Alessandro Manzoni lived through the Italian Risorgimento--the unification of Italy-- the final removal of French, Spanish and Austrian invaders. The event galvanized him to write this novel, though he made sure to set it in an earlier time (17th C.) so he would not run afoul of the powers that be. The sweeping epic story concerns a young couple set to be married until a Spanish Lord spots young Lucia and wants to drag her away for himself (not to marry) so the young couple go on the lam.
Manzoni wasn't satisfied with his command of Italian and even after the book was published, he set off to Florence to learn the Tuscan dialect and over 13 years painstakingly rewrote every chapter. This is the version Michael Moore has translated. Italians consider Manzoni a national hero and Italy's new king made him a senator. When he died, his body lay in state for several days.
When I finished the last page of the 650 page novel I was sad to leave his universe. I learned so much, but was also so entertained by his humor, drama and through his accurate portrayal of real historic events that happened in the beautiful region such as the happy festivals but also the famine and the plague. Historians credit the book as being the first (and shocking) description of what it was like to live during those times. I will miss the richly drawn characters and their adventures and fully understand why this book is synonymous with Italy as we know it.
Manzoni wasn't satisfied with his command of Italian and even after the book was published, he set off to Florence to learn the Tuscan dialect and over 13 years painstakingly rewrote every chapter. This is the version Michael Moore has translated. Italians consider Manzoni a national hero and Italy's new king made him a senator. When he died, his body lay in state for several days.
When I finished the last page of the 650 page novel I was sad to leave his universe. I learned so much, but was also so entertained by his humor, drama and through his accurate portrayal of real historic events that happened in the beautiful region such as the happy festivals but also the famine and the plague. Historians credit the book as being the first (and shocking) description of what it was like to live during those times. I will miss the richly drawn characters and their adventures and fully understand why this book is synonymous with Italy as we know it.