Star Crossed Lovers: For Valentine's Day, Anyone But Romeo And Juliet (PHOTOS)

Though Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet are the classic star-crossed lovers in books, and the play from which the phrase originates, we decided to add some more unconventional picks from literature in honor of Valentine's Day. Almost all of them die before their time, but some, such as in the case of Bert and Ernie, are simply forbidden from expressing their true feelings for one another.

Did we leave any of your favorites out? Let us know in the comments!

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Robbie and Cecilia from Ian McEwan's "Atonement"

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Robbie confesses his love for Cecilia and they make love in a library. Robbie is accused of rape by Cecilia's sister, Briony, who misinterprets several situations. He is then sentenced to prison for a crime he did not commit. He is eventually released and goes to war. He and Cecilia remain together, and they do not forgive Briony. However, this is not what really happens. This version was created by Briony in the guilt-induced novel she eventually writes. In reality, the two never meet again after their library encounter. Robbie dies in the war, and Cecilia is killed by a bomb.

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Robbie confesses his love for Cecilia and they make love in a library. Robbie is accused of rape by Cecilia's sister, Briony, who misinterprets several situations. He is then sentenced to prison for a crime he did not commit. He is eventually released and goes to war. He and Cecilia remain together, and they do not forgive Briony. However, this is not what really happens. This version was created by Briony in the guilt-induced novel she eventually writes.

In reality, the two never meet again after their library encounter. Robbie dies in the war, and Cecilia is killed by a bomb.

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Total comments: 19 | Post a Comment

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This Couple

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

Not THAT tragic

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Comments

[goodmandown]

11:02 PM on 02/16/2011

Tess and Angel Clare always got the best of me, also those crazy kids Frederic and Catherine from A Farewell to Arms. And don't forget Lenore Beadsman and Rick Vigorous!

[Yvette OlveraRose]

12:59 AM on 02/16/2011

Great list!!...don't forget Yuri and Lara from Boris Paternak's "Dr. Zhivago"!

[JJovana]

06:44 PM on 02/15/2011

Heathcliff & Kathy are missing from this list.

[Woods-shade]

04:07 PM on 02/15/2011

Hello?? How can Heathcliffe and Cathy not be on this list? (Wuthering Heights) Only the most famous book about star-crossed lovers. Sheesh!
Another worthy mention; Tristan and Isolde.
Honorable mention: Scarlett and Rhett (never quite got it together)

[Caru]

02:33 PM on 02/15/2011

Peter Parker and Mary Jane.

[naschkatze]

06:05 PM on 02/14/2011

Deanie Loomis and Bud Stamper in Splendor in the Grass. You can tell how old I am, and how about that as a Freudian name, Bud Stamper?

[naschkatze]

06:01 PM on 02/14/2011

And the winner is: Oedipus and Jocasta.

[MinettaRiver]

04:56 PM on 02/14/2011

Catherine and Heathcliffe (Wuthering Heights)
Gatsby and Daisy
Odysseus and Penelope

and (my new favorites) Joe Vincent and Grace Sundown in "Deep Creek"

[JimmyD]

02:49 PM on 02/14/2011

Arthur Dent and Fenchurch come to (my) mind.

[Leviathan21]

01:25 PM on 02/14/2011

Sorry, Bert and Ernie are NOT star-crossed lovers. That is just ridiculous. They may very well have been conceived as gay characters, which is wonderful. But, just because Sesame Street won't portray them as openly gay, that doesn't make them "star-crossed lovers". 

I suspect that the writer of this piece was trying to think of gay characters to include, but couldn't think of any besides Bert and Ernie (which is pitiful). Might I suggest Jack and Ennis in "Brokebach Mountain". Perfect examples of star-crossed lovers. And, it was a book before it was a movie.

Also:
Maurice and Clive in E.M. Forster's "Maurice"
Nick and Leo in Alan Hollinghurst's "The Line of Beauty"

[Amy Hertz]

03:04 PM on 02/14/2011

Thanks for the suggestion. Much appreciated.

[MIMom]

04:28 PM on 02/14/2011

Thank you for the B&E comment. I think people are trying too hard to be "hip". Enough with the B&E. They are puppets, people. Move on.

However, "Brokeback" was a short story, not exactly a book.

[sabelmouse]

11:12 AM on 02/14/2011

luckily i've read atonement as the plot was pretty much given awy. great book , awefull film. as usual.

[Amber Troska]

08:47 AM on 02/14/2011

Bert and Ernie. Awesome that they were included; I don't know anyone who doesn't harbor some secret belief in their clandestine love-whether they want to admit it or not- but why are they included in a list of literary lovers?

[Sunflo]

09:24 AM on 02/14/2011

Big Bird's outing them in a tell-all book.

[ChrisRoberts]

10:32 AM on 02/14/2011

Exactly and it's not pretty.

[Amy Hertz]

03:05 PM on 02/14/2011

Hilarious.