Hero and Leander
Hero and Leander is a narrative poem written by Christopher Marlowe in 1598. It tells the story of two lovers, Hero and Leander, who are separated by the Hellespont, a strait of water between Turkey and Greece. Leander, a young man from Abydos, is in love with Hero, a priestess of Aphrodite who lives in Sestos. He swims across the Hellespont every night to be with her. One night, a storm arises and Leander is swept away by the waves. Hero, in despair, throws herself into the sea and drowns. The poem is a tragic love story, but it also serves as a warning against the dangers of passion and the power of fate. It is a timeless tale of love, loss, and the fragility of life.
By Christopher Marlowe · First published 1598 · Genre: Romance, Classical Literature, Drama · 2 chapters · 7,483 words
First lines
On Hellespont, guilty of true-love's blood, In view and opposite two cities stood, Sea-borderers, disjoined by Neptune's might; The one Abydos, the other Sestos hight.
At Sestos Hero dwelt; Hero the fair, Whom young Apollo courted for her hair, And offered as a dower his burning throne, Where she should sit for men to gaze upon.
What this Textopian page supports
Hero and Leander is listed on Textopian as a novel by Christopher Marlowe, dated 1598 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Christopher Marlowe
- Date: 1598 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Romance, Classical Literature, Drama, Poetry
- Length: 7,483 words
- Structure: 2 chapters, 245 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Hero and Leander by Christopher Marlowe
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Hero and Leander?
- How does this novel by Christopher Marlowe fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Romance first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Shakespeares Sonnets by William Shakespeare
- Venus And Adonis by William Shakespeare
- Paradise Lost by John Milton
- Metamorphoses by Publius Ovidius Naso
- Main Street And Other Poems by Joyce Kilmer
- The Marquise De Ganges by Alexandre Dumas
Genres
- Romance — The story of Hero and Leander is a classic tale of romance, as it follows the two characters' love story and their struggles to be together.
- Classical Literature — Christopher Marlowe's 'Hero and Leander' is a retelling of the classic Greek myth of the same name, making it a work of classical literature.
- Drama — The story of Hero and Leander is full of dramatic moments, such as when Leander drowns while trying to swim to Hero, making it a work of drama.
- Poetry — Christopher Marlowe's 'Hero and Leander' is written in a poetic style, making it a work of poetry.
Tags
Hero (Greek mythology) · Leander (Greek mythology) · Poetry · amorous · arms · beauty · bed · day · earth · eye · eyes · fair
Contents
- FIRST SESTIAD
- SECOND SESTIAD