Love, Spurned
Anaxareteprincess turned to stone for scorning commoner’s love. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 21]
afflicted by husband’s amours; declines and dies. [Jap. Lit.: The Tale of Genii]
considered herself Pinkerton’s wife; actually his mistress. [Am. Lit.: Madame Butterfly, Hart, 513; Ital Opera, Madama Butterfly]
thought Hans’s proposal foolish and refused him. [Ger. Lit.: The Magic Mountain, Magill I, 545–547]
spurned but persistent lover of Imogen. [Br. Lit.: Cymbeline]
spurned, the king murders intended’s lover and his brothers. [Irish Legend: LLEI, I: 326]
rejected by heiress; she prefers his son. [Br. Lit.: London Assurance, Walsh Modern, 108]
bears rejection with dignity; eventually marries rejecter. [Br. Lit.: Sense and Sensibility]
rejected by Pyrrhus, who weds Andromache. [Fr. Lit.: Andromache]
sculptor loses Christina Light to rich prince. [Am. Lit.: Roderick Hudson]
rejected by Nana, he stabs himself. [Fr. Lit.: Nana, Magill I, 638–640]
lover; leaves her for Glauce. [Gk. Lit.: Medea, Magill I, 573–575]
long in love with Jo March, he begs her to marry him and is rejected. [Am. Lit.: Louisa May Alcott Little Women]
Irina dallies with him for years but never yields. [Russ. Lit.: Smoke in Magill I, 897]
rejected by brother, lover, mother, and neighbors. [Am. Lit.: Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, Magill I, 543–544]
doublecrossed by friend and rejected lover. [Br. Lit.: The Double-Dealer]
de rejected by the Princess de Cleves, who will not betray her husband even after he dies. [Fr. Lit.: Countess de La Fayette The Princess of Cleves in Magill II, 856]
social conventions forbid him to pursue Ethel. [Br. Lit.: The Newcomes, Magill I, 650–652]
spurned suitor of Hermione. [Fr. Lit.: Andromache]
feigns rape on being scorned. [Gk. Lit.: Hippolytus]
traduces Joseph when seduction of him fails. [O.T.: Genesis 39:7–18]
betrayed by Sergeant Troy, her betrothed. [Br. Lit.: Far From the Madding Crowd, Magill I, 266–268]
dissolute matron rejected by nephew’s love. [Br. Lit.: The Double-Dealer]
her fiancé changed his mind on their wedding day. [Am. Lit.: Peter Whiffle, Magill I, 739–741]
tree emblem of rejected affection. [Plant Symbolism: “Tit-Willow,” Mikado; “Willow Song,” Othello]
caller fails to reciprocate the love she secretly had for him since high-school days. [Am. Drama: The Glass Menagerie in Hart, 317]
traditional name for Potiphar’s wife. [Pers. Lit.: Brewer Dictionary, 1175]
Allusions—Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical: A Thematic Dictionary. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.