Love in Literature
Famous love stories and themes in literature.
Love has always been a central theme in literature, inspiring countless stories that have defined generations and conveyed lessons of human triumph and tragedy. One of the most tragic love stories is William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” a disastrous tale of star-crossed lovers from feuding families. This classic explores themes of forbidden love, youthful passion, and the destructive power of societal expectations and divisions. Despite their families’ enmity, Romeo and Juliet struggle to be together, only to meet a heartbreaking end. The consequences of unchecked hatred become too much to overcome, even for a couple in love.
Another timeless love story that explores societal expectations is Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.” Set in early 19th-century England, a tumultuous romance between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy unfolds through witty banter and misunderstandings, highlighting themes of class, social norms, and personal growth. Their journey from prejudice to mutual understanding and love demonstrates the transformative power of introspection and empathy.
There are many other examples of “love” in literature… Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights,” a story of a passionate and destructive relationship; F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” a classic portrayal of unrequited love and the disillusionment of the American Dream; and Victor Hugo’s “Les Misérables,” where Jean Valjean, an ex-convict, displays his selfless love for Cosette, an orphaned daughter and fierce advocate for love. It’s set against the backdrop of revolutionary France, exploring the themes of freedom, redemption, sacrifice, and the power of love to transform lives.
I think the power of stories like this is found in the interplay between the couple and their setting, the struggle between their desires and their circumstances. My father, a longtime minister and teacher, once told a chancel full of little kids in a children’s sermon about the “sitz im laben,” German for “setting in life.” Context. Situation. Surroundings. Conditions on the ground. They define much of what we experience in life.
The couple in almost every story of love struggles with “if only ‘this’ hadn’t occurred, or ‘that’ hadn’t happened to us…”, or "if only this would happen.... if only she would say..." the context becoming another character in the story against which the couple must battle. Will they get through this? How will their circumstances change them or their love?
The most powerful stories, I think, are the ones in which the protagonists and heroes overcome their context, building their love “in spite of….”
I think of stories about different kinds of love sometimes… like Ruth and Naomi, vowing to be together in love, no matter what. “Whither thou goest, I will go.” I think of the sacrificial love of Moses and his people, a love story for sure, in which he leads them where they need to go, in spite of the odds against them.
What circumstances or obstacles are you facing as you express love to others? Will you be defined or changed by your struggles? Will love win the narrative of your life?
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