Romance

"The course of true love never did run smooth," wrote William Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night's Dream—and he knew what he was talking about. A text from this study guide collection might be just the thing to remind you of the bliss and pain of love.

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Love, Race, Family, Friendship, Community, Equality, Good & Evil, Justice, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger

Tags Race & Racism, Social Justice, World History, Historical Fiction, Romance

Publication year 1895

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Power & Greed, Politics & Government, Social Class, Art

Tags Comedy & Satire, World History, Dramatic Literature, Romance, Victorian Era, Humor, Classic Fiction

An Ideal Husband is a satirical play about blackmail, politics, morality, and marriage by Victorian writer Oscar Wilde. It was first performed at the Theatre Royal in Haymarket, London, on January 3, 1895. Wilde was an acclaimed playwright in London at the time, though his imprisonment in late 1895 marked his fall from public grace. The play has since been adapted for both film and theater across the world, as have many of Wilde’s other... Read An Ideal Husband Summary

Publication year 1849

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Love, Death, Community

Tags Lyric Poem, Grief & Death, Love & Sexuality, Education, Education, Horror & Suspense, American Literature, Gothic Literature, Romance, Classic Fiction

The last poem Edgar Allan Poe—infamous poet and fiction author of the macabre—completed during his tumultuous life, “Annabel Lee,” was first published in the New York Tribune in 1849, two days after Poe’s death. Displaying the melodic lyricism, gothic overtones, and memorable imagery which informed so much of Poe’s work, “Annabel Lee” is considered one of the defining entries in his canon, and a classic of 19th century American poetry.The poem concerns the death of... Read Annabel Lee Summary

Publication year 1879

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Religion & Spirituality, Social Class

Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, World History, Historical Fiction, Romance

Anna Karenina is Leo Tolstoy’s second novel, following War and Peace (1869). Serially published in 1877, Anna Karenina depicts the efforts of its titular character to escape an unhappy marriage to her older, civil servant husband and pursue a love affair with a young and dashing count, Alexei Vronsky. The novel is a sweeping family drama exploring Tolstoy’s interest in marriage, family, agrarian politics, and gender roles. The work is also a portrait of Russian... Read Anna Karenina Summary

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Gender Identity, Science & Technology

Tags Science Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

Publication year 1607

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Love, Femininity, Politics & Government, Fate, Power & Greed

Tags Classic Fiction, Tragedy, Historical Drama, Romance, Education, Education, Dramatic Literature, Historical Fiction

Book DetailsAntony and Cleopatra is a play by William Shakespeare that was first performed in 1607. The plot centers around the romantic affair between a Roman general, Mark Antony, and the Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra. It is one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies, portraying the downfall of Mark Antony and Cleopatra and their eventual deaths due to a conflict with Octavius Caesar, the future Emperor Augustus. Shakespeare had previously written the tragedy Julius Caesar in... Read Antony and Cleopatra Summary

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Hope, Joy, Love, Memory, Masculinity, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Animals, Place, Family, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Politics & Government, War, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger

Tags Romance, New Adult

Publication year 1903

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Love, Fate

Tags Education, Education, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction, American Literature

“A Retrieved Reformation,” by prolific American short story writer O. Henry, was first published as “A Retrieved Reform” in The Cosmopolitan in 1903. The story is an example of Realism, a literary movement popular in the US and Europe in the years between the end of the American Civil War and the early 20th century. Realism explores the everyday lives of ordinary people, using detailed descriptions and colloquial dialogue. Events in “A Retrieved Reformation” are... Read A Retrieved Reformation Summary

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Mothers, Fame, Literature

Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Historical Fiction, Romance, World History

Publication year 1908

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Truth & Lies, Femininity, Self Discovery, Marriage, Art

Tags British Literature, Italian Literature, World History, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Satirical Literature, Edwardian Era

A Room with a View is a 1908 historical fiction/romance novel by British author E. M. Forster. The novel is split between Italy and England, telling the story of Lucy Honeychurch, a young and spirited middle-class Englishwoman who embarks on a journey of self-discovery during a trip to Italy. During her travels, Lucy falls in love with the free-spirited and unconventional George Emerson, a fellow tourist, but is later forced to choose between her heart's... Read A Room with a View Summary

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Safety & Danger, Guilt, Hope, Gender Identity, Appearance & Reality, Plants, Family, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Humor