Happy Valentine’s Day! Hug a writer!
Romeo and Juliet. Tristan and Isolde. Coach and Mrs. Taylor.
So many incredible couples in literature and myth and plays and movies. Couples that inspire us, madden us, make us laugh, cry, and best of all, make us insanely jealous.
Who’s your favorite fictional couple?
Art: The Love Letter by August Toulmouche
I pick six:
Male/Female in a book series: Sam Vimes/Lady Sybil from Discworld.
Male/Female on TV: Vincent/Catherine Chandler from Beauty and the Beast.
Female/Female in a book: Ruth Jamison/Idgie Threadgoode from Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.
Female/Female on TV: Willow Rosenberg/Tara Maclay from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Male/Male from a book series: Renly Baratheon/Loras Tyrell from A Song of Ice and Fire. (Though this could count for TV as well.)
Male/Male on TV: Charles Ryder/Sebastian Flyte from Brideshead Revisited. (Though this could count for the book as well.)
Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe. Not even a question.
Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester
Lara and Dr. Zhivago
Also, I'm currently loving Matthew and Mary from Downton Abbey.
Definitely Henry and Claire from Time Traveler's Wife.
Alex Bianchi and Ace from How to Date an Alien. I am biased and I don't care 🙂
In literature, Lyra and Will from the "His Dark Materials" series. Okay, I know, they're only twelve years old but still. That ending. I die every time.
On film, Kaylee and Simon in "Firefly" and "Serenity" (although, technically, they never get together). They are perfect together.
Happy Valentine's Day! 🙂
What a lovely painting. I love how you can tell she's reading a love letter just from the way she stands and her half-smile.
In terms of couples, I've always thought Peter Pan and Tinkerbell had an interesting love.
For more literary, I'll agree with some posters above that the vivacious Elizabeth Bennett and the principled Mr. Darcy are delightful.
I've always loved Lupin and Tonks. Wesley and Buttercup are another amazing pair. Katniss and Peeta … <3 <3
I was hoping someone would say Katniss and Peeta…ditto.
Emma and Charles Bovary. I know they aren't the ideal couple, but it's a great story.
Richard St Vier and Alec Campion – Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner
Laurie and Ralph – The Charioteer by Mary Renault
Lara & Yuri.
I'm with Jennifer on Lyra and Will from His Dark Materials. The ending kills me too.
Wesley and Buttercup!
Though I love Daisy and Gatsby's early relationship, if it can be called that.
Love Nick & Nora. I don't think anyone's mentioned Celia and Marco from The Night Circus. I believe they're still out there.
Definitely Jamie and Claire Fraser from OUTLANDER!
Wow, such awesome choices everyone is making! Great question, Nathan.
I can agree heartily with Henry and Claire, Claire and Jamie and Katniss and Peeta.
At the moment though, I can't think of anyone but Hazel Grace and Agustus Waters from John Green's latest, The Fault in Our Stars. AMAZING couple! Best love story. (I have a serious John Green bias, I know.)
Right now, my favorite fictional couple is Hazel and Augustus from 'The Fault in Our Stars.' Love love love this book.
As far as movies go, I think I agree with Wesley and Princess Buttercup, or Harry and Sally for something a little more 'modern'. For my literature pick, I'm going to be a bit more old-fashioned and say Johnathon and Mina Harker. Johnathon went through hell for his wife, and although the story was focused on the supernatural aspect, Stoker did an incredible job of showing the couple's dedication to each other.
Oh so many to choose from.
Recent YA:
Rose and Dimitri from Vampire Academy
Classic:
Elizabeth & Mr. Darcy
Chick lit:
Bridget Jones + Mr. Darcy
From my childhood:
Beauty & the Beast (from Beauty by Robin McKinley)
Superhero:
Clark Kent and Lois Lane
Luthien and Beren.
Hamlet & Ophelia. Because it epitomizes the messed up, roller-coaster relationship.
Fonny and Tish from James Baldwin's "If Beale Street Could Talk." Taylor and Jonah from "Jellicoe Road." And of course Howl and Sophie—can't tell you how much I love that book. But Will and Lyra are all-time faves, because I love them both so much individually, too.
What a fun idea for a post. I like Cupid and Psyche and Ron and Hermoine.
Others have mentioned some of my favorites (Catherine/Heathcliff, Elizabeth/Darcy, Sophie/Howl, plus Whedon and Harry Potter winners), but here are some other nominees:
(Books)
Amalthea and Lir – The Last Unicorn
Frank and April – Revolutionary Road
Elphaba and Fiyero – Wicked
Eowyn and Faramir – LotR
Faile and Perrin – Wheel of Time series
(Movies/TV)
Harold and Maude
Donnie Darko and Gretchen
Jane and Ricky – American Beauty
Jack and Sally – Nightmare Before Christmas
Marion and Harry – Requiem for a Dream
Chris and Annie – What Dreams May Come
Matt and Luisa – The Fantasticks (ok, that's a musical…)
Topher and Bennett – Dollhouse
Sierra and Victor – Dollhouse
(and from "Lost")
Sun and Jin
Hurley and Libby
Sawyer and Juliet
Claire and Charlie
Whew!
Additional votes for: Lizzie and Darcy and for Nick/Nora Charles. Fave nonromantic (?) couple: Sam and Frodo. Fave YA couples: Lily and Dash from Dash and Lily's book of dares, and well, Tiny Cooper and … anyone.
Scarlett o' Hara and Rhett Butler
I loved reading all the couples. I was going to write Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, and then saw Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane and those two are definitely my favorite couple.
What? No one has said Lancelot and Guinevere yet?
Jamie and Claire Fraser
William and Melly Fylbrigge
Aeron Aiobhell and Gwydion ap Don
Stephan Cameron and Jessica Chenowyth
Ross and Demelza Poldark
That's a good start. 😉
Oooooh, Sawyer and Juliet from 'Lost'. That is a good one….their story just killed me. Very well written and portrayed.
Great question, Nathan!
I know it's already been said several times, but I have to agree with Anne and Gilbert!
Nick and Nora from "The Thin Man" books and movies. (Though they are not good role models for alcoholics!)
Cathy and Heathcliff – unhappy as their ending was.
Marcus and Claerwen of Dinas Beris in the Macsen's Treasure Series, of course! (since I wrote them…) 😉
Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, of course.
Puck Connolly and Sean Kendrick – The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.
I love them dearly.
Aragorn and Arwen take the top billet, but Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy and Margaret Hale and John Thornton (North and South)are very, very close in the running.
ARAGORN AND ARWEN
The Lord of the Rings
ANNIE HALL AND ALVY SINGER
Annie Hall
Henry and Clare
The Time Traveler’s Wife
Katie and Hubbell!
James and Nuala from Ballad,
Sam and Grace and Cole and Isabelle from the Shiver series,
Katniss and Peeta, Jane and Rochester
I mirror those who say Nick and Nora. There simply is no couple who can compete on any level. But you have to be of a certain age to know that. Only reason any one would disagree. Right, Asta?
Jane and Rochester for sure. I also really love Anne and Capt. Wentworth from Persuasion.
Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe!
Sandor Kreya and Allison Reilly, from C. J. Cherryh's "Merchanter's Luck". It's not a great book, but these two have stayed in my head for decades, when other couples have come and gone.
Another couple I like is Maddy Timms and Jervaulx, from Laura Kinsale's "Flowers from the Storm". I like it that, while they have a happy ending, it comes at a pretty steep price.
I guess I'd have to say the best couples are those who earn their love. 🙂
Scarlett and Rhett
Ada and Inman from Cold Mountain
Edward and Bella
Sookie and Bill
Katniss and Peeta
Jack Twist and Ennis DelMar.
Jane Eyre & Mr. Rochester,
Abel & Rima from Green Mansions,
Jack & Aliena from Pillars of the Earth,
Elizabeth & Darcy (of course)
Beatrice & Benedick (Much Ado About Nothing)
and I just finished a new YA by debut author Hannah Harrington called SAVING JUNE, and I have to say I'm crushing on Jake Tolan & Harper Scott 🙂
and so many more…
My favorite couple are Henry Tilney and Catherine Morland (Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey). I love that she falls in love with him because he's so smart, and I love that he falls in love with her not because she's pretty, but because she's innocent and open-hearted and kind.
http://www.lilcornerofjoy.blogspot.com
Anne and Gilbert, Emma and Mr, Knightley, Flynn and Rapunzel, and Amy and Rory! (I wonder how many people will understand that) For the record, Katniss and Gale would be one of the most epic fictional couples ever, but Suzanne Collins went all Team Peeta on us at the end.