February, the month of love, is upon us. Naturally, we are going to talk about romance books, but more specifically we are going to swoop into the heart-fluttering world of high school romances. But these aren’t just any high school romances; they’re timeless tales of love, reimagined from the classics of literature and set against the backdrop of high school.
Classics are woven into lockers, pep rallies, and the all-important prom, all with a fresh, youthful spin, proving that the themes of classic literature are just as relevant today as ever.
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Easy A
Inspired by: Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlet Letter)
Film Adaptation Date: 2010
Olive Penderghast’s small lie about losing her virginity turns into a school-wide scandal, bringing the themes of sin and redemption from Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter into the modern-day high school. As rumors swirl and labels stick, Olive’s journey is both hilarious and meaningful,.
10 Things I Hate About You
Inspired by: William Shakespeare (The Taming of the Shrew)
Film Adaptation Date: 1999
This one’s an absolute classic. The challenge? Winning over the fierce, no-nonsense Kat Stratford. Set in the backdrop of Padua High, the movie plays with themes of love, deception, and growth. It’s proof that even the toughest hearts can soften when you get real and vulnerable.
Clueless
Inspired by: Jane Austen (Emma)
Film Adaptation Date: 1995
Cher Horowitz might be rich, popular, and slightly superficial, but she’s also a bit of a matchmaker. In Clueless, her attempts to pair up friends and classmates end in a series of misunderstandings and romantic mix-ups, kind of like the antics in Jane Austen’s Emma.
She’s All That
Inspired by: George Bernard Shaw (Pygmalion)
Film Adaptation Date: 1999
Zack Siler bets he can transform Laney Boggs from the shy, artsy girl into a prom queen, and viola — Pygmalion gets a modern day makeover. This sweet transformation story is all about discovering the beauty that’s been there all along—and how real connections are about more than just appearances.
Cruel Intentions
Inspired by: Pierre Choderlos de Laclos (Les Liaisons dangereuses)
Film Adaptation Date: 1999
Set in the glitzy, cutthroat world of New York’s elite, Cruel Intentions takes the complex web of seduction, betrayal, and manipulation from Les Liaisons dangereuses and turns it into a modern teen drama. It’s a story about playing with emotions, but at its heart, it’s also about how love can mess up even the best-laid plans.
She’s The Man
Inspired by: William Shakespeare (Twelfth Night)
Film Adaptation Date: 2006
In this hilarious twist on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Viola Hastings disguises herself as her brother to play soccer at Illyria High. The result? A love story full of mistaken identities, sibling rivalry, and all sorts of teenage shenanigans.
