Known for their commitment to finding or keeping true love, classic characters from love stories often display spirit and spunk, and refuse to listen to anything but their own hearts.
The following are some of the most beloved classic characters from love stories of all time:
1. Elizabeth Bennet
Keira Knightley plays Elizabeth Bennet in the 2005 big-screen adaptation of Jane Austen's book "Pride and Prejudice." Lizzie is known for her stubbornness, spirit, and refusal to marry for position or money.
Stylist ranks Bennet as number one on its list of Literature's Feistiest Females.
Vote Now: Who Is Your Favorite Actor of All Time?
2. Rick Blaine
The hero of the 1942 film "Casablanca" must choose between being with the woman he loves and helping her husband, a Czech Resistance leader, escape Casablanca in order to continue his fight against the Nazis.
Ranked number 58 on Empire's The 100 Greatest Movie Characters, Blaine (played by Humphrey Bogart) is known for both his selfishness and commitment to true love.
3. Kathleen Kelly
Protagonist of the 1998 movie "You've Got Mail," Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) is the owner of a declining children's bookstore who accidentally falls in love with her competition. Her commitment to her deceased mother's memory, refusal to acknowledge her true feelings, and overall spitfire make her a classic character.
The Examiner claims that Kelly's wardrobe in the movie perfectly matches her personality.
4. Westley
Film Jerk, as well as many other media outlets, consider the 1987 film "The Princess Bride" to be a cult classic. Hired hand Westley falls in love with a farmer's daughter, Buttercup. However, he must go off to sea to make his fortune. While he is away, the king makes a conquest of Buttercup. Fans love Westley for his loyalty, commitment, and bravery.
5. Scarlett O'Hara
The heroine from Margaret Mitchell's Civil War-era "Gone With the Wind," Scarlett O'Hara's charms are equally beguiling from their perch on the movie screen. Manipulative yet endearing, O'Hara does everything within her power to marry the man with whom she is infatuated.
The Rosebud Cinema debates whether Scarlett (played by Vivien Leigh in the 1939 film) is a hero or a villain.
6. Rose DeWitt Bukater
Played by Kate Winslet in the 1997 film "Titanic," Rose is an aristocratic American who is unhappily engaged to a man whose wealth will save her family. Once aboard the ill-fated Titanic, she meets and falls in love with a boy from the streets.
On The Numbers’ list of All Time North American Domestic Top 10, "Titanic" is second, grossing a total of $659 million at the box office.
7. Allie Hamilton
In "The Notebook" (2004), a Southern heiress, Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams) falls in love with Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling), much to her parents' dismay. Star-crossed for decades, the lovers finally reunite in the end.
Rotten Tomatoes ranked McAdam's portrayal of Hamilton in "The Notebook" her 10th best performance.
Vote Now: Which of These Actors Stands the Test of Time?
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.