Timeless and profound love lessons from literature

It's that time of the year when "love is in the air", and quite literally. With the onset of Valentine's Week, people- irrespective of whether they are single or in a relationship - start planning for different days that constitute the week. After all, Valentine's Week is all about Propose Day, Chocolate Day, Teddy Day, Promise Day, Hug Day, Kiss Day, and finally, Valentine's Day. At such a time, when the whole country is talking about everlasting love, how can the bibliophiles be left behind? After all, everything is, and can be, connected to literature! Thus, here's a look at some love lessons from literature.

In Angelou’s triumphant memoir, she goes from trauma, heartache, and pain to self-acceptance, courage, and love. After all the ups and downs, the one lesson she learns is to love yourself no matter what. Indeed, this is the most important lesson for any couple, married or unmarried. Loving oneself before anyone else is the most important thing for a successful relationship. For if a person is able to love themselves, then only they could share that with someone else.

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Yes, Gatsby does everything in his power to get Daisy's attention by throwing lavish parties, buying the mansion across the lake, and befriending her inner circle. But his love meets a tragic end. However, it doesn't mean that it wasn't worth it. Love is the ultimate teacher. A failed relationship can help in personal growth and learning about yourself. Thus, love is NEVER wasted.

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Whether it's the man or the woman, neither of them should act like a diva. And the biggest example of this is the stone-cold diva Scarlett O' Hara. She flirted, acted coy, married for all the wrong reasons, and ended up in a tattered dress all alone. Though the readers love her, there is no doubt about the fact that she had some serious issues.

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In the book, Austen brings together a rather unlikely couple. With several differences and the odds stacked against them, somehow Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy find love. It’s not a picture-perfect love story. It’s messy, imperfect, and real - that’s what love actually looks like!

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Everyone has their own share of good and bad relationships. However, what matters is to keep the exes at bay after marriage. And what better example for this than 'Rebecca'?After a whirlwind romance, a painfully shy assistant and the dashing Maximilian “Maxim” De Winter marry, and the former finally gets a name: Mrs. De Winter. Things aren’t so cozy at Maxim’s mansion, though. His dead ex-wife Rebecca haunts their lives and the creepy housekeeper Mrs. Danvers torments the new Mrs. De Winter by constantly bringing up Rebecca. The moral is: Don’t get involved with an ex, never ever.

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Marriage involves hardship, mistakes, and pain. And forgiveness may be the single most important lesson to keep love alive. 'War and Peace' by Leo Tolstoy explores forgiveness from a variety of different angles. Natasha forgives Anatole, the selfish, cruel man who ruined her chance to be with Price Andrei, freeing herself of the weight of resentment. Bitterness keeps Prince Andrei and Natasha apart. He forgives her when it’s already too late for them to be together. All in all, it's all about forgiveness, forgiveness, and forgiveness.

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