Beloved

This question on the limits of love is put tot he test in the story of Beloved by Toni Morrison. Sethe is a mother who only wants to keep her children safe. In an effort to protect them from the horrors of slavery Sethe slits the throat of her baby daughter. "So Denver took her mother's milk right along with the blood of her sister." Out of love she murders her own child. Some may question if this is actually an act of love or cold blooded murder. Sethe loved her daughter so much that she killed her in order to protect her form a monstrous life in chains. Placing all on the line for love, Sethe stepped over all the boundaries. Many die for love but few kill their love. Later in the story Sethe's daughter, Beloved, comes back in the form of a grown woman. She wants Sethe, she wants her mothers face. Beloved's form of love towards her mother morphs into viscous desire. "She is the one. She is the one I need. You can go but she is the one I have to have." This desire sprouts in to a disturbing mother daughter relationship. Sethe withers away attempting to please Beloved. In this case, love was not your typical sappy romantic comedy ending. Love murdered and destroyed. It came in like a tornado devastating everything in its path.

The Stranger

The Stranger by Albert Camus is a story revolving around the life of Meursault. Meursault is a unique character, he does not seem to have any connection to his emotions and is indifferent about all aspects of his life. After his mothers death, Meursault keeps vigil over his mother’s body. He smokes a cigarette, drinks coffee, and dozes off, not once stating any feeling of sadness or shedding one tear. Meursault has a relationship with a co-worker,Marie. This is not your typical relationship Meursault does not seem to care about Marie, the only instance of emotion toward her is when he says "I wanted her." She asks Meursault if he loves her, and he replies that “it didn’t mean anything,” but probably not. An abrupt murder takes place when Meursault kills an Arab he comes across on the beach. He is thrown into jail and his His lawyer seems disgusted at Meursault’s lack of remorse over his crime, and most of all at Meursault’s lack of anguish at his mother’s funeral.Meursault does not put a limit on what he would do for love because he does not really feel love. Most people spend their life listening to love songs, watching romantic comedies and dreaming about Mr. right. Love is all around us, and people want to feel this love. Meursault is different because he simply does not care. He does not yearn to take flight on the wings of love. He is indifferent and expresses minimal emotions and does not even care or desire love.

Henry IV

In Henry IV prince Harry is struggling to earn the love of his father, King Henry. King Henry wishes that Hotspur was his son instead of Harry who is known for canoodling in taverns, drinking with criminals and conducting himself in a way not fit for royalty. Seeking his fathers approval, Harry decides that it is time to change, he promises he will abandon his unprincely ways and vanquish Hotspur in a battle to earn his father's love. Drafting his tavern friends Harry joins his father on the battlefront as they face the eruption of a civil war. In the battle at Shrewsbury, Harry bravely saves his father's life and finally wins his father's love and approval. Harry also defeats Hotspur as a final effort to earn king Henry's affection. Everyone searches for love. It is human nature to want to be loved. This love is not always in the form of romance. A parents love is something every child deserves to have, that Harry did not. To answer the question, Harry does not set a limit on what he will do to have his father's love. He changes his life, joins the army and defeats his enemy, all in the name of love.

Oedipus Rex

Love in Oedipus Rex is different than love in the Odyssey or Atonement. The love displayed in this epic poem is the love between parents and child. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus learns of a prophecy that he would murder his father and marry his mother. In fear of this disturbing fate finding him he runs away from home not knowing that his real parents heard the prophecy years before and left him to die. A Shepard took pity on Oedipus and gave him to King Polybus of Corinth to raise as his own. For the love of his parents Oedipus attempts to escape his inevitable fate and leave Corinth. By leaving trying to run form fate Oedipus actually sets the troubling prophecy into action. Oedipus fails to defy fate, in the end he murders his father and marries his mother.In this passage, Oedipus discovers the truth that he could not escape his fate but the prophecy was fulfilled, "'Too long been blind to those for whom I was searching! From this hour, go in darkness!' And as he spoke He struck at his eyes- not once,e but many times; and the blood spattered his beard, bursting from his ruined sockets like red hail." Not being able to handle what he had made of his life Oedipus blinds himself because he was blind all the signs that the prophecy had proven true.
Out of love for his parents Oedipus attempted to defy fate. Losing the battle with his destiny Oedipus leads to the down fall of his family.

The Odyssey

In the Odyssey, love has no boundaries. In this epic poem, Odyssey embarks on a treacherous journey to be reunited with his love (Penelope) and his home. Along this journey he is bombarded with obstacles, a battle with a Cyclops, a fight with the god of the sea, a trip to the underworld and many other precarious feats. Odysseus does everything in his power to return to his love, he is not hindered by limits. In this passage Odysseus’ emotions are reviled, "'Before the end my heart was broken down. I slumped on the trampled sand and cried aloud, caring no more for life or the light of day,and rolled there weeping, till my tears were spent'" (Book 4, lines 574-77). Along his journey Odysseus could have given into these feeling of despair and give up, but he prevailed against the odds. If Odysseus had set limits on how far he would go for love, he probably would never have been reunited with Penelope and returned home. He faced the most drastic of circumstances to find his love. He murders, battles and survives all in the name of love.

Atonement

This big question can be connected to the novel Atonement. Atonement, by Ian McEwen is a story of how love prevails even in the eyes of betrayal and lies. On a hot summer day the lives of everyone in the Tallis family were about to drastically change. Thirteen year old Briony Tallis sees her older sister Cecilia with Robbie Turner at a fountain on the family estate. She mistakes the situation for something that it is not, setting a series of misunderstanding into motion that will have lasting consequences on all of them. Robbie is a friend of the family and is discovering new feelings for Cecilia. After the scene at the fountain, Briony reads a disturbing letter intended for Cecilia form Robbie. When her cousin Lola is raped she tells the police it was Robbie when in fact he is innocent. Through this series of events the new found love between Robbie and Cecilia is put to the test. There is not a limit on the love Cecilia and Robbie share. In this passage Cecilia is expressing her powerful feeling for Robbie, "I've never had a moment's doubt. I love you. I believe in you completely. You are my dearest one. My reason for life. Cee." Robbie was sent to jail for his alleged Molestation, and there love remained true. Cecelia exiled herself from her family, there love remained true. Robbie faced the horrors of war and their love remained true. When Cecilia’s family believed Robbie to be a rapist she could have stayed with her family and forgotten about her love for Robbie. When Robbie was falsely prosecuted due to lies of Broiny, Robbie could have forgotten about Cecilia. Instead of giving up on love the pair did not place a limit on what they would do for love.