The Greatest Love Letters Ever Written
Love letters have been a staple of romantic expression for centuries, offering a glimpse into the depth of emotion and passion the authors feel. Some of the most significant love letters ever written are revered for their eloquence, sincerity, and the raw emotion they convey.
One of the earliest examples of love letters comes from the ancient Greek poet Sappho. Her love letters, written in the 6th century BCE, are famous for their passionate expressions of love and desire. Although few of her original letters have survived, her influence on the genre of love letters is still felt today.
In the 13th century, the Persian poet Rumi wrote love letters to his spiritual guide and soulmate, Shams Tabrizi. These letters, compiled in a book called “The Love Letters of Rumi,” are filled with mystical and spiritual themes that speak to the transcendent nature of love.
In the 19th century, the French novelist Gustave Flaubert wrote a series of love letters to his lover, Louise Colet. These letters, later published as “The Letters of Gustave Flaubert,” are celebrated for their vivid descriptions of the romantic landscapes of France and Italy and their passionate expressions of love and desire.
Another iconic love letter is the one by Napoleon Bonaparte to Josephine de Beauharnais in 1796. Napoleon’s love for Josephine is well-known, and the letter is a testament to the intensity of his feelings. In it, he writes, “I wake filled with thoughts of you…your portrait and the intoxicating evening which we spent yesterday have left my senses in turmoil.”
Beethoven wrote one of the most famous love letters of all time to his beloved, known only as “Immortal Beloved.” The letter, written in July 1812, expresses the composer’s deep love and longing for his mysterious muse. He writes, “My angel, my all, my very self…I am yours, yours completely, forever and beyond.”
Another well-known love letter was written by poet John Keats to his beloved Fanny Brawne in 1819. In it, he expresses his desire for her and the intense emotions she inspires in him, writing, “I cannot breathe without you.” Keats’ love for Brawne was cut tragically short when he died of tuberculosis just a year later, but his love letter lives on as a testament to his passion.
Another famous love letter comes from poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning to her husband, Robert Browning. In a letter written in 1845, she famously wrote, “I love you not only for what you are but for what I am when I am with you.” This letter and others she wrote to Robert inspired the famous collection of love sonnets, “Sonnets from the Portuguese.”
The letters between Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West are also famous for their depth of feeling and emotional honesty. In one letter, Woolf writes to Sackville-West, “I am reduced to a thing that wants Virginia. I composed a beautiful letter to you in the sleepless nightmare hours of the night, and it has all gone: I just miss you.”
The letters between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera are also famous for their intense emotions and tumultuous relationship. The couple’s letters were filled with passion, jealousy, and pain, reflecting the complexities of their relationship and the depth of their feelings for one another. In one letter to Rivera, Kahlo writes, “I love you more than my own skin.”
One of the most recent additions to the canon of great love letters is the email from Barack Obama to his future wife, Michelle, in 1992. In it, he writes, “I think you’re wonderful…I don’t want to sound too corny or awkward, but I want to let you know I’m ready for that ride.” The email is a beautiful expression of the early stages of a blossoming romance and a testament to the enduring power of love letters.
These love letters, and countless others, have captured the hearts and imaginations of readers for generations. They offer a glimpse into the private lives and emotions of some of history’s most famous figures and a reminder of the power of love to inspire, comfort, and transform us.
