The relationship between love and business essay example

The world contains many high-powered couples whose love and business prospects are complementary and whose individual attributes are stronger when joined. When the aspects of love and business are properly leveraged, solitary endeavors are not as strong as a combination of those endeavors. In Mark Twain’s, “ The £1, 000, 000 Bank-Note,” Henry and Portia view their partnership of love and business as enhanced when they work in unison and achieve much greater financial security than if they worked individually.
In the beginning of the story, Henry Adams describes his solitary existence in San Francisco in which his work put him on the path to his future fortune (60). He indicates in his brief description that his endeavors are time-consuming, and he was unable to secure a fortune by himself. However, his future changes when he accidentally makes a trip to London.
The story outlines the relationship between romance and business prospects as being enhanced by the other in unison. At times, Henry was unsure he could sustain the thirty days with which he was tasked. He feared he might not be capable of improving his situation at the conclusion of the time period because, before meeting Portia, his circumstance worsened by taking on incredible debt. However, upon meeting and falling in love with Portia, Henry draws confidence from her. So much so that he intends to request additional salary from the two older gentlemen than he originally intended (74). It is Portia’s love which gives him the necessary confidence to do so and, at least in his mind, improves his business prospects. So, too, did Henry give confidence to Portia when she needed it. Were the two apart, it would be difficult to tell if they would have similar confidence.
In their relationship, Henry and Portia regard love and business as equivalent. They view the combination as a means to an end for them to live independently. For Henry, he can achieve the fortune he desired and Portia receives independence from her wealthy stepfather. While Henry’s fortune relied on the one million pound note given to him and, thus, based on someone else’s money, he achieves his financial independence by utilizing his wit and does so of his own accord. Portia, too, plays a pivotal role in that independence because her love acts as support for his business which, ultimately, provides the couple’s independence and enhances their future direction.
The couple’s relationship is portrayed by the two lovers as a business partnership in which they can improve each other’s fortunes. By pure accident, Henry arrives in London and befalls a fortunate set of circumstances that provide a means to his eventual success. After meeting and falling in love with Portia, the couple is like-minded in their pursuit of future prospects and forms a partnership in which they are able to achieve more together than they were able to individually. Particularly, the attributes of one advances the aims of the other. Together they provide a more valuable partnership than they would apart and the two complement each other so that their business prospects are enhanced by their love.
The couple utilizes their individual strengths to further their future aims. Henry refers to Portia’s beauty as a weakness in the old men that will not allow them to offer less than a much higher sum than if Henry were alone (74). By utilizing Portia’s strength of beauty, the two expect to extract a higher salary than Henry could alone.
Further evidence of the importance of partnerships is exhibited in Henry’s partnership with Lloyd. Separately, the two are unable to realize their full potential: Henry will be required to take on employment and be dependent upon the old gentlemen and Lloyd is unable to sell his mine shares. However, when the two devise a plan utilizing both of their strengths, they make a large enough profit for both of them to be financially successful. Without the two combining their strengths, it is unlikely that they would be capable of making it. They relied on each other’s complementing attributes to foster a profitable partnership.
The entire premise of the story is based on the partnership between romance and business prospects. They are intertwined when Henry meets the old gentlemen and later falls in love with Portia. “ Portia, dear, would you mind going with me that day, when I confront those old gentlemen?” (74). Henry sees that Portia can assist in his future endeavors and wants to include her for that reason. Again, at the end of the story when Henry declines the older gentleman’s offer of any situation of Henry’s choosing, Portia interrupts and asks if she might thank the gentleman. Henry responds, “ Indeed, you shall, dear, if you can improve it.” (79). Henry allows Portia to utilize her attributes in an attempt to enhance the outcome of their partnership.
In Mark Twain’s, “£1, 000, 000 Bank-Note,” the idea is posited by the author that love and business can be successfully melded to enhance the other. The story is similar to many real-world couples who utilize their combined resources and individual relationships to further their aim of a successful future.