Dear reader, since this week was full of red roses, balloons and strawberries in chocolate, I decided not to change a course and add a little more "valentine" mood to the end of the week!
I once tried to find out a true story of this holiday’s emergence – in some legends Valentine was not traditionally oriented, according to other version, he was a priest who fell in love, but nevertheless it seems to me that he did not exist at all. Most likely, St. Valentine's character developed gradually under the influence of French and English literature. So today, as usual, we will talk about literature. Is it possible to make the list of the greatest works about love? Of course not! Many people – many lists. But here are couple of books for contemplation.
This love that thou hast shown
Doth add more grief to too much of mine own.
Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs;
Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes;
Being vexed, a sea nourished with loving tears.
What is it else? A madness most discreet,
A choking gall, and a preserving sweet.
“For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo” – is a classic cliché for many cynics, however the tragic story of two young teenagers could not leave behind book lovers, especially in Marshak’s translation. And no need to tell that no theater goes without staging this "banal" story.
“Recognition of love as a divine feeling, full of thrill”, how Belinsky wrote, made Romeo and Juliet the most popular lovers and the namesake tragedy – Shakespeare’s most famous work. Read it! Read in translation, original version, watch the plays, movies (I really recommend one of the first films – shot by Franco Zeffirelli).
I have dreamt in my life, dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas; they have gone through and through me, like wine through water, and altered the color of my mind.
You are definitely familiar with Brontë sisters. The only novel by Emily "Wuthering Heights" came into literature as innovation in use of Gothic style in combination with romantic interpretation. This love story, to put it mildly, has multiple of villains, however the unusual form of the narration is exciting – this is a story inside of the story; and the fact that the reader often learns about events from hearsay; and many other nuances of this story about tragic love of the farmhand and his master’s daughter.
I had no first love, he said at last; I began with the second.
From Wuthering Heights and mature characters – again to young emotions, you could say, half-childish love in the novel by Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev "The First Love". This story is based on real events – desperate love of the main character, a ball, where everything began – Zinaida and just the thoughts of her! Ivan Sergeyevich experiences all feelings together with the young hero, and the older you, readers of "The first love" are – the better!
Re-reading Khosrow and Shirin's story, I think of Sufism. But in the context of St. Valentine's Day we can address to the whole “Khamseh” by Nizami Ganjavi. The greatest of writers, the classic of Eastern poetry, Nizami gifted us the most eloquent story about Leyli and Majnun. When if not now it’s time to remember our own Romeo and Juliette? “Khamseh” is sold in different languages – and if you are lucky, you will be able to find the illustrated edition.
Read more and take care of your loved ones!
