Death, Premature

Death, Premature

See also Love, Tragic

Adonis

beautiful youth beloved by Venus, killed by a boar. [Gk. Myth.: Benét, 10]

L’Aiglon

Napoleon’s son dies before he can rouse the French to follow him. [Fr. Drama: L’Aiglon in Magill II, 551]

Byron, Lord

(1788–1824) English poet died of fever at 36. [Br. Lit.: Harvey, 129]

Dean, James

(1931–1955) leader of restless youth cult in early 50s. [Am. Cinema: NCE, 730]

Dombey, Paul

dies at the age of seven, destroying the hopes of his merchant father. [Br. Lit.: Dickens Dombey and Son]

Frank, Anne

(1929–1945) young Dutch diarist, died in Bergen-Belsen camp during WWII. [Jew. Hist.: Wigoder, 196]

Grey, Lady Jane

(1537–1554) English queen at 15; died at 17. [Br. Hist.: NCE, 1146]

Hope, Evelyn

died at sixteen, unaware how deeply she was loved by an older man who still mourns her. [Br. Poetry: Browning “Evelyn Hope”]

Keats, John

(1795–1821) English poet died of consumption at 25. [Br. Lit.: Harvey, 443]

Little Father Time

despondent boy kills two babies and himself. [Br. Lit.: Hardy Jude the Obscure]

March, Beth

dies young; sensitive girl. [Children’s Lit.: Little Women]

Marvellous Boy, The

Thomas Chatterton (1752–1770), English poetic genius killed himself at seventeen. [Br. Hist.: Benét, 188]

Romeo and Juliet

star-crossed lovers die as teenagers. [Br. Lit.: Romeo and Juliet]

Schubert, Franz

(1797–1828) brilliant composer, died at 31. [Music Hist.: Thompson, 1968]

Shelley, Percy Bysshe

(1792–1822) English poet drowned at 30. [Br. Lit.: Harvey, 748]

Valentino, Rudolph

(1895–1926) matinee idol; his death caused several suicides. [Am. Cinema: Halliwell, 734]