In the Fountainhead, Ayn Rand deals with the topics of independent, first hand thought, and the effects of collectivism ‘not in politics, but in man’s soul’. But the novel is also remembered, and is also considered controversial, for Rand’s depiction of romantic love, and of the intense, on and off, relationship between Howard Roark with Dominique Francon.

What can ‘The Fountainhead’ tell us about romance and sex? Does it provide any insights on the nature of masculinity and femininity, if such a nature exists? Is it realistic to expect an intensity of feelings like the ones overwhelming Roark and Dominique?