Romance and Ruin: Ranking The Most Toxic Couples In Shakespeare’s Plays

Whenever I write a new story, I go back to Shakespeare and his ways of crafting characters. No other writer has captured the essence and the messiness of human nature quite like the Bard of Avon. Just like us humans, Shakespeare’s fictional characters are also flawed. They are passionate, impulsive, and often shoot themselves in the foot.  

In romance and ruin, they reveal their most extreme emotions. And that’s what makes Shakespeare’s stories unforgettable. They are tragedies wrapped in poetry. From murderous power duos to emotionally manipulative lovers, let’s take a look at Shakespeare’s most toxic couples, ranked least to most toxic:

1. Orlando and Rosalind from As You Like It

As You Like It. Act V. Scene Iv.

Toxicity Level: Low.

Likely to live happily ever after.

Orlando and Rosalind are the central protagonists of As You Like It. They have a very playful relationship, which starts when Orlando, a noble young man, wins Rosalind’s affection after defeating Charles in a wrestling match.

Rosalind disguises herself as a man, Ganymede, in order to preserve herself. In disguise, she meets Orlando, who professes his deep love for Rosalind. They are Shakespeare’s most charming couple. No betrayal, manipulation, murder, or misunderstandings. Their romance ends in harmony, truly a rare sight in Shakespeare’s plays. 

2. Viola and Duke Orsino from Twelfth Night

Toxicity Level: Low.

Mildly problematic but manageable.

Twelfth Night is one of the most popular Shakespeare plays and keeps you hooked from the get-go. The main characters, Viola and Duke, share a happy but slightly imbalanced relationship. Even though their relationship begins with deceit and disguise (yeah, a lot of disguise in Shakespeare’s plays), their love evolves sincerely and maturely over time.

Orsino, the self-centered man, and Viola, the loner, develop a beautiful emotional closeness as the play progresses. Their relationship becomes complex due to Viola’s disguise but nevertheless, the play shows them having mutual affection and understanding for each other. 

3. Bassanio and Portia from The Merchant of Venice

The Three Caskets from The Merchant Of Venice by Robert Alexander Hillingford

Toxicity Level: Medium.

A transactional relationship at first, but it ends on solid ground.

The Merchant of Venice tells the story of a merchant who risks his life to help his friend win a rich heiress. In this courtroom drama, Bassanio pursues a relationship with Portia solely because of her wealth and beauty. He borrows money from Antonio to impress Portia, who is smart and ambitious.

In spite of the fact that she is treated as a prize, she develops feelings for Bassanio and vice versa. She proves her love and faithfulness by disguising herself as a lawyer and saving Bassanio’s friend Antonio. In the end, their relationship becomes quite romantic and affectionate.

RELATED READING: 15 Surprisingly Unusual Facts About Shakespeare 

4. Antony and Cleopatra from Antony and Cleopatra

Toxicity Level: High

A destructive relationship, driven by obsession, manipulation, and pride.

Antony and Cleopatra share an intense and all-consuming kind of love. It’s my favorite kind of toxicity, but it is toxic nonetheless. Antony, one of Rome’s greatest generals, is fascinated by Queen Cleopatra’s charm and luxury. Due to this, he starts neglecting his Roman responsibilities.

Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, is seductive, intelligent, and emotionally volatile. She adores Antony yet manipulates him for her personal and political gains. Their bond is marked by grand romantic gestures, jealousy, and fierce loyalty. Plus, they have a lot of miscommunication and end up killing themselves. Yes, double suicide. 

5. Othello and Desdemona from Othello

Toxicity Level: High

Intense and passionate love story ruined by suspicion and a lack of trust. 

Othello, a respected Moorish general, marries Desdemona, the daughter of a Venetian senator. Despite her high status and father’s disapproval, she elopes with Othello out of deep love for him. What follows is a tragedy full of jealousy, suspicion, manipulation, and murder.

Othello is insecure because he doesn’t belong to the same class as Desdemona. Iago takes advantage of his insecurities and manipulates Othello into thinking that his wife is having an affair. He plants seeds of suspicion in Othello’s head. Instead of trusting his wife, he succumbs to his low self-esteem and becomes ruthless. 

Desdomona was loyal, but because of her husband’s poor communication and a lack of trust, she lost her life. Iago’s manipulation destroyed their marriage. 

6. Romeo and Juliet from Romeo and Juliet

Toxicity Level: High

From passion to poison, real quick.

We’ve all heard why Romeo and Juliet is toxic. Because of their age. But what’s even more destructive is how rushed and reckless their love is. They see each other, fall in love at first sight, and get married in secret. All within just ONE DAY of knowing each other. Talk about moving at lightning speed!

Are you able to love someone so passionately at the age of thirteen? Maybe. Shakespeare does make it look like their love was genuine. However, they are dangerously impulsive. That’s a proper red flag in today’s times. Their inability to slow down, ask for help, or think clearly leads to a chain of fatal misunderstandings. Sadly, the play ends with both taking their own lives. Another double suicide in Shakespeare’s plays. 

RELATED READING: 30 Words And Phrases Invented By Shakespeare That We All Use 

7. Hamlet and Ophelia from Hamlet 

Toxicity Level: High

Unrequited love and emotional neglect are a combination for disaster. 

Hamlet and Ophelia’s relationship is a clear example of what familial trauma can do to other important relationships in life. After Hamlet learns about his mother’s actions, he descends into grief and doesn’t trust women. He is obsessed with the idea of revenge and drives Ophelia away from her. 

Tragically, Ophelia is stuck between Hamlet and her father, Polonius, who makes her spy on Hamlet. She is torn, heartbroken, and is used as a pawn in the game of deceit and death. Hamlet kills her father, and she goes off the deep end and dies by drowning.

8. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth from Macbeth

Toxicity Level: Super High.

Passionate at first, but soon becomes explosive and completely destroys their mental health.

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are passionately in love with one another. They are both ambitious characters, where Lady Macbeth pushes Macbeth to murder King Duncan and seize his throne. Macbeth witnesses a downward spiral after this as he descends into paranoia and violence. He becomes ruthless, goes on a murder spree, and shuts up Lady Macbeth and her advice. 

Meanwhile, she is consumed by guilt for killing the king. She starts hallucinating, and she is plagued by nightmares where she is washing blood from her hands. Eventually, Lady Macbeth kills herself, and Macbeth is killed by Macduff, a man who swore to avenge the death of his family members, including Duncan. 

Their shared hunger for power and how they amplify each other’s worst instincts make them one of the most toxic couples in literature. If they lived in today’s times, they would definitely be getting couples therapy for toxic relationships.  

9. Petruchio and Katherine from The Taming of the Shrew

Toxicity Level: Nuclear.

Coercion, control, and cruelty. Deeply unhealthy and toxic. 

The Taming of the Shrew was written and read as satire back in the day. But in modern day, it is being critiqued as a play that promotes dominance through abuse, and disguises control as comedy. Katherine is married off to Petruchio without her consent. From the beginning of their marriage, Shakespeare tells us that Petruchio is a bad husband who married his wife for her dowry. 

Petruchio uses harsh and calculated tactics to break Katherine’s will. He starves her, deprives her of sleep, and gaslights her to make her an obedient wife. And we all know that this is a classic case of emotional and psychological abuse, not love. Today, these are some of the reasons why marriages fail and couples get divorced. 

Final Words

Shakespeare’s plays are often remembered as love stories, and we often fail to notice the toxic traits each character in his plays has. These toxic couples in Shakespeare’s world are tangled with greed, pride, insecurity, jealousy, and many other negative emotions. It’s a stark reminder that his love stories aren’t fairytales. They aren’t meant to inspire, but they serve as cautionary tales. If you spot any of these characteristics in your significant other, run for your life! 

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Simra Sadaf
Simra Sadaf

Simra Sadaf, a writer and a devoted Dostoevsky fan, has more conversations with fictional characters than human beings. With a brain that harbors deep thoughts, she is perpetually stuck in an existential crisis. She doesn't talk to those who don't know how to pronounce Nietzsche.

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