The Betrothed

De: Alessandro Manzoni

Narrado por: Nicholas Boulton

After the jealous tyrant Don Rodrigo foils their wedding, young Lombardian peasants Lucia and Lorenzo must separate and flee for their safety. Their difficult path to matrimony takes place against the turbulent backdrop of the Thirty Years War, where lawlessness and exploitation are at their height. Lucia takes refuge in a convent, where she is later abducted and taken on a nightmarish journey to a sinister castle, while Lorenzo goes to Milan, where he witnesses famine, riots, and plague - all evoked through meticulous description and with stunning immediacy. The Betrothed is a masterful example of historical fiction and remains one of the most famous novels in Italian literature.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2019 Naxos Audiobooks

Masterpiece

I am grateful to have discovered this excellent narration of this outstanding classic. I hope to revisit this in the future.

Rare Christian outlook

I’ve never encountered characters in classic literature that have so much Christian outlook and supernatural sense. It has been a great pleasure listening to this audiobook in my long drives to the city.

Incredibly current

Even though I finished this book last week, I had to wait until I had time to sit down to write a review that would do “The Betrothed” some justice. I came across the title quite by accident, and saw that it was touted as one of Italy’s most revered classics. It occurred to me that I have not read a singe Italian book, and that this situation needed to be remedied. This suggestion ended up being incredibly fortunate for me! Written two hundred years ago, but set four hundred years ago, it is amazingly current.

The quote that made me literally bolt up straight was a reflection by the author, Alessandro Manzoni, that equated victim-blaming with cowardice. The young couple face a series of tragedies: sexual harassment, abuse of power, social unrest, famine, and the plague. Manzoni’s characterization of Lucia, the young bride-to-be, and her mother, stands out in that he paints them as realistic, independent characters. The mother’s wisdom is emphasized in her role of counseling her daughter and future son-in-law. A handful of side female characters also enjoy an individualized depth of portrayal.

Especially striking is the initial conflict when the local Don Rodrigo notices Lucia as he walks by her with his wealthy friends and tries to catch her interest. When she attempts to ignore him, and then dissuade him, he is humiliated that his friends witnessed a “peasant girl” decline his attraction. From there on out, he makes a vulgar bet with them that he will “remind her of her place.” In British literature of the early 1800’s, this sort of pursuit would have almost certainly been presented as a man driven mad by his love, and hardly responsible for his actions given the woman’s beauty and wiles. In Manzoni’s narrative, he creates no ambiguity about this being a matter of pride and abuse of power.

As Renzo and Lucia plot to circumvent Don Rodrigo’s meddling harassment, their journey takes us through Manzoni’s reflections on politics. A famine highlights the pre-existing social unrest, and rulers try to address this with varied rules and edicts. Much like today, they do this without much research or knowledge about the real-life consequences. Renzo ends up getting caught up in a riot about the bread shortage. The description of law enforcement and ruling parties trying to quell the disquiet is startlingly familiar. Quite a few observations fly around about “This it not the right way to do this!” and “If you’ll just wait a little, this will work out! Patience!” Among the crowd, there are varied groups who try to bring about change in their own ways. Some of course, are just there to cause havoc and snatch a few spoils. Renzo, being a stranger in town, gets mischaracterized as a leader in the riot. “It’s not our own folk who started this unrest! It’s those from out of town stirring up trouble!” Sound familiar?

By the skin of his teeth, Renzo flees as the country churns from famine to war to the plague. When the first signs of the plague pop up, deniers work overtime to say that it’s not the plague, it’s just bad air, or weakness from the famine, etc. The politicians solidly obstruct any plans to prepare for the spreading disease. Towns near the areas with growing contagion act as if they are immune. The king is more interested in a public celebration that will make him look good to Spain than in discouraging large gatherings. Conspiracy theories spread that “poisoners” are responsible for people getting sick, not the disease; that doctors are behind the poisoners to create wealth for themselves; that politicians just want to control the masses. The author mocks the backwards people who reject that social distancing is key to eliminating the outbreak. He creates a few especially foolish characters who don’t even understand that they should avoid touching the belongings of the infected, but who spread fear and conspiracy theories instead. He describes the great fortune of the few who do get the disease but recover, as they are unlikely to get the disease twice.

A classic with such relevance and wit is a true gem. “The Betrothed” adds a great deal of wisdom as well, with reflections about human nature that are fresh and thought-provoking. I would humbly beg of any serious reader to add this to their list of must-reads.

A masterpiece

Italy’s great epic novel, The Betrothed has the warmth of a Dickens novel and the wisdom of a Shakespearean play. The narration is fantastic. Can’t recommend this audiobook highly enough.

So interesting a story.

Full of history and delightful details of all from the saddest cases of poverty, death
and life in times of plague, From the richest to the poorest! Exposes the readers heart as much as that of the protagonists. A great reminder that whatever circumstance one finds himself in it’s the most perfect place to be holy!

Fantastic reading of a great work of literature

This was not my first reading of this great work of world literature, but in the present rendition it comes alive in a completely new way. The moving and exciting plot as lived out in the wonderful variety of characters of this story becomes almost like a play, as the Nicholas Boulton is able to enter into them, and adapt his tone and even dialect to the person speaking. I find him one of the best performers on Audible yet, and that is after many years of being a member.
I had hoped for a long time that Audible would make this book available, and with this recent publication my hopes were fulfilled, and my expectations greatly exceeded.

Best 19th C. novel? Incredibly timely in 2022

First, the plot is wonderful, moving us along through the trials of the two young people. But what makes the novel so memorable are these elements: great characters (including a saintly Capuchin friar), historical passages that are well wrought, and a lively satire that keeps things from becoming sentimental. (The author has a great understanding of human nature and the foibles of a society that seems so 21st c.!) The description of the plague in Milan is moving.

wonderful!

I really loved this book. I had never heard of it before Anothony Esolen mentioned it in a lecture. It was highly recommended by him and I'm so glad he did! A beautiful story. The writing is wonderful and the reader is brilliant. get it!

Wonderful!

Listen to this whole thing. It’s as good as they say it is. Loved it.

Perhaps the Best Novel Ever Written was Wonderfully Performed!

The author was deliciously witty, insightful, deeply spiritual without being preachy—a wonderful novel indeed! And the performance by the reader? Impeccable! Deserves an Emmy.