Does the basic understanding of love require logic or emotion? Stendhal's The Crystallization of Love is based on the "belief that behavior is governed by passions and self-interest" (Past to Present p. 91). The idea that love is something to be studied and observed under a microscope is the attitude Stendhal conveys toward the reader. Although, love is seen as a passionate and unexplainable phenomenon in most cultures, it is not in his eyes. Stendhal's concept for his essay is based on his own erratic experiences with love. The detached approach that he takes is one of fear and resentment. This leads to an unstable foundation for his theory on love. The concept of love from Stendhal's point of view is very contained and dispassionate, but love is messy and Stendhal's views on it are not.

"Love is the triumph of stupidity over reason" Voltaire's famous quote about love...