Marriage

"It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages," said philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. The texts in this collection depict happy and unhappy marriages—and those that fall somewhere in between.

Publication year 1869

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Marriage, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Philosophy, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

The book-length essay The Subjection of Women was written in 1869 by John Stuart Mill, an English philosopher known for his progressive, utilitarian ideas. The essay includes four chapters and was published in London by Lonmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer publishers. The Subjection of Women is a persuasive argument, laying out the problem of women’s legal, marital, and societal oppression to show that gender equality is necessary to ensure social justice, improve societal progress, and... Read The Subjection of Women Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

The Swallows of Kabul (2002) is the 11th published work by Mohammed Moulessehoul. It is published under the pen name Yasmina Khadra, derived from Moulessehoul’s wife’s first two names, to circumvent military censorship of works published by soldiers. Moulessehoul has written extensively regarding his experiences in the military as an Algerian, exploring themes and events across the Arab and French worlds. The Swallows of Kabul is a work of historical fiction, taking place during the... Read The Swallows of Kabul Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Natural World: Flora/plants

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Race / Racism, American Civil War, African American Literature, Grief / Death, History: U.S., Love / Sexuality, Post-War Era, Military / War, History: World


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Asian Literature


Publication year 1593

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Gender, Society: Class

Tags Elizabethan Era, Play: Comedy / Satire, Humor, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Classic Fiction

The Taming of the Shrew is one of William Shakespeare’s earliest comedies, probably first performed around 1593. While the play’s depiction of women is the subject of much debate among modern readers and scholars, its popularity endures, and the play continues to be reproduced in various mediums. Notable adaptations include the 1967 film starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, and the 1999 romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You.This guide refers to the 2014... Read The Taming of the Shrew Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Colonialism

Tags Race / Racism, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, African American Literature, Gender / Feminism, Classic Fiction

The Temple of My Familiar (1989) is a novel by Alice Walker. It follows the intersecting lives of multiple characters across countries and lifetimes, exploring the themes of The Feminine Experience, The Historical Trauma of Colonization, and Spirituality in the Diaspora.Alice Walker is an internationally acclaimed and celebrated writer, poet, and activist. Her novel The Color Purple won a National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1983. Characters from this classic feature... Read The Temple of My Familiar Summary


Publication year 1848

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, Romance, British Literature, Gothic Literature, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is the second and final novel written by Anne Brontë (1820-1849), the youngest of the three celebrated Brontë sisters. The novel was published in 1848 under Anne’s pseudonym, Acton Bell. Unlike Anne’s first novel, Agnes Grey (1847), The Tenant of Wildfell Hall was an immediate sensation and stirred strong reactions to its subject matter, which touched on adultery, marital separation, alcohol use disorder, and domestic abuse. After her death, Anne’s... Read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Summary


Publication year 1934

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Great Depression


Publication year 1952

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Race / Racism, African Literature, Relationships

“The Train from Rhodesia” is a short story by Nadine Gordimer, who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991. The story originally appeared in The Soft Voice of the Serpent, her first collection of stories, published in 1953 and used as the basis for this study guide.The story takes place in a train station in an unnamed African village. The station is surrounded by beggars and by vendors selling carved wooden animals. A stationmaster... Read The Train From Rhodesia Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage

Tags History: European, Military / War, Classical Period, History: World, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Recorded in Homer’s epic poems, which are widely considered seminal in the canon of western literature, the Trojan War continues to enjoy mythic status within contemporary culture over two millennia later. In the light of new archaeological evidence, Barry Strauss re-examines the most fabled war in history in his 2006 text The Trojan War: A New History. Strauss returns to the era when the war actually took place, some 500 years before Homer, and examines... Read The Trojan War: A New History Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Globalization, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags History: World, Regency Era, Romance, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1999

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Marriage


Publication year 1903

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Education, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Victorian Period, British Literature, Music, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period


Publication year 1954

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Midlife, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Education, Education, Classic Fiction

“The Way Up to Heaven” by Roald Dahl was initially published in 1954 in an issue of The New Yorker magazine and later included in his 1960 short story compilation book Kiss Kiss. The story was also adapted for TV in 1957 and 1979. Dahl is well known for his children’s novels, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches, and The Big Friendly Giant, many of which appeal with elements that are unusually... Read The Way Up To Heaven Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: War, Self Discovery

Tags British Literature, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Indian Literature


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction