Of Love & Loyalty

A Reflection on Casablanca and Casabianca.

- By Sarita Wariyer

Two works from vastly different worlds — one a wartime Hollywood romance, the other a nineteenth-century English poem — might seem to have little in common at first glance. But Casablanca, the classic 1942 film, and Casabianca, Felicia Hemans’ solemn poem, are united by deeper themes of duty, sacrifice, and the quiet heroism of choosing others over the self.

Casablanca: The Romance of Sacrifice

Set against the backdrop of World War II, Casablanca introduces us to Rick Blaine, a cynical American bar owner in Morocco, who unexpectedly encounters his former lover, Ilsa Lund. She arrives with her husband, Victor Laszlo, a resistance leader hunted by the Nazis.

Rick is faced with a heartbreaking choice: help Ilsa and Victor escape and risk losing her forever, or keep her by his side. In a moment of profound selflessness, Rick lets Ilsa go for the greater good — a classic example of personal sacrifice in the name of duty and a higher cause.

“We'll always have Paris.”

That one line carries the weight of lost love, bravery, and the eternal memory of what once was.

Casabianca: The Fire of Obedience

In contrast, Felicia Hemans' poem Casabianca is the poignant tale of a 13-year-old boy on a burning French ship during the Battle of the Nile. He refuses to abandon his post, waiting for his father's command, unaware that his father is already dead.

The boy dies in the explosion, standing firm, embodying unquestioning obedience and heroic innocence.