Romance | Lecturia

Dorothy Parker: A Telephone Call

“A Phone Call” is a short story by Dorothy Parker, published in January 1928 in The Bookman. Through an anxious inner monologue, a woman desperately waits for the man she loves to keep his promise to call her. As she watches the clock and struggles not to succumb to the temptation to dial him, her mind wanders between hope, pleading, and humiliation. With an intimate and direct style, Parker sharply portrays the emotional fragility, the self-deception, and the intensity of unrequited desire in an everyday but deeply moving situation.

Mary Shelley: The Dream

In Mary Shelley’s The Dream, the young and beautiful Countess Constance de Villeneuve lives in solitude, grieving the loss of her father and brothers in the civil wars. Determined to enter a convent, her plans are challenged by the unexpected visit of the king and Gaspar de Vaudemont, an old love whose return awakens intense emotions in her heart. On a stormy night, Constance, seeking divine guidance, enters a sacred cave, where revelatory visions confront her with her love and destiny. In a struggle between duty and passion, Constance faces decisions that could change her life forever.

Elizabeth Gaskell: Right at Last

Right at Last is a short story by Elizabeth Gaskell, published on November 27, 1858, in Household Words. The story follows Margaret Frazer, a young woman of strong character who defies her family’s opposition by getting engaged to Dr. James Brown, a talented man of uncertain origins. As the couple builds their life together, events reveal intrigues and secrets that will test their strength and love, confronting them with an uncertain destiny.

Angela Carter: The Kiss

The Kiss is a story by Angela Carter, published in 1985 in the collection Black Venus. Set in the magical city of Samarkand, the story intertwines myth and history to narrate an episode in the life of Tamerlane’s wife. Against a backdrop of vivid colors and exotic landscapes, the wife tries to surprise the famous warrior, returning from his conquests, by erecting a mosque in his honor. However, the cunning architect sets an unexpected condition for finishing the job on time.

Edgar Allan Poe: Eleonora

Eleonora is a gothic tale by Edgar Allan Poe, published in 1841. It tells the story of a young man who lives in a paradisiacal valley with his cousin Eleonora. In this haven of beauty and isolation, the two share an existence of pure love and simple harmony, surrounded by dreamy landscapes and the silent flow of a magical river. However, a shadow threatens to break their idyllic life, forcing them to confront the fragility of happiness and the strength of the ties that bind them together.

O. Henry: The Gift of the Magi

The Gift of the Magi is a short story by O. Henry, first published in The New York Sunday World on 10 December 1905. The narrative revolves around Delia and Jim, a young couple residing in a modest apartment. On Christmas Eve, with only a meagre sum of barely a dollar and eighty-seven cents to her name, Delia finds herself in a desperate situation, striving to procure a suitable gift for her husband. Driven by a profound sense of affection, she makes a decision that entails significant personal deprivation. The poignant and straightforward account illuminates the value of altruistic love and the sacrifices one is willing to make for those they hold most dear.