Best doomed love stories?

flowerburgers · Oct 4, 2012

I'm a total sucker for doomed love stories. What are your favorites? The one that stands out most in my memory is The Wild Palms by William Faulkner, which is incredible -- it has that famous line about how "between grief and nothing I will take grief." Yeesh. It kills me!

Other gems:
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (duh)
Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
anything Anais Nin wrote about Henry and June Miller
The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald (containing this wonderful line: "Things are sweeter when they're lost. I know—because once I wanted something and got it. It was the only thing I ever wanted badly...and when I got it it turned to dust in my hands.")

This is technically a poem, but "A Season in Hell" by Arthur Rimbaud often fulfills my late night "doomed love story cravings."

How 'bout you?!

Dreity · Oct 4, 2012

A few nights ago my husband and I watched Jade Warrior, a Scandinavian-Chinese movie that retells parts of the Finnish Kalevala.

The dual narrative was really interesting, and (Spoiler!) I loved that the main character gave up his second chance to be with his love thousands of years later in order to save the world.

If you have Netflix and don't mind subtitles, it's available for Instant Watch. It's worth watching just for how unique it is. I mean, really, how many other Finnish Kung Fu movies are out there in the world?

measure_in_love · Oct 28, 2012

Rather obvious ones, but I can't help myself:
Bookwise: Romeo and Juliet (basically any of the Shakespeare romances)
Moviewise: I guess this is similar to Romeo and Juliet, but West Side Story, and Titanic.

Vito · Oct 28, 2012

Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms.

Vito · Nov 4, 2012

I'll add Erich Segal's Love Story to my list. It isn't quite up there with Shakespeare, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and all the rest, but it's a thoughtful and touching reflection on the importance of love, family, and life...you know, the important stuff.

blacbird · Nov 4, 2012

Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, by Victor Hugo
The Man Who Laughs, by Victor Hugo

caw

Lavern08 · Nov 4, 2012

Gotta go with Wuthering Heights.

First time I read it, it ripped my heart and guts out.

Lady Ice · Nov 20, 2012

Anna Karenina
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (it's pretty nasty though so be warned)
Pretty much anything by Thomas Hardy
Troilus and Cressida (an underrated Shakespeare play)

Ken · Dec 1, 2012

... Tristan & Iseult. Medieval tale. Read it 7 or 8 times. Powerful stuff.

Beatlemaniac · Dec 1, 2012

I'm going to add a non-fiction book to the mix...Napoleon and Josephine: The Biography of a Marriage by Frances Mossiker.

Yeah, those two really were doomed...

Oh, and I third Wuthering Heights.

BabySealWriter · Dec 1, 2012

Ethan Frome*

Maria S · Dec 14, 2012

I fourth it. Wuthering Heights is the best. So good.

LadyA · Mar 19, 2013

A SUMMER STORY - a 1988 British film about a rich man falling in love with a farm girl and by cruel little twists of fate, them being denied their happy ending. You can find it on YouTube.
It's made me cry every time I've watched it, and we watch it a lot because my granddad was one of the extras!

and, if I'm allowed to call it this, REBECCA by Daphne Du Maurier.

also, UNDONE by Cat Clarke. YA, but it will rip your heart to pieces.

BradyH1861 · Mar 19, 2013

A Time to Love and a Time to Die by Erich Maria Remarque.

measure_in_love · Mar 19, 2013

I actually think I might add Memoirs of a Geisha to this list. It's a gorgeous, yet tragic tale.

And agreeing on The Beautiful and Damned. I'm currently halfway through it, it's so so sad. They are so in love in the beginning, but there are clearly underlying issues even right before they get married. It just goes in a terrible downward spiral. I think for me because it was based off of his own marriage, makes it even more heartbreaking. Sorry I love Fitzgerald

suha52 · Jun 14, 2014

Even though we know that the story is doomed,we still hope that maybe just maybe things might be different.I have read Romeo and Juliet so many times and I always run the possibilities in my head.
http://www.stories.pk/urdu-hindi/love-stories-f14.html

Marian Perera · Jun 14, 2014

Gone with the Wind.

psyche24 · Jun 22, 2014

Definitely Wuthering Heights.

Best doomed love stories?

flowerburgers

New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin

Dreity

measure_in_love

escaping the evil queen's curse

Vito

Recalled to life

Vito

Recalled to life

blacbird

Lavern08

Sit Down, and Shut Up!

Lady Ice

Makes useful distinctions

Ken

Beatlemaniac

Imma Mum-Mum

BabySealWriter

Often misses his target

Maria S

LadyA

Always lurking, never posting...

BradyH1861

Hold Fast.

measure_in_love

escaping the evil queen's curse

suha52

Marian Perera

starting over

psyche24