In the Wheel Of Time series, polygamy is significant not only to the main character's story arc, but also an entire culture (the Aiel).
What is its significance?
My girlfriend is convinced that it's just some old guy's fantasy, not an important plot point. I feel like Robert Jordan wouldn't have included it if there weren't a deeper meaning, but I haven't found anything to really explain it.
Are there any interviews with Robert Jordan, his wife Hariet, or Brandon Sanderson that even allude to the inclusion of this phenomenon? Is it a reference to any particular culture out of universe?
If there is no such reference for the Aiel culture in general, what about Rand in particular? He ends up loving three women. Is this part of the story pulled from any specific legends/myths? Does it tie into the plot in any central way? It's interesting that there are also three central ta'veren, but that could be mere coincidence.