tuptim, is brought into the palace, it is implied that the king sleeps with her, though we see nothing but her worries over giving herself to a man she doesn't feel affection for which helps create a case that the sexual act is a cherished gift that should be solely set aside for an affectionate, monogamous relationship.

Tuptim is not happy inside the harem, living with the king and the royal family. She wishes for her freedom, to live peacefully with the one she loved.

Balat, Tuptim’s fiance, is brokenhearted when Tuptim was taken away from him and brought into the palace to become one of the king’s concubines. Because of his disappointment, he joined the monastery and bowed to become a priest.

Though, Balat and Tuptim are walls apart, they still send secret letters to each other by the help of Anna. Sending letters inside the palace is forbidden.

When Tuptim found out that Balat entered the monastery, she sneaked away from the palace and disguised herself as one of Balat’s fellow priests, just to be near and to see him in secret. Balat didn’t know about her plan to leave the palace, and did not recognize her.

The King and the authorities learned about what Lady Tuptim did. According to the bylaws, no concubines should have other man other than the king, otherwise they will be penalized. This is Lady Tuptim’s case. She broke the rules. They castigated and brought her to court for being guilty. Balat was also brought into court. He was accused for being the other man of Tuptim. And the two were punished and sentenced to death.

The two lovers were exposed to the public. The Siamese people labeled them as traitors of their country. Both of them are beheaded in front of many people.

Tuptim make her own decisions and ready herself to take responsibilities for her actions.

It is a true testimony of how their eternal love for each other can draw out all the way to the edict’s horizon of Siam. Their love for each other conquers over all.

The two chained hearts are now free from Siam’s rulings.

They proved that love is without limits, it means that everything is possible. Everyone has the right to be happy, just like anybody else, even if your happiness is different in the opinion of others.

Love for others.

It is emphasized also in the story. This love is accentuated when Anna rescues a caned servant from her mean master. Anna paid for the bond servant’s freedom. She didn’t think that she’ll break the system that exists in Siam. She stands up for what she consider is right.

To act humanely with no regard to Siam’s custom is Anna’s challenge to those who are in power. Though she is aware of this rim between slaves and authorities, her love and pity for servants does win through. Her sympathy to those people in lower class breaks the boundary of slavery.

For Anna, the chain of slavery shall be broken.

And these are the kinds of love that got our attention. The everlasting love shown by Tuptim and Balat and love for fellow shown by Anna.