Literary notes about Endear (AI summary)
The word "endear" has been employed in literature to convey the process of winning favor or affection in nuanced ways. In some works, such as in Burns's portrayal, the emotive qualities of poems and character are said to "specially endear him to America" [1], indicating how personal attributes can forge strong bonds with an audience or nation. In other texts, the term is used to elevate ordinary human vulnerabilities—like "fears and blushes"—to objects of affection, suggesting that these traits can make individuals more appealing [2]. Meanwhile, authors like Jane Austen and Shakespeare use "endear" in interpersonal relationships to explore the dynamics of marital affection and self-attraction, as seen in the reflections on endearing actions toward a husband and the notion of being "self-endear'd" [3][4]. These varied uses underscore the word's versatility in describing how inherent qualities or actions can foster deep, affectionate connections.
- Then there are many things in Burns's poems and character that specially endear him to America.
— from Complete Prose Works by Walt Whitman - Let their fears and blushes endear them.
— from A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft - “And ought it not,” reflected Catherine, “to endear it to her husband?
— from Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - She cannot love, Nor take no shape nor project of affection, She is so self-endear’d.
— from Much Ado about Nothing by William Shakespeare
