Category Archives: Displays
Star Crossed Lovers: 10 Tragic Couples To Read (And Cry About)
Have you heard the phrase “star-crossed lovers” before? Have you ever wondered what it means, where it came from, or how did it become one of the most popular romance tropes in pop culture?
The phrase “star-crossed lovers” describes a couple whose relationship is often thwarted by external forces. The phrase was coined by Shakespeare in his 1595 play Romeo and Juliet:
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents’ strife
(5-8)
It is crucial to remember here that “star-crossed” does not equate to Disney’s “meant to be” or “happily ever after.” In fact, it is quite the opposite. Shakespeare’s “star-crossed” equates to “doomed to die” or “destined to fail”; representing a cautionary tale for those not to become or pursue for such a fate in romance. Of course, modern pop culture has referenced the star-crossed lovers archetype from songs such as Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and No Doubt’s “Gravity” to major cinema pictures including Jack and Rose from Titanic and Satine and Christian from Moulin Rouge.
The star-crossed archetype is found not only in music and movies but in literature as well. From classic to contemporary, here are 10 tragic literary couples we can’t help but to read and cry about.
- Catherine and Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights by Charlotte Bronte
It’s all doom-and-gloom as Wuthering Heights is set in the gothic moors of England. Heathcliff, an orphaned gypsy raised by the Earnshaw family, falls in love with their daughter Catherine. Despite their seemingly romance, Catherine chooses to marry for status rather than for love; leaving Heathcliff in rage lashing out in vengeance and violence. A selfish and self-destructive love at it’s best.
- Augustus and Hazel from The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene
Romeo and Juliet are not the only star-crossed teenagers to have a tragic ending. When Hazel meets Augustus at a cancer patient support group, the two of them embark on a romantic journey together to Amsterdam in search of their favorite author. Despite their limited time together, Augustus and Hazel both learn that hurt in this world is unavoidable. The Fault in Our Stars does not end with dry eyes or an unbroken heart.
- Gatsby and Daisy from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Set in the roaring twenties, Gatsby and Daisy became one of the most doomed star-crossed lovers in modern literature. Gatsby and Daisy are in a delusional love affair as all odds are stacked against them including mysterious millionaires, selfish flappers and jealous, murderous husbands. Their tragic ending is so beautifully and symbolically written that we keep coming back to it decades after its initial publication in 1925.
- Winston and Julia from 1984 by George Orwell
Love cannot bloom in a totalitarian state, but that doesn’t stop Winston and Julia from trying. Winston and Julia secretly engage in a passionate affair, hiding their love from the government. These star-crossed lovers truly believe they can conspire to overthrow their dystopian dictatorship. However, the tortuous tyrannical Big Brother is ultimately stronger (and more powerful) than any emotional bond the lovers might share. To Big Brother, love is corruption. Still bleak and relevant.
- Tess and Angel from Tess of the D’urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
Tess is unlucky from beginning to end. From the birth of her child by rape to her eventual demise in seeking revenge on her attacker, Tess’s tragedies remind her that she cannot (and never will be) with her true lover, Angel. Readers beware, Tess of the D’ubervilles is not for the faint of heart.
- Louisa and Will from Me Before You by JoJo Moyes
After Louisa loses her steady job at a cafe, she takes on a job as a caretaker for a quadriplegic man named Will Traynor. Will, despondent about his physical condition, wants to end his life in Switzerland. Louisia is distressed by what she hears, and tries to convince Will that there is a point to living by taking him on mini adventures; showing him how wonderful life can be. Get ready for the tissues.
- Cecilia and Robbie from Atonement by Ian McEwan
It’s all one big misunderstanding after another. Once Cecilia reveals her romantic feelings for the gardener, Robbie, things go quickly wrong from there. One night at a dinner party, Cecilia’s younger sister accuses Robbie of raping Cecilia’s cousin out of suspicion and fear. The wronged Robbie, who could have jumped the social gulf and lived happily ever after with Cecilia, instead goes to prison, then to the front lines in WWII, and…well, it doesn’t end happily for either of the lovers.
- Inman and Ada from Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
Set during the Civil War, Cold Mountain is an odyssey of estranged lovers struggling to reunite with one another. Searching for the other, Inman and Ada fight for their survival (and for their love) by showing perseverance throughout their journey. In the end, Inman teaches us that losing something you already have is far worse than not getting what you want.
- Anna and Vronsky from Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Noblewoman and socialite, Anna Karenina, has a scandalous love affair with a dashing military man named Count Vronsky. Vronsky is eager to marry Anna if she agrees to leave her powerful government official husband, Count Karenin. It all turns into a downward soap opera spiral, except it’s Tolstoy, which means it ends on a tragic note.
- Noah and Allie from The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Set in pre- and post- World War II, Noah and Allie fall in love at the wrong place and time. Separated due to their socio-economic status, Noah continues to write letters to Allie, confessing his love for her, and the letter goes unanswered. Time passes, and Noah and Allie are finally able to reconnect but at a higher cost.
10. Romeo and Juliet from Romeo and Juliet
Last, and tragically not least, the star-crossed superstars themselves — Romeo and Juliet! Although the two love birds weren’t historically the first star-crossed lovers (nor the last), Romeo and Juliet set the bar high for tragic romance. Their tragic fate has become the blueprint staple for star-crossed lovers as we have seen here in multiple examples.
No matter what the external forces are (war, family, status, bad luck, etc.) there is a reoccurring theme with star-crossed lovers — and that is, no one ends up happily with the other. What are some of your favorite star-crossed couples?
Further Reading and Sources:
Star Crossed Lovers of China’s and Japan’s Literary Traditions https://scroll.in/article/891308/photos-the-star-crossed-lovers-of-china-and-japans-literary-traditions
Star Crossed Lovers https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/star-crossed-lovers
Star Crossed Lovers Not Written by Shakespeare https://www.toptenz.net/top-10-tales-star-crossed-lovers-written-shakespeare.php
8 Epically Doomed Relationship in Literature https://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2014/02/8-epically-doomed-relationships-in-literature.html
Love against All Odds in Books, A Valentine’s Day Special https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/feb/12/love-against-the-odds-in-books-valentines-day
Blind Date with a Book Display
Visit the Blind Date with a Book display on the second floor of the Main Library in Franklin and treat yourself to a surprise reading!
(And remember if it turns out to be a dud like some dates do, you don’t have to read it, just return it. Best date ever anyways, because no one’s feelings are hurt!)
🎊National Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept 15 to Oct 15🎆
September 15th to October 15th has been set aside for the United States to recognize the countless contributions and immeasurable achievements Hispanic Americans have had on United States culture, society, and history.
Originally, the first annual Presidential proclamation in 1968 by Lyndon Johnson recognized the week that included September 15 and 16 as National Hispanic Heritage week. It not only celebrated Hispanic Americans, but also the anniversaries of independence for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua as well as Mexico’s independence on September 16.
By 1988 Congress passed an amendment to the proclamation and President George H. W. Bush authorized the recognition of the 31 days after September 15th at National Hispanic Heritage Month on September 14, 1989. Between 1990 and 2018, five different presidents have issued the annual proclamations for National Hispanic Heritage Month.
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join together to pay tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society.
Hispanic refers to a person who is from, or a descendant of someone who is from, a Spanish-speaking country.
Latino/a or Latinx refers to a person who is from, or a descendant of someone who is from, a country in Latin America.
https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
D Duff
Spotlight on Poetry Month: Maya Angelou
Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1928, Maya Angelou was one of America’s most famous and celebrated poets, an author and a civil rights activist. She was the Northern Coordinator for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Some may not know that she was also a San Francisco streetcar conductor, singer, dancer, actress, composer, playwright and director.
As a natural storyteller and performer, Angelou’s poetry benefited from her recitation of it. Her poetry focuses on personal narrative and themes such as hardship, oppression and loss, as well as the resiliency and beauty of African American women. “Once I got into it I realized I was following a tradition established by Frederick Douglass—the slave narrative—speaking in the first-person singular talking about the first-person plural, always saying I meaning ‘we.’” Angelou told George Plimpton in an interview.
She is the first woman to be featured on a series of quarters called the American Women Quarters Program issued by the U.S. Mint. She was awarded over 50 honorary degrees before her death in 2014 and was also awarded the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 2010.
Some of Angelou’s most famous poems are: Still I Rise, Phenomenal Woman, Alone, and On the Pulse of Morning (which she wrote and then recited for the inauguration of President Bill Clinton in 1993.) During her lifetime, Angelou published ten poetry collections, eight single poem publications, and a series of seven autobiographies (along with cookbooks, children’s books, and recitations of African literature). The Williamson County Public Library System holds many of these works along with several that have been adapted for children’s poetry collections. A few of the more popular are below:
By Holly, Reference Department
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/maya-angelou
https://poets.org/poet/maya-angelou
https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/american-women-quarters/maya-angelou
Spotlight on Poetry Month
Image provided by Joe Carlson – https://www.flickr.com/photos/vibc/35391745276/
Rupi Kaur is a Canadian poet who was born in Punjab, India in 1992. Her family fled India when she was 3 years old because of the persecutions of Sikh men. Rupi was trained in the art of poetry and painting by her father and mother respectively. She began performing her poetry in 2009 at the young age of 17. She is a well-known “Instapoet,”a poet who has promoted themselves and gained their following on the social media platform, Instagram. Kaur is a pseudonym she adopted when she began distributing her poems anonymously in high school. She stated, “Kaur is the name of every Sikh woman – brought in to eradicate the caste system in India – and I thought, wouldn’t it be empowering if a young Kaur saw her name in a book store?” Her short poems explore her South Asian identity, relationships, immigration, and femininity.
WCPL has two of her published books of poetry, they are on a poetry display on the second floor. We are replacing her first publication, Milk and Honey (2015)
The Sun and Her Flowers (2017)
By Kathy, Reference Department
Amy Krimsier Sterling Art Display in the Library
This month our Event Room Hallway at the Franklin branch of WCPL is decorated with the work of a local artist, Amy Krimsier Sterling. We invite all of our community to view her work, the images we have below is just a small taste of the whole collection.
BIO
Amy Krimsier Sterling is a storyteller who creates visual art in a variety of mediums, capturing life’s many elements through printmaking, ceramics, watercolor, oil, and anything else she can get her hands on.
Much of Amy’s work is created in the public sphere, whether it’s documenting strangers’ fleeting moments in a sketchbook, or channeling personal daydreams into physical objects created from assorted materials. Amy’s art seeks to change frequencies and is often focused on capturing natural phenomena, such as the colors of light and the movement of water.
As an arts educator in Nashville, Amy finds great joy in passing her own inspiration to others and seeks to help students see things in a way they had not before. Her greatest desire is to make waves… and then swim in them.
CAPTURED PAUSES
In this collection of paintings, Amy Krimsier Sterling explores the limits of color, space, and memory as she seeks to record the immeasurable, often breathtaking, pauses in life that exist between the larger, more immediate moments we tend to prioritize. Translating these intangible experiences to paper and canvas with acrylic, oil, and watercolor pigments, Amy seeks to share visions that delight us as small details from everyday life take on a captivating, dream-like quality. With “Captured Pauses,” the ordinary becomes extraordinary.
instagram @potterpainterpicturemaker amyksterling.com
June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
Did you know that an estimated 6 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer’s disease? Someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s dementia every 65 seconds. One in 9 people age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s dementia. It is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States, killing more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. That’s why WCPL is joining the Alzheimer’s Association Tennessee Chapter in its efforts to promote Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month this June.
To help increase awareness of this terrible disease that affects so many families in our community, the Alzheimer’s Association suggests three ways to Go Purple:
- Wear Purple: it’s the official color of the Alzheimer’s movement.
- Turn Facebook Purple: change your profile by adding your photo to the organization’s END ALZ Facebook frame to show your support for their fight to end Alzheimer’s
- Share Why You Go Purple: share a photo on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtags #ENDALZ or #EndAlzheimers and honor a friend or relative lost to Alzheimer’s.
For more information on these three activities, go to: https://www.alz.org/abam/overview.asp
Check out our first floor display featuring a variety of the Library’s Alzheimer’s and dementia resources, along with some informative handouts from the Alzheimer’s Association.
You can learn more about Alzheimer’s and dementia by attending our virtual Alzheimer’s & Dementia series. The next program in the series, “Effective Communication Strategies,” is on Tuesday, June 22 at 1:30. Click here to register.
Join the Alzheimer’s Association in going purple and raising awareness this June. The more people know about Alzheimer’s, the more action we inspire.
Sharon Reily, Reference Librarian
🧵SEW MANY PIECES: a Quilt Display by Joyce Oberle
We have a new display for a new month and a new year: “Sew Many Pieces” by Joyce Oberle. This spectacular art is hanging on the walls outside of the meeting rooms at the main branch; my photos do not do them justice. While social distancing is required, the ability to come into the library and view Ms. Oberle’s works is possible.
From the artist, Ms. Joyce Oberle –
I am happy to return to a second Quilt Exhibit at the Williamson County Library.
My sewing adventure began when I was about 4 or 5 years old. It has continued off and on throughout my life; it has always given me much pleasure. I have done many different types of sewing through the years, both by hand and by machine. I love that I can continue to learn and perfect different techniques. I love the creative spirit that enhances it all.
Quilting/sewing has been my savior these past several months. I have been trying different techniques and learning new skills. I have found some that I have enjoyed and want to continue. I have done some that, once is enough. I’m glad that I tried it, but I won’t do it again. These many months have been a sewing adventure.
I hope that you will enjoy this eclectic display of what I enjoy doing. Some of the pieces were created using patterns, while others are my own creative endeavors. Each time I stitch a creation, I ALWAYS learn something new.
Thank you for viewing my passion.
The main branch is open to the public from 10 am to 7 pm Monday through Thursday, 10 am to 5:30 pm Friday and Saturday, and 1 pm to 5:30 pm on Sunday. We screen, take temperatures, ask COVID questions, and patrons are required to wear a mask at all times in county buildings.
These requirements do not hinder the ability to gaze upon the beauty Ms. Oberle has created. I found looking at them to be extremely calming, maybe it will be the same for you.
Dori
📸Art Exhibit at WCPL Courtesy of the Brentwood Photography Group
Photos from the Dick Dougall “Brown Bag” Lunch Bunch
The photographs on display in the meeting room hallway of the main branch are compliments of the Brentwood Photography Group. The group did meet at the library until we were no longer able to provide meeting space; like the rest of us, they have adapted admirably, holding their monthly meetings online. The group members consist of beginning, amateur, and professional photographers, with a variety of skills, sharing a love of photography. If you are interested in the fellowship of serious photographers, explore their website to get an idea of what they do or send an email to rjdougall@comcast.net. If you are interested in looking at some really striking photos from the Dick Dougall “Brown Bag” Lunch Bunch, come to the main branch of the Williamson County Public Library and take a sharp right to see an exhibition of fifteen members of the group.
🎊National Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept 15 to Oct 15🎆
September 15th to October 15th has been set aside for the United States to recognize the countless contributions and immeasurable achievements Hispanic Americans have had on United States culture, society, and history.
Originally, the first annual Presidential proclamation in 1968 by Lyndon Johnson recognized the week that included September 15 and 16 as National Hispanic Heritage week. It not only celebrated Hispanic Americans, but also the anniversaries of independence for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua as well as Mexico’s independence on September 16.
By 1988 Congress passed an amendment to the proclamation and President George H. W. Bush authorized the recognition of the 31 days after September 15th at National Hispanic Heritage Month on September 14, 1989. Between 1990 and 2018, five different presidents have issued the annual proclamations for National Hispanic Heritage Month.
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join together to pay tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society.
Hispanic refers to a person who is from, or a descendant of someone who is from, a Spanish-speaking country.
Latino/a or Latinx refers to a person who is from, or a descendant of someone who is from, a country in Latin America.
https://hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
Check out our display of books by Hispanic authors and about the Hispanic culture, located on the second floor next to the small desk in nonfiction, to the right at the top of the stairs, near our Spanish language collection of BOTH fiction and nonfiction materials. We have a selection (in English) about Hispanic athletes, poets, activists, and chefs.
Also, Tennessee R.E.A.D.S. has just added a bunch of new titles to their Spanish collection: both Ebooks and Audio books for Adults, Teens, and Children! Log into Overdrive (desktop) or Libby (mobile device) with your Williamson County Public Library card and toggle down on the “Collections” menu.
Dori Duff
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