Passion & Romance Throughout History

  • Period: 2700 BCE to

    HUM1020 Passion/Romance Timeline

  • 850 BCE

    The Odyssey

    The Odyssey
    Homer's The Odyssey is a story about Odysseus' journey home, as the king of Ithaca. His main reason for the determination he had was to make it back to his wife, Penelope.
  • 330 BCE

    Aristotle

    Aristotle
    Aristotle spoke many times about philia, or brotherly love.
  • 2

    The Art of Love

    The Art of Love
    The Roman poet Publius Ovidius Naso (or Ovid) wrote the three books of Ars amatoria (The Art of Love) to teach men how to find and keep a woman, as well as how women are to find and keep a man.
  • 33

    Jesus Christ

    Jesus Christ
    Jesus taught of love for enemies, which was controversial during his time period. Then, as the ultimate example of love, he died on the cross that the world would be reconciled to Him.
  • Romeo and Juliet

    Romeo and Juliet
    One of William Shakespeare's most famous plays, Romeo and Juliet is a tragic story of forbidden love.
  • The Taj Mahal

    The Taj Mahal
    A world-renowned tourist attraction, the Taj Mahal was built in remembrance of the fifth emperor of Mughal to house his deceased wife; a tribute to past love.
  • Interior of Tintern Abbey

    Interior of Tintern Abbey
    Painting by J. M W. Turner that is synonymous with the romanticism era, and the focus on emotion, romance, and nature.
  • Amandine-Aurore-Lucile Dupin

    Amandine-Aurore-Lucile Dupin
    Under the pen name George Sand, this female writer wrote more than eighty novels that featured themes of romantic love and friendship.
  • Pride and Prejudice

    Pride and Prejudice
    Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is a familiar, cozy story of love and the repercussions of hasty judgments. The protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet, is tossed around her many suitors, but finally is married to the love she never realized.
  • Le Printemps (Springtime)

    Le Printemps (Springtime)
    Painting by Pierre Auguste Cot that vividly depicts a scene of two young people in love, enjoying the fruits of spring.
  • Eiffel Tower

    Eiffel Tower
    Widely recognized as the embodiment of love, Paris' Eiffel Tower, designed by Gustave Eiffel, is an iconic attraction for couples.
  • Cyrano de Bergerac

    Cyrano de Bergerac
    A play written by Edmond Rostand in a similar format as some of William Shakespeare's work that tells a fascinating story of tragic love, similar to Romeo and Juliet.
  • True Heart Susie

    True Heart Susie
    A silent film from the early stages of filmmaking, True Heart Susie is a classic romance and heart-touching story.
  • Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville

    Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville
    Photographed by Robert Doisneau, this picture has become intrinsically related to Paris - and to romance.
  • The Princess Bride

    The Princess Bride
    The Princess Bride is a classic when it comes to films of romance, heroism, and passion. A story packed with action and many twists and turns, this film is up there with names like Titanic when it comes to love stories.