There were even two conversion accounts, one recounted as having occurred in the past of Fra Christoforo and the one of "the Unnamed" narrated in the present. In addition, to the best of my recollection, each of Manzoni's positive figures expressed and exemplified that he or she was motivated by the Christian faith. Without an electronic version of the book, I cannot count how often the various protagonists expressed trust in Providence. To be sure, the ultimately requited romantic love of Renzo and Lucia drives the driving narrative flow but The Betrothed is more than a mere romance or simply an historical novel. It seems all sources characterize The Betrothed as a romance. There's a fine commentary on the importance of the book in the Wall Street Journal here. The plot is far too long to summarize so read it in Wikipedia here. I managed to finish its 719 pages in fewer than four weeks with the help of short days, cold evenings, and an abiding interest in seeing how Manzoni would bring the betrothed couple, Renzo and Lucia, together notwithstanding the best (or worst) efforts of a dithering parish priest, a lecherous petty (but local) tyrant, the plague, kidnapping, and whatnot various other impediments. įor Christmas Attilio Arcari gave me Bruce Penman's English translation of Alessandro Manzoni's sprawling historical novel, The Betrothed (Italian: I Promessi Sposi). Update: For a recent review by William Randolph Brafford of The Betrothed go here.
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