The Abbess of Castro E-Book

- Stendhal

• Herausgeber: Stendhal
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

The Abbess of Castro is a short novel by Stendhal. This book described the troubled love between Elena di Campireali, a distinguished maiden origins of Albano, and Giulio Branciforte, son of a robber protected by Column. In the beginning, Julius, 22-year-old Woo Elena, just returned from the convent by Castro in which he studied. Her father and her brother are trying to kill the boyfriend into an ambush; but the girl, who admires the ardour of Julius, saves him and flees with him. Afterwards, Julius kills in a duel Fabio, Elena's brother, and is forced to move away from Albano. Elena closes in the convent of the visitation, which is under the jurisdiction of his family. Julius manages to get in touch with Elena epistolary proposing to escape together. She accepts but the project will not succeed. Garcia, who was injured while trying to escape, kidnapping is carried away from the column. Elena's mother believe that Giulio died; Equally, the same believe that Elena Garcia is now married to another. Giulio, on which hangs a death sentence, takes refuge in Mexico, takes on another name and fights for ten years in the ranks of the Spanish army making bold enterprises. Helen, who believes him dead, tries to take revenge on the other and, with the help of his mother he can bribe the old Cardinal Santi Quattro, manages to become Abbess of Castro. Elena fastens a relationship with monsignor Francesco Cittadini, milanese nobleman and Bishop of Castro. Elena, pregnant, is forced to turn to a midwife and to confide the secret of her pregnancy to her two sisters. Discovered, the two lovers are sued and prosecuted by the Tribunal of the Inquisition, directed by cardinal Farnese. The Bishop is sentenced to perpetual prison in Castel Sant'Angelo, the Abbess to life imprisonment in the convent of Santa Marta. The Lady of Campireali begins to dig an underground passage to escape her daughter. When salvation now seems near, Elena learns from his mother that Julius has returned from Mexico and the search. Overwhelmed by guilt, Elena decides to die: writing a long, heartfelt letter to ABC and then kill himself with a dagger to the heart.

Leseprobe

The Abbess of Castro

by

Stendhal

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I

We have so often been shewn in melodrama the Italian brigands of the sixteenth century, and so many people have spoken of them without any real knowledge, that we have come to hold the most erroneous ideas of what they were like. Speaking generally, one may say that these brigands were the Opposition to the vile governments which, in Italy, took the place of the mediaeval Republics. The new tyrant was, as a rule, the wealthiest citizen of the defunct Republic, and, to win over the populace, would adorn the town with splendid churches and fine pictures. Such were the Polentini of Ravenna, the Manfredi of Faenza, the Riario of Imola, the Cani of Verona, the Bentivoglio of Bologna, the Visconti of Milan, and lastly, the least bellicose and most hypocritical of all, the Medici of Florence. Among the historians of these little States none has dared to relate the countless poisonings and assassinations ordered by the fear that used to torment these petty tyrants; these grave historians were in their pay. When you consider that each of these tyrants was personally acquainted with each of the Republicans by whom he knew himself to be execrated (the Tuscan Grand Duke Cosimo, for instance, knew Strozzi), and that several of these tyrants died by the hand of the assassin, you will understand the profound hatreds, the eternal distrust which gave so much spirit and courage to the Italians of the sixteenth century, and such genius to their artists. You will see these profound passions preventing the birth of that really rather absurd prejudice which was called honour in the days of Madame de Sévigné, and consists first and foremost in sacrificing one’s life to serve the master whose subject one is by birth, and to please the ladies. In the sixteenth century, a man’s activity and his real worth could not be displayed in France, nor win admiration, except by bravery on the field of battle or in duels; and, as women love bravery, and above all daring, they became the supreme judges of a man’s worth. Then was born the