Unrequited love is a painful yet universal experience caused by strong feelings for someone who does not or cannot reciprocate, such as a close friend who only sees your relationship as platonic. This type of feeling is often romanticized due to its idealized portrayal in the media — I myself am guilty of finding it so romantic when it comes to Mr. Darcy’s initial one-sided love for Elizabeth in Jane Austen’s novel “Pride and Prejudice.”

First published in 1813, Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” tells the romantic and empowering story of Elizabeth Bennet, an intelligent woman living with her parents and four sisters. In 2009,...