"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 1913
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Nation
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, American Literature, History: World
The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton is a tragicomedy of manners that explores themes of greed, ruthless ambition, progress, and gendered ideas. Wharton, who was herself a member of the New York City elite, was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Literature, and her novels are pieces of classic American literature for their social commentary, multilayered characters, and analysis of American culture.Published in 1913, this novel can be read as... Read The Custom of the Country Summary
Publication year 1985
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery
Tags Self Help, Relationships
Publication year 1914
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Grief / Death, Relationships, Education, Education, History: World, Irish Literature, Classic Fiction
“The Dead” is a short story by Irish writer James Joyce. The story is a part of Joyce’s renowned Dubliners collection, first published in 1914, which portrays daily life in the Irish city of Dublin in the early 20th century. In “The Dead,” a literary young man attends a party with his wife. The events at the party prompt him to reflect on his life and his place in the universe. The short story has... Read The Dead Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 1945
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, British Literature, Holidays & Occasions, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Irish Literature, Classic Fiction
Content Warning: This guide features discussion of wartime violence, relationship abuse, sexuality, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and demon possession.Elizabeth Bowen (1899-1973) was a notable Irish English writer of novels and short stories dealing with Irish life as well as the lives of Londoners in the 1940s. She is also famous for her ghost stories. “The Demon Lover,” one of Bowen’s most famous works, was published in 1945 in the United Kingdom in a collection called... Read The Demon Lover Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Russian Literature, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1614
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Identity: Femininity
Tags Play: Tragedy, Jacobean Era, Class, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction
The Duchess of Malfi, originally published as The Tragedy of the Dutchesse of Malfy, is a Jacobean revenge tragedy written by John Webster. Webster also wrote the revenge tragedy The White Devil and frequently collaborated with other playwrights working for the King’s Men in London. It was written in 1613 and performed to a private audience at Blackfriars Theatre a year later. That same year it was also performed to a general audience at the... Read The Duchess of Malfi Summary
Publication year 1891
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Russian Literature, Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Regency Era
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 1922
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, British Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Pastoralism
The Enchanted April (1922) is a novel by English author Elizabeth von Arnim. Set in a fictionalized version of a real 15th-century castle near Portofino, it follows four women as they embark on a month-long holiday on the Italian coast. Mrs. Wilkins, Mrs. Arbuthnot, Mrs. Fisher, and Lady Caroline Dester all travel to Italy to escape the dreariness of their daily lives and find themselves transformed by the beauty of the Italian countryside. Not entirely... Read The Enchanted April Summary
Publication year 1947
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Gothic Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, American Literature, Classic Fiction
“The Enormous Radio” is a short story written by John Cheever and first published in The New Yorker in 1947. It was republished in 1953 as the eponymous story in Cheever’s The Enormous Radio and Other Stories. Cheever went on to publish five novels and eight story collections, including a seminal anthology released in 1978 as The Stories of John Cheever. This book earned him a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and a National Book Critics... Read The Enormous Radio Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 1771
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Classic Fiction, Humor, Satire, Travel Literature, British Literature, Georgian Era, Education, Education, History: World
Publication year 1978
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology, Relationships, Mental Illness, Self Help
Publication year 1887
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Play: Drama, Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Play: Tragedy, Gender / Feminism, History: European, Mental Illness, Relationships, Scandinavian Literature, Naturalism, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Contemporary Literature
Publication year 2006
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Self Help, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Love / Sexuality