Books matching: tragic romance
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- #1
'Tess of the D'Urbervilles' by Thomas Hardy is a tragic tale following the life of Tess Durbeyfield, a young woman driven by family poverty to claim kinship with the wealthy D'Urbevilles. Meeting her cousin Alec proves to be her downfall, leading to a series of events where she must navigate love, betrayal, and societal prejudices. Hardy defies conventions by focusing on the rural lower class, offering a frank treatment of sexuality and religion, while portraying a victim of Victorian hypocrisy with compelling depth and emotion.
The narrative delves into Tess's struggles against her own perceived weaknesses, the brutality of others, and the prejudices of society. Through a mix of cruelty, oppression, and misguided forgiveness, Tess's tragic journey unfolds, challenging readers to question the purity of her character and the societal norms that shape her fate.
ON AN EVENING IN the latter part of May a middle-aged man was walking homeward from Shaston to the village of Marlott, in the adjoining Vale of Blakemore or Blackmoor. The pair of legs that carried hi... - #2
'The Mill on the Floss' by George Eliot is a novel that follows the life of Maggie Tulliver, a free-spirited and passionate young woman torn between societal expectations and her desire for self-fulfillment. The story delves into the struggles of a middle-class family in Victorian England, particularly focusing on the complex relationship between Maggie and her brother Tom. As Maggie navigates through life, facing societal pressures and personal conflicts, the novel explores themes of family dynamics, gender roles, and moral responsibility. The narrative is filled with quirky and believable characters, providing a poignant portrayal of provincial life in the 19th century.
The book is known for its detailed character development, particularly in the portrayal of Maggie Tulliver as a beloved yet flawed heroine. The plot unfolds with Maggie's emotional journey, influenced by her relationships with others and the societal constraints she must confront. George Eliot's writing style combines humor and darkness, drawing parallels to the works of Charles Dickens but with a unique perspective on femininity, individuality, and the complexities of family dynamics.
A wide plain, where the broadening Floss hurries on between its green banks to the sea, and the loving tide, rushing to meet it, checks its passage with an impetuous embrace. On this mighty tide the b... - #3
Captain Marryat's 'The Phantom Ship' is a seafaring adventure tale filled with supernatural elements and Catholic dogma. The story follows protagonist Philip Vanderdecken on a quest to save his father's soul from eternal damnation, pitted against evil in various manifestations. The narrative delves into the legend of the Flying Dutchman, a phantom ship destined to sail around the Cape of Good Hope until judgment day, while also exploring themes of redemption and tragic romance.
- #4
Victoria by Knut Hamsun is a classic Norwegian novel that tells the tale of a miller's son, Johannes, and his unrequited love for Victoria, a woman born into a higher social class. Set in the 19th century, the story explores themes of social and economic class differences, forbidden love, and the complexities of relationships. Hamsun's writing style, characterized by stream of consciousness and interior monologue, delves into the psyche and soul of the characters, creating a timeless and compelling narrative that captures the authenticity of real relationships amidst societal restrictions.
When he grew up he wanted to be a maker of matches. It was so deliciously dangerous; he would get sulphur on his fingers, making everybody afraid to shake hands with him. His comrades would stand in a... - #5
"Brokeback Mountain" by Annie Proulx is a poignant short story that explores themes of LGBT topics, forbidden love, and the rural west. The story follows the tragic love affair between two cowboys, capturing the heartbreak and struggles they face due to societal expectations and homophobia. Proulx's writing style is described as beautiful and gripping, evoking strong emotions in readers and leaving a lasting impact long after finishing the story.
ENNIS DEL MAR WAKES BEFORE FIVE, WIND ROCKING the trailer, hissing in around the aluminum door and window frames. The shirts hanging on a nail shudder slightly in the draft. He gets up, scratching the... - #6
'Tender Is the Night' by F. Scott Fitzgerald follows the descent of Dick and Nicole Divers' marriage, intertwined with themes of mental illness, infidelity, and the destructive power of wealth. The book is set in the 1920s and 30s on the French Riviera and Swiss Alps, portraying the glamorous yet disintegrating life of an American couple amidst a backdrop of alcoholism, dysfunctional families, and the realization that money cannot buy happiness. Fitzgerald's writing style is noted for its poetic passages interspersed with pedestrian psychology, capturing the dark and complex emotions of the characters.
On the pleasant shore of the French Riviera, about half way between Marseilles and the Italian border, stands a large, proud, rose-colored hotel. Deferential palms cool its flushed façade, and before ... - #7
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin is a powerful and moving novel set in Paris in the 1950s, revolving around David, an American living in Paris who finds himself torn between his fiancée Hella and his passionate relationship with Giovanni, a young Italian man. The book explores themes of love, identity, societal expectations, and the struggles of embracing one's true self. Through Baldwin's masterful writing, the story delves deep into the complexities of human emotions and desires, painting a vivid picture of the characters' internal conflicts and external challenges they face in a society that is not accepting of their love.
ISTAND AT THE window of this great house in the south of France as night falls, the night which is leading me to the most terrible morning of my life. I have a drink in my hand, there is a bottle at m... - #8
Goethe's Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is a captivating exploration of ambition, morality, and the human condition. The book delves deep into existential and moral fabric as Faust deals with the devil, seeking after gold, influence, power, and more, only to face twisted outcomes. The tale of Faust is a probing poetical tract on the nature of good and evil, salvation and damnation, failing and striving, all while presenting a great love story and a profound insight into the human soul.
- #9
'Hardy: Poems' by Thomas Hardy, edited by Peter Washington, is a collection of poems that some readers feel is incomplete and lacks some of Hardy's most well-known and admired works. The opinions suggest that Thomas Hardy, known for his controversial novels like Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure, preferred to call himself a poet in his lifetime. is described as containing moderately short poems that resonate with the same tragic sense of life found in Hardy's novels, focusing on themes of societal views on women, historical projects, and landscape descriptions.
- #10The Aeneidby:
The Aeneid by Virgil is an epic poem that follows the journey of Aeneas, a Trojan hero who escapes the fall of Troy and embarks on a quest to find a new home in Italy, ultimately leading to the founding of Rome. The story is filled with heroic adventures, battles, and encounters with gods, all woven together to give Romans a legitimate claim to an ancient heritage that could rival the Greeks. The writing style is described as gripping and vivid, with detailed descriptions of war comparable to Homer's work, but with a unique literary style that includes imagery and scene setting.
10 Till he could found a city and bring home His gods to Latium, land of the Latin race, The Alban lords, and the high walls of Rome. Tell me the causes now, O Muse, how galled In her divine pride, an...