Fictional Love Stories With Tragic Endings

Q&A With Shay Every Other Sunday

In honor of Valentine’s Day, which happens to fall on my Q&A Sunday, I thought I’d reflect on some of the greatest love stories in literature and cinema. BUT, I’m going for the ones with tragic endings. As we know I’m not really a romance writer and tend toward more realistic or darker themes. That doesn’t mean I don’t love a good romcom every now and then because who doesn’t? I won’t give away the ending of Fractured in case you have not yet read it, but I’m not typically a “happily ever after” sort of person. So, let’s look into some great love stories with no happily ever afters.

Q: Great Fictional Love Stories With Tragic Endings?

Titanic. Not only is this probably my favorite love story in general (like many others I suppose), but also my favorite with a tragic ending—maybe that’s why. And I know there’s that whole “there was room on the door” thing at the end, but quite simply (spoiler alert—I think spoilers are allowed when it’s been more than 20 years) Jack had to die.
Fun fact: This was actually the very first movie I saw in the Hampton Bays movie theater when it opened. And now after this whole past year, about 23 years later, it’s shutting down. I will really miss it—I saw a lot of great and not so great movies there and consumed a lot of popcorn with extra butter and Cherry Coke.
The Fault in Our Stars. I probably felt a little deeper in the book than the movie as is often the case, but I also definitely cried during both. A lot. This is one of my favorite books in general. I have been thinking about book to screen adaptations lately and I think they become something totally different when they’re on the screen, even if it’s the same or similar story I don’t really like to compare them anymore. There’s always more detail and scenes in the book and aspects are always changed, and I think I feel deeper in books sometimes because it’s so much slower. But actually getting to see the story play out in front of you is a different experience altogether even if you have an idea about what’s going to happen. I always look forward to books I enjoyed being made into movies or series, and TFIOS was amazing and tragic both times.
A Walk to Remember. This was also one of the earlier movies I saw in the Hampton Bays movie theater. I have never read the book and I’m not sure I will, but certainly another emotional and tragic ride of a love story. I haven’t seen it in many years but for some reason the twist about a character being ill is always surprising even if you suspect something is going on it carries a specific sort of emotional weight.
Wuthering Heights. This is a pretty obvious classic, but it’s a classic for a reason and one of the older tragic love stories that I enjoy in all its haunting torment. Most of my favorites or ones I find notable are more current because I’m not a huge classics reader/viewer, but there’s certainly something to be said for the classics—like the next pick on the list of course.
Romeo & Juliet. OBVIOUSLY. You can’t talk about tragic love stories without this one. I’m not sure I have ever actually seen one of the Romeo & Juliet movies. I read it many years ago and am sure I saw a few plays over the years, but I may have to check out the movie(s). If we constantly reference something as a society and it becomes a type of sub-genre for works to fall into going forward, then clearly it’s pretty special. This is after all the tragic love story of all tragic love stories.
Remember Me. I loved this movie about two characters who already have tragic pasts coming together in a surprising and endearing way…but as we know, there are only tragic endings on this list, and the end of this one was quite the chill-inducing twist.
All the Bright Places. I had the feeling this one wouldn’t end in a happy way since although it was a love story it was also largely focused on mental illness, and that was the main takeaway of the story. It was so realistic and beautifully done because love can’t always simply save all even if there are bright moments, some people are going through things we know nothing about.
Brokeback Mountain. One of the most tragic of them all and unfortunately too realistic in that it comes down to hate and not accepting the self or others. This one is complex in that although one character seems to have the most tragic fate of them all, it may be the other character who truly lives the tragic existence from that point forward, and takes on a much different feel than a hetero love story in that respect.
It Ends With Us. This one is tragic in one way given the subject matter of abusive relationships, but also happy and hopeful in another way because there’s a different love story at play throughout the novel. I don’t necessarily consider this one a tragic ending, but it was pretty devastating at times and all that occurred by the end, though it certainly ends on more of a hopeful note than the others here. (I’m looking forward to the movie whenever it finally comes out!)
Five Feet Apart. Somewhat comparable to The Fault in Our Stars and other sick-lit stories, but adds different layers to the complexity and heartbreak of the relationship because the characters cannot even be within six feet of each other since they both have cystic fibrosis. The whole story has a level of sadness because even as they are together they cannot really be together, then of course, the ending.
13 Reasons Why. I wasn’t going to include this on the list because it’s really not a love story at all, but that small love story that takes place inside the bigger picture is just SO sad and painful. Of course the situation as a whole is sadder in that this is a story about suicide, but Clay (the narrator) is someone that can be easily empathized with—more so in the book than the series; the series took a totally different turn. In this story exists a love story that never began, and Clay has to face the harsh reality of this tragedy and losing what could have been. But once again we see the case of not knowing what someone else is going through and all the ways we can impact other people whether we know it or not.

Well, there we have it, some tragic love stories for you on this Valentine’s Day. It almost kind of fits with the theme of this whole last year honestly. What tragedies would you add to the list/do you like sad love stories or prefer happily ever afters?