Let’s assume an Indian young man. He originally comes from a village where young boys and girls are betrothed to each other at age around 6 or 7 and get married when older, all arranged by their families. Before the wedding occurs, the young man goes to the university in a big city. He interacts with other Indian cultures as well as the western culture. When he comes back to the village, he proclaims that he doesn’t want to get married by arrangement, he wants to meet someone on his own. He has a fight with his parents about the shame he brings to the family, and he takes off and never comes back — although he occasionally calls his mother in secret.
Through her, he learns that the girl he was supposed to marry, never got married. Young men are already married in the surrounding villages, and the only people who show interest are very old men whose previous wives are dead. The young woman only has basic education so she doesn’t have the luxury to also take off to a big city and find a good or respectable job. She was brought up to be a wife.
So, what the young man should do? Should he just go on with his life and just do what he believes in and ignore the trouble his decision brought on both families, should he show mercy and marry her, or is there another, middle solution? Like, trying to take her away from the village, pay for her education and feed her until she can stand on her own feet? What if her parents don’t like this idea and he has to take drastic measures (like, taking her away regardless) that can cause legal action against him?
What would you do?