Monica suggested this one:
Got this idea from Literary Feline during her recent contest:
‘œName a favorite literary couple and tell me why they are a favorite. If you cannot choose just one, that is okay too. Name as many as you like’“sometimes narrowing down a list can be extremely difficult and painful. Or maybe that’™s just me.’
I nearly didn’t do this post as my mind went completely blank when I read the question, and apart from Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy, I couldn’t think of any couples I particuarly liked. As it’s been years since I read Pride and Prejudice I thought that was rather sad.
Then I thought of Jane Eyre and Mr Rochester, but I haven’t actually read the book! They came to mind because as a child I saw a TV dramatisation of Jane Eyre. I was terrified by the mad woman in the attic and admired the way Jane coped with it all and ended up with her hero.
Another couple from my reading at school is Lucie Manette and Sydney Carton in Tale of Two Cities – because he sacrificed himself for love of her. I must re-read this book sometime.
Going even further back in my reading as a child great favourites are Jo and Laurie in Little Women. they never actually made it as a couple and stayed as friends. I still think she should have married him instead of Professor Bhaer.
A more recent couple are Cecilia and Robbie in Atonement – denied of happiness by a terrible mistake and by war.
A real life literary couple is Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Their love story is so romantic as told in both Margaret Forster’s biography of Elizabeth Barret Browning: a biography and in her novel Lady’s Maid. Although not a couple in the usual sense I’m also very fond of Elizabeth and Flush (her dog) – dogs are such faithful friends. Their story is told in Virginia Woolf’s novel Flush: a biography.
BooksPlease 
I didn’t think of listing a real literary couple. The Brownings are a great choice.
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Oh, the Brownings–of course! “How Do I Love Thee?” (sigh)
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I loved Joe and Laurie …
they should have ended up like Anne and Gilbert!
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Oh, it would just have to be Jeeves and Wooster!! It didn’t specify a romantic couple, now did it?!
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Oh good – I’m glad you thought of robby & celia – I didn’t think of them until after I had written my post!
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We had many of the same choices, including Lucie and Carton. I feel the same about Jo and Laurie. The Brownings are one of the most romantic couples of all time/
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Don’t be afraid to go back to Jane Eyre. If the book’s too time consuming, look out for an old BBC adaptation starring Timothy Dalton and Zelah Clarke. Best watched on a cosy winter’s evening with chocolate (and tissues) close by. Highly recommended.
Elaine Saunders
Author – Fiction Writing Exercises
http://www.completetext.com
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I was thinking about little women too.
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What about Hermione and Ron? Or even, for that matter, Harry and Ginny?
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I also loved Jo & Laurie but since they never became a couple I left them out!
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Oh yes, Robert & Elizabeth Browning deserve to be part of the list!
I have this feeling that if Louisa May Alcott were still alive, she’d be getting a lot of mail asking her to change the story. Oh well, since Little Women is semi-autobiographical, I guess there isn’t anything we can do. :)
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When I read this BTT topic, I immediately thought of real life literary couples (and Kate Roiphe’s book on the topic, which I’ve still not read) – somehow that feels easier than fictional ones. I’m afraid the ones which affect me most tend to be in Neighbours…
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What a great post! I love seeing all the various couples. One that came to my mind is from the Dennis Lehane mystery series. Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. Great duo!
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