The Divine Comedy and The Great Gatsby

The Divine Comedy and The Great Gatsby both develop Love and Desire in the BetterReads catalog — two treatments of the same literary theme, not a random pairing.

The Divine Comedy: Love is portrayed as the fundamental force driving human action, but it must be properly directed—toward God and virtue—rather than toward earthly or sinful objects, as seen in the stories of Paolo and Francesca.

The Great Gatsby: Romantic love is intertwined with aspiration, possession, and idealism. Gatsby's love for Daisy is less about her as a person and more about what she represents—the ultimate prize in his quest for status and his idealize

Love and Desire appears as a literary theme in 17 works in the BetterReads curated set. Each book develops the idea in its own plot, voice, and historical moment — the links below open the book-scoped theme guide beside the text.

Various forms of love and desire appear, from Betty's maternal devotion and Captain Barfoot's attentions to Jacob's relationships with Florinda, Clara, and Sandra, often marked by irrational passion, longing, and unfulfillment.

Love is portrayed as a powerful, often destructive force that drives characters to obsession, violence, and tragedy, as seen in stories of forbidden love, unrequited passion, and the pursuit of beauty across divine and mortal realms.

Love appears in various forms—romantic, obsessive, and transcendent—with Orlando's relationships (especially with Sasha and Shelmerdine) highlighting the complexities of desire beyond gender norms.

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Read the book hubs and theme leaves to see how each plot stages Love and Desire, then return here to keep the two editions in the same argument.