Question of the Week
Question of the Week #13: Love is in the Air (or Book)
Thanks to everybody who answered last week's question! Looks like we were dying to share our gripes (or shame) about books we didn't finish.
Since Valentine's Day is coming up--the day after Friday the 13th, wouldn't you know it--I thought we'd share our literary crushes. Whom do you want to be your Valentine? Why? What would you do on your ideal date for February 14? Characters and authors are both welcome: after all, it's your dream V-day.
I think my answer probably changes daily, but right now I'd have to say Odysseus from The Odyssey. Think of his passion and commitment! (Forget the wife he journeys home to for 30 years for now, though. And forget his various flings.) Plus, surely after so many years of fighting on the open sea he has a killer body and a tan to match. (Sidenote: Anyone seen the awesome/ridiculous movie version starring Armand Assante?) I could definitely go for a Valentine's Day sail on the warm Mediterranean followed by a picnic along the shore.
Replies (17)
Posted by
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I have a crush on F. Scott Fitzgerald. Aside from that, the fictional crush is Jamie Fraser from Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series.
Feb 10, 2009 6:26 pm
by danahuff -
And awesome/ridiculous is a great way to describe that movie. When I teach The Odyssey, I pair it with O Brother, Where Art Thou?
by danahuff -
Mr. Knightley from Emma
Feb 11, 2009 3:27 pm
by MBeeTeen -
@danahuff: Pairing The Odyssey with O Brother sounds like a much better choice, although the cheesy effects in the other movie are pretty memorable. I've heard another adaptation is being made (by the same folks who made Troy)...
by MaggieH (admin) -
I can't just pick one! So I pick three:
Cyrano de Bergerac, from Edmond Rostand's play
Severus Snape, from the Harry Potter books
Jewel Bundren, from Faulkner's As I Lay Dying
They're all long-suffering / tortured types with flaws, but each one is freakishly patient, self-sacrificing, passionate, and absolutely loyal to the person he loves. They're also intensely smart and independent.
Foxy!
They have pretty different interests, so I'd split my time up: Cyrano and I would write some awesome poetry together, then Prof. Snape and I could do some magic and make some potions, and then Jewel would take me for a ride on his horse.
And then, at the end of the day, the four of us would have a delicious French/magical/Southern feast!Feb 11, 2009 6:51 pm
by emilyyoung -
Holden Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye. As psychotic and seemingly mentally unstable as he was, I respected the way he viewed the world and people around him. Not necessarily the biggest optimist, but he seemed to "get" people. I haven't read the book in three years but I always think of him first when I think of my literary crushes.
Feb 12, 2009 4:22 pm
by tarakeeny -
A friend and I were arguing recently over which of us would get to marry Shakespeare (supposing he was still alive and single)... I don't know if he'd make a great date, though. If I spent Valentine's Day with him, we'd just have a quiet dinner at home, where I'd work on getting him drunk and then persuade him to let me play Lady Macbeth in his next production of Macbeth.
Theatrical ambitions aside, my other choice would be Aquila from Rosemary Sutcliff's The Lantern Bearers, before he got enslaved and married and bitter. He has imagination and a sense of humour, loves his family, loves his home, rides well, fights well. Also, he sounds really good-looking. What more could you want?Feb 12, 2009 9:41 pm
by EmeraldGreen -
John Thornton from North&South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Men with whiskers always make me shiver.
Feb 13, 2009 2:00 pm
by hsin-chi -
It's a little difficult for me to choose for two reasons - first, the women in the books i have read are boring. they're devoted women who wait around at home for the hero to return for their monthly ravashing. secondly - i seem to only have read adventure novels, which makes the first point a rather obvious one.
however, upon reading Anna Karenina, i'm finding that the women in this story - the complicated emotional wrecks that they sometimes are - have some very attractive qualities, namely the seemingly immature nature of Kitty. (granted, i've only read a very tiny amount of the book, so i'm sure this will change over the length of the book).Feb 13, 2009 2:10 pm
by wsimpson3144 -
A tie between Mr Darcy from Pride & Prejudice and Marcus Yallow from Little Brother (by Cory Doctorow). A cross between the dark, shy silent type and the young techno-geek reluctant hero! Plus they both sound like they're great-looking.
by mango_girl -
I second the motion for Mr. Knightly. I liked how he stood up to Emma when was unkind.
by EDITHJWHARTON -
Definitely Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice!
Feb 14, 2009 4:55 pm
by bouncingbear -
I completely agree about Jamie Fraser (from Outlander)! Gallant, smart, funny, sweet, and a little rough around the edges. I'm totally in love with him right now :)
I also agree on Mr. Darcy (I prefer mine of the Colin Firth type vs. Matthew McFayden). He wasn't intimidated by smarts or independence, and went toe to toe with Elizabeth. And I'm not going to lie, I love Edward Cullen. He's not perfect, but he knows how to love and sacrifice unconditionally.Feb 15, 2009 3:43 pm
by starshy926 -
Othello-only for that one day, long enough for him to be extraordinarily romantic but not long enough for him to become jealous and crazy!
by Mom1 -
@starshy926: Funny about Edward Cullen--I know several people who, after finishing the Twilight books, have wanted nothing more than a vampire boyfriend.
I see Mr. Darcy (and Mr. Knightley) have a good representation, but I'm very happy to see how varied our tastes in literary crushes really are! Emotional train wrecks, dark brooding types, nerds, intensely smart/independent people, "foxy" folks: these are the kinds of people whom we seek out for literary love. Sigh.
Thanks for answering, y'all! Come on over to the next question of the week in the ETC forum today!
by MaggieH (admin) -
honestly, Heathcliff.
in my college class (i am a senior in high school),
they all HATED Heathcliff, except for me.
i think he is (keeping the time period and style in mind) romantic and sweet, and i think he loved Cathy completely and would never act toward her the way he acted toward some of the others in the book.
i would love to be someone's Cathy for a day.Apr 24, 2009 10:58 am
by AidenNocturne -
Tarzan. No question. I had the biggest crush on him after I read the books. I love him for his commitment to Jane.
by saturntv