"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 1670
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage
Tags French Literature
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, otherwise known as Molière, premiered his five-act comedy, Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, in 1670 for the court of King Louis XIV at the Château of Chambord. The title, often translated as The Middle-Class Gentleman, is a contradiction in terms, since the word “gentleman” refers to a man who was born into nobility. Therefore, a bourgeois gentleman could not exist. Molière is one of the most well-known writers of French literature, and translations of his... Read Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Midlife, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 1989
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: War
Tags Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, Historical Fiction, Romance, Food, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Like Water for Chocolate is the debut novel of Laura Esquivel, published in Mexico in 1989 and then translated into English by Carol and Thomas Christensen. Esquivel has sold over four million copies of the novel worldwide. She is a novelist and active politician serving in the Mexican Chamber of Deputies. She collaborated with her husband at the time to adapt the novel into a film in 1992, which was then nominated for a Golden... Read Like Water for Chocolate Summary
Publication year 2002
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Free verse, Lyric Poem, Play: Comedy / Satire, American Literature, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Literary Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, British Literature, History: World, Regency Era
Longbourn (2013) is a work of fiction by British author Jo Baker, who is the author of several other novels of historical fiction and literary suspense. Longbourn depicts what life is like for the servants of the Bennet family of Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice. While events in Austen’s book frame this novel, Longbourn follows the inner lives of housemaid Sarah, housekeeper Mrs. Hill, and James Smith, the mysterious footman who shows up... Read Longbourn Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration
Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Irish Literature
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Jewish Literature
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Gothic Literature, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Holidays & Occasions, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1695
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, Love / Sexuality, Restoration, British Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction
William Congreve (1670-1729) briefly studied law before pursuing a career as a playwright. Love for Love, one of his comedies, was first produced in 1695, and was followed by a string of other works including The Way of the World (1700) until Congreve retired from writing for the stage in 1701. He spent the rest of his life occupying minor government posts and pursuing failed business ventures. He died in 1729 at the age of... Read Love for Love Summary
Publication year 1943
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Chinese Literature, Historical Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Asian Literature, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1719
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, British Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1985
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Classic Fiction, Romance, Post Modernism, Latin American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism
Love in the Time of Cholera is a classic work of literary fiction by the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. It was published in Spanish in 1985 and translated into English in 1988 by Edith Grossman. The novel was adapted into a film in 2007, which was nominated for several awards including an Oscar and a Golden Globe. Plot SummaryLove in the Time of Cholera is set in... Read Love in the Time of Cholera Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Publication year 1598
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, British Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Humor
Love’s Labour’s Lost is an early Shakespearean comedy, produced in the burgeoning theatrical culture of Elizabethan London. It tells the story of four Lords, led by the King of Navarre, who swear to dedicate three years to study and avoid women. However, they immediately fall in love with four ladies, led by the Princess of France. The play follows their attempts to woo the ladies, while a host of comedic characters in the subplot squabble... Read Love's Labour's Lost Summary
Publication year 1989
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, African American Literature
“Love Song for Alex, 1979” is a lyric sonnet that Margaret Walker wrote for her husband. The poem is frequently labeled a sonnet because of its 14 lines, though it doesn’t follow the strict rhyme scheme of a traditional sonnet. In the style of lyric poetry, the poem expresses Walker’s warm feelings for her husband. Though it doesn’t reveal a narrative, we can glean some details about the couple’s relationship from the poem.Poet BiographyMargaret Walker... Read Love Song for Alex, 1979 Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Luckiest Girl Alive, the 2015 debut novel of Cosmopolitan writer/editor Jessica Knoll, is a psychological thriller that investigates the long-term impact of emotional trauma. The book, which addresses women’s sexual rights, the pressures of adolescent bullying, and the dark psychology of school shootings, became an immediate New York Times best seller and was optioned as a film project for Netflix with Knoll serving as screenwriter. This study guide uses the 2015 Simon & Schuster paperback... Read Luckiest Girl Alive Summary