THE WORDS OF THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY ring so familiar they are virtually formulaic. The phrase: “till death us do part” comes from the English Book of Common Prayer's marriage liturgy. The German form is equally familiar: “bis der Tod euch scheidet.” And the active verbs of both languages (“to part” and “scheiden”) imply that death may separate the married partners but not necessarily end the marriage. In either language, it expresses a solemn declaration of commitment based, presumably, on love, one of the major themes of this study because of its inextricable relationship to inner emotion. Codified and externalized, marriage is the traditional conclusion to love in comedic literary texts. Of the four preceding novels treated in this study, both the Geschichte des Fräuleins von Sternheim and Agnes von Lilien end with happy marriages. While the other two, Julchen and Blütenalter, also conclude with marriages, the dénouements of these novels are less neat and tidy. In the next novel of emotion to be accorded the status of a great book, marriage is again the focus, but it produces a tragic conclusion. This fifth novel focuses simultaneously on the binding promises of solemn marriage and the intense emotions of love upon which marriage is predicated, and it portrays the gender-specific differences from the bride's and groom's perspectives. Marriage binds both partners until death. In Caroline Fischer's sweetly titled novel, Die Honigmonathe (The Honeymoon), death rings loudly, constantly reminding the newlyweds of emotional suffering and fear. Ultimately, death becomes a welcome if violent means to end the destructive emotions that are occasioned by an overly passionate marital relationship.