I promessi sposi [The Betrothed] (1840-42) is set in Spanish-ruled Northern Italy between 1628 and 1630. It purports to be Manzoni’s rewriting of an unpublished manuscript that recounts the adventures of two young people of humble origins, Renzo and Lucia, whose plan to get married is thwarted by Don Rodrigo, a local lord infatuated with Lucia. Their personal stories and adventures interweave with the broader history of the period, namely the war for the succession of the Duchy of Mantua and its socioeconomic consequences, among which the plague of 1630. After being separated and going through a series of peripeties—including Lucia’s abduction, Renzo’s arrest and subsequent flight as a fugitive, and a famous outlaw’s conversion to the Christian faith—the two youngsters reunite and eventually get married. In the final scene of the novel, they reflect...

1909 words

Citation: Vettore, Enrico. "I promessi sposi". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 09 December 2025 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=11176, accessed 09 June 2026.]