The Amorous Heart: An Unconventional History of Love

by Marilyn Yalom

An eminent scholar unearths the captivating history of the two-lobed heart symbol from scripture and tapestry to T-shirts and text messages, shedding light on how we have expressed love since antiquity The symmetrical, exuberant heart is it gives shape to candy, pendants, the frothy milk on top of a cappuccino, and much else. How can we explain the ubiquity of what might be the most recognizable symbol in the world? In The Amorous Heart, Marilyn Yalom tracks the heart metaphor and heart iconography across two thousand years, through Christian theology, pagan love poetry, medieval painting, Shakespearean drama, Enlightenment science, and into the present. She argues that the symbol reveals a tension between love as romantic and sexual on the one hand, and as religious and spiritual on the other. Ultimately, the heart symbol is a guide to the astonishing variety of human affections, from the erotic to the chaste and from the unrequited to the conjugal.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 9, 2018

About the author

Marilyn Yalom grew up in Washington D.C. and was educated at Wellesley College, the Sorbonne, Harvard and Johns Hopkins. She has been a professor of French and comparative literature, director of an institute for research on women, a popular speaker on the lecture circuit, and the author of numerous books and articles on literature and women's history.

Reviews

[Valeriu Gherghel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cînd vedem o inimă și o săgeată, ne gîndim instantaneu la iubire. Oare de ce?

Între iubire și inimă legătura e veche. În secolul VII î.e.n., Sappho a scris: „Iubirea mi-a cutremurat inima / Ca vîntul ce șuieră pe munte și scutură stejarii” (p.15). Tot în Antichitate găsim ideea că iubirea se trezește în cutare nefericit de îndată ce Eros îi trimite o săgeată fatală drept în inimă (p.17). Săgeata e ca o flacără subțire, trece prin ochi și se înfige negreșit în cord. Pentru totdeauna.

Dar inima n-a devenit la fel de repede un semn iconic (inimă = love). A fost nevoie de secole. Imaginea / reprezentarea inimii ca simbol al iubirii a/u apărut abia în miniaturile medievale din secolele XIII-XIV: „Primele inimi aveau formă de conuri de pin, de vinete sau de pere” (p.116). Sînt desenate stîngaci. De obicei, artiștii îl reprezintă pe cavaler oferindu-i cu multă umilință o inimă vineție domniței infiorate. Putem vedea această scenă emoționantă într-o tapiserie găzduită de muzeul Luvru. Tapiseria se numește L'Offrande / Le Don du coeur și datează din intervalul 1400-1410. Dar nu numai cavalerul își dăruiește inima. Pe la 1338-1344, în Roman d'Alexandre, Jean / Jehan de Grise înfățișează o domniță făcînd un gest similar (p.105).

N-are rost să scriu mai mult. Cartea lui Marilyn Yalom (1932 - 2019) cuprinde o sumedenie de amănunte foarte interesante. Autoarea amintește, desigur, cultul inimii lui Iisus din literatura mistică: sfînta Teresa de Avila, Gertrude de Hefta, Margareta Maria Alacoque etc. Călugărițele fac schimb de inimi cu Mîntuitorul (p.147). Termenul „Heart” a fost folosit de Shakespeare în opera lui de peste o mie de ori (pp.171-184)...

[Sandra Deaconu · Rating 1 out of 5]

În concluzie, nu a fost genul meu de lectură. Nu doar pentru că eu nu sunt romantică, dar și pentru că mă așteptam să vorbească mai mult despre inimă ca organ, așa cum a fost văzut în diferite domenii, nu despre ce folosim astăzi ca emoticon, vaze și farfurii decorate nu știu cum. Aș fi vrut să meargă mai adânc în istoria simbolului și să ne prezinte complexitatea acestuia și cum s-a schimbat viziunea despre acesta de-a lungul timpului, în loc să aflu câți copii cu nume inspirate dintr-o poveste de dragoste existau într-un loc. Nu pot să spun decât că, dacă vă încântă fragmentul de mai jos, atunci poate voi veți fi mai interesați de carte decât mine. Recenzia aici: https://bit.ly/3eT2Jfi.

,,Dacă privim cu atenție imaginea reprodusă la începutul acestui capitol în Figura 7, vom observa un obiect de forma unui con de pin, care are trebui să reprezinte o inimă de om. Miniatura, care se găsește într-un manuscris cu anluminuri, reprezintă două personaje amplasate în interiorul unei litere S foarte răsucite. Unul dintre personaje este îngenuncheat, cu mâinile întinse, ținând în ele o inimă. Celălalt personaj este o doamnă care stă în picioare și își ridică mâna dreaptă, într-un gest de surpriză, în timp ce își duce mâna stângă la piept, ca și cum n-ar ști ce să facă cu această ofrandă. Chipul lui, desenat stângaci, exprimă umilință în timp ce pe fața ei se citește un dispreț trufaș. Femeia are pe cap un voal, mâinile îi sunt ascunse în mănuși foarte lungi și poartă o rochie elegantă, în timp ce tânărul are doar o tunică albastră, iar la brâu îi atârnă o pereche de mănuși.'' (pag. 69)

[Florina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasant and informative, but there's too little meat on the bones.

[حكيم · Rating 4 out of 5]

عنوان الكتاب: القلب العاشق؛ تاريخ غير تقليدي للحب.
المؤلف: مارلين يالوم (1932-2019) كاتبة ومؤرِّخة نِسوية، وباحثة بارزة في معهد كلايمان لأبحاث الجندر في جامعة ستانفورد، ولها أعمال كثيرة، منها: تاريخ الزوجة، وكيف ابتكر الفرنسيون الحب...
المعرِّب: خالد الجبيلي.
سنة النشر بالعربية: 2025م.
عدد الصفحات: 300 صفحة تقريبًا.
طبيعة الكتاب: أطروحة تاريخية اجتماعية فنِّيَّة.

تُصادفك مرَّاتٌ نظرةٌ غريبة إلى شيء معتاد تراه يوميًّا فيتدفَّق في ذهنك سَيل من الأفكار تحاول أن تجمع خيوطها المتناثرة، ثم تمضي وتدعها خلفك كأن لم تكن... هذا ما حدث لكاتبتنا، إلا أنها أكملت مسيرتها فأهدتنا سِفرًا هو ثمرة رؤية تأمُّليَّة لـ«مِشبكٍ» صغيرٍ تاريخيٍّ يحمل شكل القلب المعروف (❤️)؛ فأثارها ربط هذا الشكل بالحب، واعتباره قلبًا، وأن القلب مصدر الحب، ثم تاريخ الحب وتفاعل المجتمعات معه... إلى غيرها من الموضوعات التاريخية والاجتماعية والفنِّيَّة.

تأخذك المؤلفة في رحلة تاريخية تحليلية للقصائد والرموز واللوحات والروايات السابقة لاستكشاف نقطة الانطلاق، لمعرفة متى وأين ولماذا ارتبط شكل القلب هذا بالحب! وفي جنبات الطريق تجد الطرائف التاريخية والتحليلات الاجتماعية والنظرات الفنية والمعرفة الزوجية... سَردٌ مُتقَنٌ شيِّقٌ، لا يصرفك عن صلب الكتاب وغايته.

يُعاب عليه تركيزه على الثقافة الغربية وتاريخها مع الحب، وهي معذورة لحاجز الثقافة واللغة، ولو حفَّر أحد أدباء العرب في تاريخنا لقدَّم سِفرًا عظيمًا في تنوُّع أشكال الحب. كذلك إسهابها حتى الإملال في الاستفاضة التحليليَّة للأعمال الفنِّيٍّة، ولعلها تُعذَر أيضًا كون الكتاب دراسة تاريخية اجتماعية وليس كتابًا أدبيًّا، فالهدف منه التحقيق التاريخي لا اللذَّة الشعورية.

كتاب جميل للقراءة الذاتية الهادئة، تقع غالب فصوله بين ١٠ إلى ٢٠ صفحة، بفصول مترابطة المعاني غالبًا. ليس للمناقشة أو المدارسة، بل للمتعة والفائدة الجانبية.

[Suzanne Ondrus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers various ways the heart is and was represented. One of the first drawings looking like a heart was actually of a contraceptive seed pod from the Roman times. The chapter on burying hearts a part from kings' bodies was interesting- apparently one of the most recent such burials was in 2011! Here is a verse by Chretien: It's not the eye that was hurt/but the heart.../...the eye/Is the heart's mirror, so the arrow/Reaches the heart though its mirror,/Doing no damage to the eye.../The heart sits in the body/Like a candle set inside/A lantern. (p. 45-46).
Interesting is the embodiment of the heart as an actual being/friend. Chalres d'Orleans imprisioned "treated his heart as an intimate friend with whom he conducted ongoing conversations, set down in the form of songs, ballads, and rondeaux"(106).There is also the aspect of addressing the beloved's heart more strongly than the beloved herself.
"Romantic men and women shared the view that the heart was a better guide to life than the brain. They believed that the amorous heart corresponded to one's best self, a self invigorated by passion and compassion"(202). And John Gower: "Ou le coeur est/le corps doit obeir." "Where the heart is/the body must obey.")
The book concludes with recent heart artists. She mentions Ellen Huerta who studies the addictive aspect of love and has a business healing broken hearts.
This book has lots of pictures (black and white) from drawings, tapestries to tombstones. There is a chapter on "Exchanging Hearts with Jesus" that chronicles a bit of spiritual ecstasy, the heart being pierced by God.

[Abu Syakireen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Amorous heart is a book that tell the story of love and heart. And I mean love and heart. It tell the history of love and its connection with heart. How this connection is express by people from different ages. How was love defined and its evolution with the influance in social, politic and religion of different era. As an added bonus, this book go into quite a detail in the history of the heart symbol (❤). What is it original symbol is and how it become that symbol. How symmetrical double-lobed heart symbol become so norm and universal. Overall I really have fun and learn valuable knowledge in reading this book. What is lacking or rather problem for me in this book is that most of the context written is based on the western and christian history. The book did put some fact or story in eastern as well as islamic point of view but I feel that it is lacking and needed more of it.

[ياسمين هاني · Rating 3 out of 5]

خلصته
لكن هل أنصح بيه؟
لا
يعني هل هو علم نافع؟
لا، إلا إذا قررتَ أن تكتب عن تاريخ ظهور شكل القلب في التاريخ
ومتى دل القلب بشكله الحديث عن الحب

عموما علم لا ينفع وجهل لا يضر
وجهة نظر مختلفة فعلا للحب من خلال دراسة متى ظهر شكل القلب اول مرة كيف عبر المحبون عن حبهم في القرون الأولى

يعني قراءة تاريخية

يشفع للكتابة شيء أسلوبها بس ما كان ممل غير كده الكتاب ما يستحق قوي

وليه قرأته؟
لأنه هذه الكاتبة هي زوجة الطبيب النفسي والكاتب إرفين يالوم اللي كتب تعرية الحب
وجبت الكتاب اللي كتبوه مع بعض بتاع مسألة موت وحياة
فكأني كنت بستشف الوضع وكيف سيكون الكتاب

الفصول الأولى كانت شوية عبثية وفصل الادب العربي كان ممتع😂 وان كان فيه إشارات لأبيات غير مفيدة بس يشهد للمترجم أنه ترجم هذا الفصل ترجمة سلسلة ما شعرت انه كتاب مترجم
وحديثها عن المسلمين والإسلام كان جيد عموما يعني إذا ذكرت الدين او الحب الالهي او الصوفي او كده

[Florence · Rating 4 out of 5]

This impressive book provides a story of the social evolution of the iconography of the heart, of the sexes in relation to our capacity to love; it serves to demonstrate our natural instinct for love and erotic expression.

A fascinating read of a phenomenon we take for granted and for which we believe we are entitled – love.

Highly recommended for curious minds.

[Book Grocer]

Purchase The Amorous Heart here for just $12!

A deep dive into the heart, Marilyn Yalom presents a well-researched look at this famous symbol. She will give you much to ponder about why we love.

Elisa - The Book Grocer

[Raneem · Rating 3 out of 5]

بدأت قراءة الكتاب عقب كتاب مسألة موت وحياة ( الكتاب المشترك بين إيرفين يالوم و مارلين يالوم)
و كان سقف توقعاتي عالي جدًا
ثم تهدم السقف فوق رأسي و ظل يتهدم حتى نهاية الكتا�� 😂
الكتاب عبارة عن بحث منهجي لبداية ظهور ايقونة القلب ❤️
وجدت معلومات مثيرة للاهتمام كانت متناثرة هنا وهناك في صفحات الكتاب
لكن الملل ظل مصاحبني طوال ساعات القراءة.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

To heart or not to heart? That is the question to answer at the heart of hearts. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[Ariste Egan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well researched and comprehensive history of the heart as an image and symbol.

[Ioana · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a treasure!

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

not enough meat to the research. It felt more like a listing of where heart motifs appeared than an evaluation of what it meant.

[Teodora · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well documented history on love and the symbolism of heart.

[Joshua Witham · Rating 3 out of 5]

It should be possible to study the history of giddy romanticism without giddily romanticizing it.

[Michelle DeLouise-Ashmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loooooooooove love & also love <3🫶🏼❤️❤️‍🔥💘💓

[Ariel Reyes]

dnf

[Hannah Robbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite an easy read, interesting and light. Gives you a new perspective on something as ordinary as the ❤️

[Jayce Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hearts, letters, Valentine’s Day, and marriage. This book explains the historical origins of symbols and rituals associated with love in its various forms and questions the reader’s own experience of love. In the end, love is what we make of it: complicated.

[Mills College Library]

611.12 Y191 2018

[Andrea Waugh]

A quick read. Not especially erudite or scholarly, but we'll researched and enjoyable. Author includes personal anecdotes.

[Rebecca]

While not the most engaging nonfiction book I have read there is still a lot to be enjoyed in this book which almost made me love the hackneyed image of the heart again. Many cool facts.