Top 10 Most Tragic Love Stories in Myths & Legends

The old saying of “behind every great man, is a great woman” definitely applies to the story of Isis and Osiris. This is due to all of the work Isis puts in, gathering up all the pieces of her slain husband. Oh, did we forget to mention that the great and all-powerful Osiris was murdered and dismembered by his brother Set? Isis was able to reassemble Osiris and send him to the afterlife whole, ensuring he would live on as a King there. However, she remained behind to raise their son alone. This Egyptian myth symbolizes not only the seasonal cycles of death and rebirth, but also the country’s belief in the afterlife. Additionally, the quest of Isis to recover Osiris’ body speaks to her love and devotion.

The stories of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table are grand examples of classic English myth. High adventure is often the name of the game here, but there’s also a tragic love triangle that sits at the center of Arthur’s marriage to Queen Guinevere. Readings of these stories differ, depending upon the source. Some consistently maintain that Guinevere’s love is reserved solely for the heart of Sir Lancelot, and paint her as unfaithful. Another angle tells of Arthur’s tryst with his half sister Morgan le Fay. No matter the details, though, the messy love lives of a King, his Queen, and his greatest knight lead to the downfall of Camelot, and the utopian ideals it represented.

This daughter of Zeus and his sister Demeter, goddess of nature, wasn’t always a Queen of the Underworld. This occurred when she was abducted by her uncle, Hades, making this story not so much of romantic love, but of familial bonds. Her mother begged Zeus to return Persephone from her place as Hades’ new wife. The King of the Gods eventually obliged, sending Hermes to retrieve Persephone from the underworld. Hades, however, tricked his queen into tasting some tiny pomegranate seeds, an act that, at least partially, now tethered her below. As a result, the winter months symbolize Demeter’s mourning for her lost daughter, while the warmer periods signify the rebirth of Persephone’s return home.

It’s a tale as old as time, right? The forbidden love of a god or goddess with someone of mortal birth results in a boundless tragedy. We’re speaking, in this case anyway, of Clíodhna and Ciabhan, the former being Ireland’s Queen of the Banshees. It's a fateful meeting between these two star-crossed lovers that results in Clíodhna choosing to forsake her divine status, in order to facilitate a proper romance. Unfortunately, their journeys together anger Manannan Mac Lir, an Irish sea god, and he lures her beneath the waves forever, a la the Sirens from Greek mythology. Ciabhan is left to forever mourn his lost Clíodhna, searching each massive wave for a glimpse of her face.

The Norse myths may be primarily tethered to stories of battle and conquest, but there also exists sweeping stories of tragic love. Sigurd and Brynhild’s tale is perhaps one of the most well-known of these, the former being in possession of a cursed ring from the treasure of Fáfnir the Dragon. Sigurd leaves behind this ring, Andvaranaut, with Brynhild, but winds up the victim of a potion given to him by Queen Grimhild. This love potion results in Sigurd’s marriage to another woman, Gudrun, and eventually his demise via a plot devised by the betrayed Brynhild. This circle of infidelity, heartbreak and death really has no winners, only losers.

The origins of this myth are said to reside within Chinese folklore, and deal with a goddess of the skies, called Vega and a mortal by the name of Altair. It’s the music of the latter that initially draws Vega into his orbit, and the pair soon fall in love. However, it’s then said that Vega’s mother or father (depending on the reading) forbids this relationship. The Milky Way is then formed across the sky, serving as a barrier between Vega and Altair. It’s only once a year, when a bridge of fluttering magpies appears across the sky, that the pair are reunited. If this does not occur, however, then rain will fall, signifying Vega’s disappointed tears.

It’s the story of Baldr’s death that’s probably the most well known tale attached to this beloved Norse god. This comes down to the manner of his demise, which is orchestrated by the trickster god, Loki. Worrisome dreams of Baldr’s death trouble his mother, Frigg, so much that she holds every living thing to an oath never to harm her son. Everything, that is, except the mistletoe. It’s this mistletoe that’s then given to Baldr’s brother Höðr by Loki, and shot as an arrow into Baldr, killing him. The god’s wife Nanna is so distressed by the loss of her husband that she perishes with him, dying of a broken heart.

The myths of Greece, Scandinavia and Egypt may take up a lot of our free time, but there are wonderful stories from around the world that bear repeating. The tale of Layla and Majnun is one that’s related across the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia. It’s also one with a theme that still resonates today, as opposed to the more fantastical stories of gods and monsters. It all comes down to social class and wealth, since the poet Majnun is forbidden from marrying his true love Layla, who is of noble birth. Majnun is driven into exile as a result of their separation, composing plaintive poems for his lost love, while Layla pines for him within an unhappy marriage.

We’re not sure if the Shakespearean tragedy of Romeo and Juliet was influenced by this classic Greek myth, but the similarities are definitely present. This is a tale where two young lovers are separated due to the angry feelings of their respective families. This feud drives both Pyramus and Thisbe to communicate in secret, via a small crack in the wall both families share. The predictable set of fatal misunderstandings follows their decision to meet in person, whereby Pyramus destroys himself, after believing Thisbe to be dead. She, upon finding his body, then does the same.

The music of Orpheus was a powerful tool. It helped earn him a beloved wife, Eurydice, and even managed to move Hades and Persephone to tears. Orpheus’ journey down into the underworld in search of Eurydice is, initially, a story of dedication and fealty. However, the tale takes a turn for the worse during the pair’s travels back to the upper world. For Orpheus has been commanded by Hades not to look back at Eurydice as they escape his domain. The hero adheres to these terms…at first. However, Orpheus simply cannot resist glancing back to make sure that Eurydice is still behind him, only for his wife to fade away, back into the underworld.

What do you feel is the most underrated world mythology? Let us know in the comments!