The doomed relationship of Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater has been melting hearts right around the world for more than 20 years. Since James Cameron’s Titanic debuted in 1997, audiences have united behind Jack and Rose to lament the fact that they never got their happy ending (unless you count the afterlife scene at the end of the movie).
Jack and Rose will always have a place in our hearts as one of those movie couples that you can’t help but love. But that doesn’t mean their relationship makes a lot of sense. When you really think about it, they actually make a pretty terrible couple! Read on to find out why.
Their Relationship Lasted Two Days
Jack and Rose’s relationship is often thought of as one of the greatest in movie history. But when you think about it objectively, it isn’t really. To start with, they were only together for two days. From the time that Jack saved Rose from jumping off the Titanic to the moment he freezes in the Atlantic Ocean, only a little over 48 hours passes.
The timing issue isn’t their fault, of course, but two days just isn’t enough time for a relationship to develop. To have such strong feelings for another person after knowing them for so little time might not be that normal (or healthy).
It Was Lust Rather Than Love
That brings us to our next point. Although we tend to think of Jack and Rose as having a great love, it’s pretty obvious to us now that they were in lust rather than love. While there are still those who believe in love at first sight, the truth is that love is something that takes time to develop.
It’s difficult to define exactly what love is, but most experts will tell you that it involves several elements, including commitment, a connection on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level, trust, and deep respect. You just can’t get all of that in 48 hours. So the strong feelings that these two have for each other probably come down to lust disguised as love.
Rose Wasn’t Actually Available To Be In A Relationship
We’re not huge fans of Rose’s fiancé Cal. It’s obvious from the way he controls her, talks to her like she’s a child, and physically strikes her that he would make a terrible husband. But the fact does remain: when she meets Jack, Rose is in a relationship. She’s engaged to be married, which makes Jack the other guy.
We understand that it would have been immensely difficult for Rose to end her relationship with Cal, especially given the pressure her mother was putting on her and the societal expectations at the time. But does that make cheating okay?
They Didn’t Have A Lot In Common
Relationships that last have to have more substance to them than just physical attraction. Even if two people have great physical chemistry, they won’t last long as a couple if they don’t actually enjoy each other’s company and don’t have a lot to talk about. Although Jack and Rose do have great chemistry, they really don’t have that much in common.
These characters do care for each other, but they are from two completely different worlds. While the differences between them are a novelty as they get to know each other, they may have eventually caused major problems if Jack had survived the sinking and they had run away together in New York.
Jack Was Probably A Bit Obsessed With Rose
When you examine the relationship between Rose and Jack and understand just how little time they actually had together, Jack’s sacrifices for Rose seem a little over the top. It definitely makes for a great romance film to see a character sacrifice himself, again and again, to save the love of his life, don’t get us wrong.
But in real life, if somebody became that emotionally invested in you after knowing you for two days, you’d most likely be creeped out. Even if he did look like Leonardo DiCaprio.
Her Family Never Would Have Accepted Him
When push comes to shove, Ruth DeWitt Bukater would never accept Jack Dawson as her daughter’s lover. Even before she had to rely on Cal to financially provide for her and Rose, she never would have allowed her daughter to associate with someone like Jack.
That’s not to say that a relationship is automatically terrible just because family members don’t approve. But the relationship would have been a source of friction had Jack survived. Who knows what the drama may have escalated to? We already know Cal isn’t above pulling a gun on Jack.
Rose Should Have Rescued Herself Rather Than Allowing Jack To Rescue Her
There’s no denying that Rose needs to be rescued in the film. Not just physically, when the ship starts to sink. But from the second we meet her, Rose is trapped in a relationship that is making her miserable and needs to escape. It’s romantic that Jack comes along and saves her, but it would have been better if she could have saved herself.
By relying on Jack to save her, she just goes from putting her life in one man’s hands to putting it in another man’s hands. Only when Jack dies does she finally embrace her independence and take control of her own life.
They Couldn’t Even Float Together On The Door
In all honesty, Jack and Rose can’t even manage to float on the wooden door together. How would they ever face all the challenges that life has in store for two people in a long-term relationship? Even if the door submerges when they both put their weight on it at the same time, they could still take it in turns. That way, nobody would need to stay permanently in the water and freeze to death.
Rose doesn’t think to offer the door to Jack and he’s too much of a martyr to suggest swapping, so, unfortunately, we get the ending that we have.
We’ll Allow It: Their Chemistry Was Insane
There are a lot of reasons why Jack and Rose don’t actually make as good a couple as everybody thinks they do. But ultimately, we still love them together. We’re happy to turn the analytical parts of our brains off and just accept their relationship, primarily because they share such strong chemistry.
Love at first sight may not exist, but there’s no denying that these two share chemistry from the very beginning. They are attracted to each other and pulled toward one another by such a strong energy that none of them can fight. That trumps all the logic in the world.
We’ll Allow It: They Made Each Other Happy
At the end of the day, Rose and Jack make each other happy. Would it have been better for Rose’s personal growth to save herself from her relationship with Cal rather than relying on Jack to steal her away? Yes. Was it a little weird how obsessed Jack became with Rose so soon after meeting her? Maybe. But these two make each other happy.
Up until they meet, neither one has a very happy life. Rose is trapped in a miserable engagement and Jack is sleeping under bridges. Their time together, though brief, brings light to both their lives and cancels out all the other negativity surrounding them. And that is why, despite all the logic, we still ship them.