For some Valentine’s Day fun — and maybe inspiration? — here’s a quiz on who your literary crush might be! Followed below by some of their most swoony quotes.
Who would you like to curl up with on a couch, for a literary date?
Your options are below. I’m presenting them as a poll so we can all have the fun of seeing which literary romantic is the most popular. (Because the Substack platform that hosts this newsletter has a very restrictive limit on length in its polls, the full text comes first. I also had to break the actual poll into 2 parts.)
Which writer lights your fire?
You get a quick writerly dating profile, and some of the mystery man’s words on love, or to his lover. (Yes, they’re all men, for this quiz.)
1. Rake and heartbreaker
He made the open-shirt look famous, long before the 1970s. Not satisfied with any of his love affairs, or with being a wordsmith, he longed for heroism, and finally died on a military campaign. A romantic destined for a tragic end.
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes…
2. The sentimental family man
He had a difficult and impoverished childhood. As a result, his stories include many child characters, and he writes them with compassion, humour and respect. He is sympathetic to an extraordinary range of people, from the disabled to the street kid. He has a strong sense of morality and melodrama.
I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul.
3. A brilliant arts sector entrepreneur, bar none
His perception of the human heart, from princes to paupers, is profound. His iconic characters, women included, are famously complex. He’s got a raunchy sense of humour, is addicted to word play, and is a tad obsessed with beauty and death.
My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.
4. The king with it all
Renowned for his wealth and his knowledge, he attracted admirers from distant lands. He was interested in everything from the natural world, to justice, literature, and the meaning of life. He didn’t confine his romantic interests to a single woman either, although it may have gone better for him and his country if he had.
Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot wash it away.
5. Scandalous celebrity and socialite.
Famous for his flamboyant style and passionate devotion to pleasure and beauty. He decorated his rooms with peacock feathers and objets d’art. An astute observer of relationships and society, his elegant wit will make you laugh like no-one else. Yet he had a deeply serious and sincere side. He has became a pin-up boy for the LGBTQ community. His tomb had to be cleaned of lipstick marks in 2011.
When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one's self, and one always ends by deceiving others. That is what the world calls a romance.
6. Revolutionary sympathiser and mystic migrant artist.
Writing across three languages, his writings are famous in his native tongue. He has also been quoted in English by the Beatles and JFK. ‘Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country’ — that was originally his line.
When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him…
Have you guessed the identity of any of these mystery literary romantics?
Whether you recognise them or not, it’s time to decide.
Who are they?
Rake and heartbreaker - Lord Byron1
Sentimental family man - Charles Dickens2
Brilliant creative - William Shakespeare3
King with it all - ancient Israel’s King Solomon4
Scandalous socialite - Oscar Wilde5
Revolutionary mystic - Khalil Gibran6
Pass this quiz to a friend who’d enjoy it! Find out who their literary crush is! 😉
After all that, if you’re in the mood for written romance, here’s a story I wrote last year. It’s exclusively for subscribers — so you will need to sign up here to get the password to read it.
Happy Valentine’s Day ❤️
P.S. Looking at love from another direction…
February 18th is the start of Lent. That’s the 40-day period before Easter, in which many Christians fast in preparation. This year, I’ve decided to prepare my thoughts by writing a series of spiritual reflections. Partly for myself, but I’m inviting you to be in on them too. If you’d like these regular emails until Easter, hit the button below. Then switch on ‘Lent Scroll — on the road to Easter’.
You won’t get the email series unless you sign up. I don’t want to bombard your inbox with unwelcome clutter.
If the technology doesn’t cooperate, let me know by return email and I’ll make sure you’re in. Alternatively, if you want to read the series online, it’s here.
Lines are quoted from his poem ‘She Walks in Beauty’. I wrote a post about one of Lord Byron’s lovers here.
Quote is from the character Sydney Carton, in A Tale of Two Cities.
Quote from Romeo and Juliet.
Quote from ‘Song of Songs’, in the Old Testament of the Bible.
The Picture of Dorian Grey.
Quote from his poem ‘On Love’.
I got most of them! And had to vote for Dickens, even though I'm aware that "sentimental family man" wasn't really reflected in his private life. Thank you for a very enjoyable quiz.
You're well read! Glad it was fun. I really enjoyed pulling it together, although my choice of partner would probably be no 7!