Kucherovskaya V.: Alessandro Manzoni. Alessandro Francesco Tommaso Manzoni (Italian

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This man succeeded in several creative roles at once. He is a poet, playwright, writer, and public figure. In Italy, Alessandro Manzoni is a national hero. It was he who began to depict historical reality in novels. For what merits did Alessandro Manzoni receive honor, fame and universal recognition? Let's consider this issue in more detail.

Childhood

Alessandro Manzoni was born on March 7, 1785 in Milan, Italy. His ancestors were nobles, and the family was financially secure. The parents, having been pushed around by several educational institutions, eventually sent the boy to the Barnobite College, where the offspring of aristocrats studied. However, it should be admitted that the boy was not particularly diligent in comprehending the disciplines. Alessandro Manzoni's childhood occurred in those years when Napoleon Bonaparte won crushing victories in Europe.

Soon this short commander became an idol for the future writer. After graduating from Manzoni College, Alessandro leaves for the capital of France for several years. Family circumstances contributed to this. The boy's father and mother divorced, and he and his mother go to Paris. Soon the mother marries a wealthy man. It was in Paris that the young man met famous philosophers and writers. Communication with them does not go unnoticed: Alessandro awakens an interest in literature. Manzoni began to communicate little with his mother, and contacts with his father were infrequent. The latter saw in his offspring a reflection of an unsuccessful marriage, and therefore did not take significant part in raising his son. One way or another, as a teenager, young Manzoni Alessandro was not surrounded by care and affection from his parents. The young man decides to return back to Milan.

First steps in creativity

Arriving home, the young man becomes a student at Longon College. Three years later, he graduates from this educational institution and decides to live in a residence on St. Domiano Street, sometimes visiting the mansion of his ancestors, located near Lecco.

Manzoni Alessandro, whose biography is not known to everyone, still has little contact with his father; sometimes poets visit him: Foscolo, Cuoco, Monti. He will be especially friendly with the latter and will even want to imitate him in his creativity.

Young Alessandro’s test balloon in literature can be considered the autobiographical sonnet “Self-Portrait,” in which he tried to characterize his external characteristics and internal qualities. The young man wrote that he has an expressive look, dark hair and a high forehead. He also found in himself that he has a difficult disposition, but at the same time he is endowed with a kind heart.

Another early work of Manzoni is the poem “On the Triumph of Freedom”. In this work, the aspiring poet criticized the teaching methods that guide the teachers of the educational institutions of Somaska and Barnobitov. The young man accuses the latter of the fact that the values they promote run counter to the ideals of the French Revolution. Then the sonnet “On the Life of Dante” comes out of the pen. Alessandro writes the idyll “Adda”, in which he, in a unique way, invited the poet Vincenzo Monti to his family residence. After this, readers are introduced to several “Sermons” at once, in which the author satirically laughs at the decline of morals in modern society.

Already at an early stage of his work, Manzoni understands how difficult it is to write a “moralizing” work that would serve an educational function for many years.

And again Paris

When Alessandro's father dies in 1805, the poet decides to go to the French capital to live with his mother. There he became even more imbued with the ideas of Voltaire and spent a lot of time communicating with poets and writers. He then brought two of his own epics to the attention of the French public. The first was in a classical style, and the second he wrote in honor of his deceased stepfather, Count Imbonati, most of whose property went to the Italian poet. It was at this time that Manzoni Alessandro, whose work is well known to the inhabitants of the Apennine Peninsula, begins to rethink religious values, turning into a real Catholic. However, the spiritual component of the poet’s life was significantly influenced by his wife.

In 1807, the maestro completed work on the poem “Urania,” where he once again emphasized the “educational” mission of poetry. He solved this problem through allegories: the god Jupiter, the graces and the muses.

Field of dramaturgy

At the end of the tenth years of the 19th century, Alessandro Manzoni completed writing the tragedy “Count Carmagnola,” the content of which contradicted all classical principles in literature. The work set the stage for heated debates and debates.

In 1822, another tragedy by the Italian playwright “Adelci” was published. The work is replete with historical facts and describes the final stage of Lombard rule in Italy.

Novelist

As has already been emphasized, the maestro became famous not only as a poet and playwright. Not everyone knows that Alessandro Manzoni is a novelist. In 1927, a work entitled “The Betrothed” was published, which brought him even greater popularity. This love story, in which various historical events are woven, fell in love with a huge number of readers.

Personal life

Alessandro Manzoni had a peculiar personal life. This is an interesting fact from his biography. Back in 1807, he went to Genoa to woo the girl Luigina Visconti.

But the marriage never took place. Six months after the breakup, the poet was ready to get engaged to the daughter of the famous Destu de Tracy. But this attempt to arrange his personal life was not crowned with success. As his next chosen one, Alessandro Manzoni (writer) chose young Enriquetta Blondel, whose father was a banker and major entrepreneur. In the winter of 1808 their wedding took place. A few months later, the family went to Paris, and at the end of 1809 their daughter was born, Julia-Claudia. After spending time in Paris, Alessandro and his family return to Milan. The writer had many children: Pietro, Christina, Sofia, Enrico, Clara, Victoria, Filippo, Matilda.

last years of life

Having settled in his homeland in 1810, Manzoni began to lead a secluded life, only occasionally appearing in public. He devoted a lot of time to his home garden, caring for cypress trees, magnolias and hydrangeas.

After some time, Alessandro had to endure a series of tragic events: first, his wife died, and in the 30s of the 19th century, some of his children and his mother died. He marries again, this time to the Count's widow, Teresa Borri.

The writer died on May 22, 1873 in Milan. He was given a magnificent funeral, which was attended by high-ranking officials from Italy.

Manzoni, Alessandro


Alessandro Manzoni
Alessandro Manzoni

Birth name:	Alessandro Francesco Tommaso Manzoni
Date of Birth:
Date of death:
Citizenship:
Occupation:	poet, playwright, prose writer
Direction:	romanticism

Alessandro Francesco Tommaso Manzoni(Italian Alessandro Francesco Tommaso Manzoni(March 7, Milan - May 22, Milan) - famous Italian romantic writer, author of the novel “The Betrothed”.

Biography

Manzoni's father, Pietro, was already 50 years old when his son was born. He represented one of the oldest families that settled near Lecco in the Italian region of Lombardy, where its ruthlessness is remembered in a proverb that compares it to streams that fall in the mountains. His mother, Giulia, had literary talent, her father was the famous economist, lawyer and publicist Cesare Beccaria.

Alessandro did not study well, but at the age of 15, a passion for poetry awakened in him, and he began to write sonnets. After the death of his father, in , he moved to his mother in Paris and spent 2 years there in the circle of writers and ideologists of the philosophical movement of the 18th century. Among them he found true friends, in particular Claude Foriel. At that time, Manzoni was absorbed in the ideas of Voltaire. And after his marriage, being largely under the influence of his wife, he became a passionate adherent of Catholicism, to which he remained devoted throughout his entire life..

Creation

In the period from to , during his stay in Paris, he first appears before the public as a poet with 2 short excerpts. The first one, with the title Urania, written in the classical style, which he himself later opposed. The second was an elegy in free verse dedicated to the memory of Count Carlo Imbonati, from whom he inherited considerable property, including a country house in Brusuglio, which from then on became his main residence.

B Manzoni publishes his first tragedy Conte di Carmagnola, which broke all the classical principles in literature and, at the same time, kindled lively disagreement. In one article it was strongly criticized, after which Goethe defended the work. The death of Napoleon prompted him to write a poem Cinque maggio(“Fifth of May”), which became one of the most popular poems in Italian (it was translated into Russian by Fyodor Tyutchev - “High premonitions of impulses and longing...”). The political events of this year and the arrest of many of his friends affected the writer’s work. During his subsequent retreat to Brusugli, to take his mind off things, Manzoni devoted much time to historical research.

In September, Alessandro finished work on the novel Engaged and the book was published, which brought the author enormous fame. In he published the second tragedy Adelchi, which tells of the end of Lombard rule in Italy thanks to Charlemagne and contains many veiled allusions to Austrian dominance. The author's literary career was practically ended by these works. Nevertheless, Manzoni continued his work on the novel, rewriting and correcting some passages. Subsequently, he also wrote a short article about the Italian language.

After 1827, Manzoni published only theoretical articles on language and literature.

Death of Manzoni

After the death of Manzoni's wife, several children and his mother die. He married again, this time to Teresa Borri, widow of Count Stampa, whom he also later survived. Of Manzoni's 9 children, only 2 remained after his death.

In 1860, King Victor Emmanuel II appointed him a senator.

The death of his eldest son Luigi on 28 April was the final blow, and he fell ill almost immediately and died of meningitis.

The country saw off Manzoni on his last journey with almost royal luxury. His remains were accompanied to the Milan cemetery by a huge funeral procession, which included princes and high officials. However, the most impressive monument is Verdi's Requiem, which he wrote for the first anniversary of the writer's death and was first performed in the Church of St. Mark's in Milan.

Manzoni's funeral in Milan

Links

The article is translated from German Wikipedia.

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Born on March 7
Born in 1785
Born in Milan
Died on May 22
Died in 1873
Died in Milan
Writers of Italy
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Wikipedia

Manzoni Alessandro- Manzoni Alessandro (7.3.1785, Milan, ‒ 22.5.1873, ibid.), Italian writer. Born into the family of a count. Graduated from the aristocratic college (1805). In his early work (allegory “Triumph of Freedom”, 1801; ode “On the Death of Carlo Imbonati”, ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Manzoni- (Italian Manzoni) Italian surname: Manzoni, Alessandro Italian writer. Manzoni, Piero Italian conceptual artist ... Wikipedia

Manzoni A.- Alessandro Manzoni Alessandro Manzoni Birth name: Alessandro Francesco Tommaso Manzoni Date of birth: March 7, 1785 Place of birth: Milan Date of death: May 22 ... Wikipedia

Manzoni- (Manzoni) Alessandro (Alessandro Manzoni, 1775 1863) Italian writer. Born into a noble family in Milan. A representative of that part of the Italian bourgeoisie, which, being frightened by the revolutionary upheavals of the late 18th and early 19th centuries,... ... Literary encyclopedia

MANZONI Alessandro- (1785 1873) Italian writer, head of the romantic school. Odes, including On the Death of Carlo Imbonati (1806), religious sacred hymns (1812 22); historical tragedies (Count Carmagnola, 1820); historical novel The Betrothed (part 1 3, 1821 23) about... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Alessandro Manzoni- (1785 1873) poet and novelist, head of the romantic school Friendship is one of the greatest joys of life; One of the greatest joys of friendship is having someone you can trust with a secret. Death is a great peacemaker. (

(1873-05-22 ) (88 years old) A place of death: Citizenship: Occupation:

poet, playwright, prose writer

Direction:

romanticism

Alessandro Francesco Tommaso Manzoni(Italian Alessandro Francesco Tommaso Manzoni(March 7, Milan - May 22, Milan) - Italian romantic writer, author of the novel “The Betrothed”.

Biography

Manzoni's father, Pietro, was already 50 years old when his son was born. He represented one of the oldest families who settled near Lecco in the Italian region of Lombardy, where its mercilessness is remembered in a proverb that compares it to streams falling in the mountains. His mother, Giulia, had literary talent, her father was the famous economist, lawyer and publicist Cesare Beccaria.

Creation

B Manzoni publishes his first tragedy Conte di Carmagnola, which broke all the classical principles in literature and, at the same time, kindled lively disagreement. In one article it was strongly criticized, after which Goethe defended the work. The death of Napoleon prompted him to write a poem Cinque maggio(“Fifth of May”), which became one of the most popular poems in Italian (it was translated into Russian by Fyodor Tyutchev - “High premonitions of impulses and longing...”). The political events of this year and the arrest of many of his friends affected the writer’s work. During his subsequent retreat to Brusugli, in order to take his mind off things, Manzoni devoted much time to historical research.

After 1827, Manzoni published only theoretical articles on language and literature.

Death of Manzoni

After the death of Manzoni's wife in 1833, several of his children and his mother die. He married again, this time to Teresa Borri, widow of Count Stampa, whom he also later survived. Of Manzoni's 9 children, only 2 remained after his death.

In 1860, King Victor Emmanuel II appointed him a senator.

The death of his eldest son Luigi on 28 April was the final blow, and he fell ill almost immediately and died of meningitis.

The country saw off Manzoni on his last journey with almost royal luxury. His remains were accompanied to the Milan cemetery by a huge funeral procession, which included princes and high officials. However, the impressive monument is Verdi's Requiem, which he wrote for the first anniversary of the writer's death and was first performed in the Church of St. Mark's in Milan.

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Literature

// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.

Excerpt characterizing Manzoni, Alessandro

“The dishes should be here, in the carpets,” she said.
“And God forbid that the carpets be spread out into three boxes,” said the barman.
- Yes, wait, please. – And Natasha quickly, deftly began to take it apart. “It’s not necessary,” she said about Kyiv plates, “yes, it’s for carpets,” she said about Saxon dishes.
- Leave it alone, Natasha; “Okay, that’s enough, we’ll put him to bed,” Sonya said reproachfully.
- Eh, young lady! - said the butler. But Natasha did not give up, threw out all the things and quickly began to pack them again, deciding that there was no need to take the bad home carpets and extra dishes at all. When everything was taken out, they began to put it away again. And indeed, having thrown out almost everything cheap, what was not worth taking with us, everything valuable was put into two boxes. Only the lid of the carpet box did not close. It was possible to take out a few things, but Natasha wanted to insist on her own. She stacked, rearranged, pressed, forced the barman and Petya, whom she carried along with her into the work of packing, to press the lid and made desperate efforts herself.
“Come on, Natasha,” Sonya told her. “I see you’re right, but take out the top one.”
“I don’t want to,” Natasha screamed, holding her loose hair over her sweaty face with one hand and pressing the carpets with the other. - Yes, press, Petka, press! Vasilich, press! - she shouted. The carpets pressed and the lid closed. Natasha, clapping her hands, squealed with joy, and tears flowed from her eyes. But it only lasted for a second. She immediately set to work on another matter, and they completely believed her, and the count was not angry when they told him that Natalya Ilyinishna had canceled his order, and the servants came to Natasha to ask: should the cart be tied up or not and is it sufficiently imposed? The matter progressed thanks to Natasha’s orders: unnecessary things were left behind and the most expensive ones were packed in the closest possible way.
But no matter how hard all the people worked, by late night not everything could be packed. The Countess fell asleep, and the Count, postponing his departure until the morning, went to bed.
Sonya and Natasha slept without undressing in the sofa room. That night, another wounded man was transported through Povarskaya, and Mavra Kuzminishna, who was standing at the gate, turned him towards the Rostovs. This wounded man, according to Mavra Kuzminishna, was a very significant person. He was carried in a carriage, completely covered with an apron and with the top down. An old man, a venerable valet, sat on the box with the cab driver. A doctor and two soldiers were riding in the cart behind.
- Come to us, please. The gentlemen are leaving, the whole house is empty,” said the old woman, turning to the old servant.
“Well,” answered the valet, sighing, “and we can’t get you there with tea!” We have our own house in Moscow, but it’s far away, and no one lives.
“You are welcome to us, our gentlemen have a lot of everything, please,” said Mavra Kuzminishna. - Are they very unhealthy? – she added.
The valet waved his hand.
- Don’t bring tea! You need to ask the doctor. - And the valet got off the box and approached the cart.
“Okay,” said the doctor.
The valet went up to the carriage again, looked into it, shook his head, ordered the coachman to turn into the yard and stopped next to Mavra Kuzminishna.
- Lord Jesus Christ! - she said.
Mavra Kuzminishna offered to carry the wounded man into the house.
“The gentlemen won’t say anything...” she said. But it was necessary to avoid climbing the stairs, and therefore the wounded man was carried into the outbuilding and laid in the former room of m me Schoss. The wounded man was Prince Andrei Bolkonsky.

The last day of Moscow has arrived. It was clear, cheerful autumn weather. It was Sunday. As on ordinary Sundays, mass was announced in all churches. No one, it seemed, could yet understand what awaited Moscow.
Only two indicators of the state of society expressed the situation in which Moscow was: the mob, that is, the class of poor people, and the prices of objects. Factory workers, courtyard workers and peasants in a huge crowd, which included officials, seminarians, and nobles, went out to the Three Mountains early in the morning. Having stood there and not waiting for Rostopchin and making sure that Moscow would be surrendered, this crowd scattered throughout Moscow, into drinking houses and taverns. Prices that day also indicated the state of affairs. The prices for weapons, for gold, for carts and horses kept rising, and the prices for pieces of paper and for city things kept going down, so that in the middle of the day there were cases when the cabbies took out expensive goods, like cloth, for nothing, and for a peasant's horse paid five hundred rubles; furniture, mirrors, bronzes were given away for free.
In the sedate and old Rostov house, the disintegration of previous living conditions was expressed very weakly. The only thing about people was that three people from a huge courtyard disappeared that night; but nothing was stolen; and in relation to the prices of things, it turned out that the thirty carts that came from the villages were enormous wealth, which many envied and for which the Rostovs were offered huge amounts of money. Not only were they offering huge sums of money for these carts, but from the evening and early morning of September 1st, orderlies and servants sent from the wounded officers came to the Rostovs’ yard, and the wounded themselves, who were placed with the Rostovs and in neighboring houses, were dragged along, and begged the Rostovs’ people to take care of that they be given carts to leave Moscow. The butler, to whom such requests were addressed, although he felt sorry for the wounded, resolutely refused, saying that he would not even dare to report this to the count. No matter how pitiful the remaining wounded were, it was obvious that if they gave up one cart, there was no reason not to give up the other, and give up everything and their crews. Thirty carts could not save all the wounded, and in the general disaster it was impossible not to think about yourself and your family. This is what the butler thought for his master.

Biography (V. Kucherovskaya, 02.2006, http://www.belpaese2000.narod.ru/Teca/Otto/Manzoni/manzoni0.htm)

Italian writer, poet, playwright, public figure. Alessandro Francesco Tommaso Antonio Manzoni was born in Milan on March 7, 1785 in the family of Count Pietro Manzoni and Giulia Beccaria, daughter of Cesare Beccaria, the famous educator and author of the treatise “On Crimes and Punishments”, in which he opposes torture and the death penalty.

The Manzoni family was quite wealthy. Pietro Antonio's great-grandfather owned Barzio's land in Valsassino, from where he moved with his family in 1710 to Celeotto - to a villa built in the 18th century and later sold due to great financial problems. Grandfather Alessandro and father Pietro, born in 1736, lived in Celeotto. When Giulia and Pietro Manzoni married on October 20, 1782, Giulia was 20 years old and Pietro was 46. It was a marriage by consent: the contract was signed on September 12 of that year, and it states "the mediation of His Excellency Signor Count Pietro Verri , Actual Councilor of State and President of the Ducal Treasury of Milan,” a mediation that began in February and was carried out with “commendable modesty.” Julia was very attached to Pietro Verri; he was an old friend of her family, and the feelings he had for the young girl were more than just sympathy. Julia agreed to the marriage reluctantly, but she understood that this was the only possible solution.

The marriage did not last long. From the first months of her marriage, with a husband who was twice her age, seven unmarried sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law who was a priest, Julia protested against the dark, retrograde atmosphere of the house; she passionately dreamed of receptions in prestigious salons and of freedom. She begins to visit Verri's house, where she meets the young and attractive Giovanni Verri and falls in love with him. Therefore, when Alessandro is born, confident rumors begin to circulate that he is the son of Giovanni.

Pietro Manzoni, not paying attention to the gossip, accepts his son and gives him to his nurse Caterina Panzeri, a woman with a gentle and cheerful character, the wife of a certain Carlo Spreafico, who lives in the vicinity of Lecco.

With the birth of the child, the atmosphere in the Manzoni household becomes even colder, to such an extent that in 1791 Giulia asks for and receives an official divorce. Alessandro, according to the law, remains with his father.

At the age of six, the boy entered the college of the Fathers of Somaschi, first in Merate, and then, in 1796, in Lugano. Here he meets Padre Carlo Felice Soave (1749-1803), the author of the collection “Moral Stories”, a strict man, but very respected for his honesty, the only teacher whom Alessandro will remember with great respect. Two years later, Alessandro entered the Barnobite College in Milan, where he received a good classical education for ten years. However, college leaves him with a feeling of irritation and dissatisfaction, exacerbated by the situation in his family. But it was during this period that he made friends, communication with whom would last a lifetime, such as, for example, with Ermes Visconti (1784-1841).

Parents have little interest in their son's life. In 1792, Giulia Beccaria met the noble and wealthy Carlo Imbonati, with whom she lived first in London and then in Paris, where she was received kindly thanks to her father’s fame. In 1805 Carlo dies.

Alessandro was practically abandoned by his mother, and he had only minor, very rare meetings with his father. The father saw in his son the embodiment of his unsuccessful marriage and the woman he could not love and conquer. Alessandro's adolescence passed without family affection, support and love, which are necessary for balance between his “I” and the outside world.

In 1798, Alessandro returned to Milan, which would soon become the capital of the Cisalpine Republic, and entered the College of Longone. In 1801 he finished his studies and returned to the family palace on Via Sant Damiano, diversifying his city life with visits to Villa Caleotto near Lecco. He lives practically without communicating with his father, with the servants, from time to time receiving rare guests - Monty, Foscolo, Cuoco... In the same year he wrote his first significant work - a poem in imitation of the classics "On the Triumph of Freedom" ("Del trionfo") della liberta"), the result of his dissatisfaction with the teaching methods of the Barnabites and Somaschi, his break with Catholicism and his enthusiasm for the Enlightenment ideals and values of the French Revolution.

Manzoni's house was plunged into melancholy. But even in the company of seven old maids and an uncle with an eyesore, Alessandro managed to have fun. He loved the theater and played in the Ridotto della Scala. He meets the poet Vincenzo Monti (1754-1828), who seems to him a person worthy of imitation, and is carried away by the ideas that Napoleon spreads throughout Europe, although Napoleon’s personality itself disappointed him.

The poetic vocation of sixteen-year-old Manzoni is expressed in the autobiographical sonnet "Self-Portrait", in which he introduces himself as follows: "Capel bruno; alta fronte; occhio loquace..." ("Dark hair; high forehead; expressive look..."). By character, he recognizes himself as “duro dei modi, ma di cor gentile...” (“heavy disposition, but with a kind heart...”), although it is difficult for him to judge himself: “Poco noto ad altrui, poco a me stesso . / Gli uomini e gli anni mi diran chi sono" ("Little known to others and little to myself. / People and years will tell me who I am"). These are young men searching for themselves. In style, the sonnet is close to the manner of Vittorio Alfieri, who was a kind of idol for the youth of that time, the embodiment of an unrecognized genius and rebellious character, a fighter against all mediocrity and hypocrisy.

Alessandro Manzoni's poetic debut dates back to 1802, this is the sonnet “For the Life of Dante” (“Per la vita di Dante”). Inspired by his friendship with Ugo Foscolo and Ermes Visconti, as well as his first experience of love for Visconti’s sister, the “angelic Luisina,” the poet writes the ode “Qual su le Cinzie cime” (1802), in which the influence of the poetry of Parini and Foscolo is felt; the idyll “Adda” (1803), a kind of invitation to Monty to the villa in Caleotto; four "Sermons" ("Sermoni"), in which, in the manner of Horace, he satirically ridicules the modern decline of morals. The young man understands that the poet must make extraordinary efforts to make a work of art an instrument of education for humanity. This idea is the legacy of another great poet, whose personality even after death excited the minds of intellectuals in Milan and became significant for the Lombard enlightenment - Giuseppe Parini (1729-1799).

At the age of eighteen, Alessandro Manzoni is already widely known in intellectual circles, from whom he asks for judgments and evaluations of his works. Becomes a friend of Vincenzo Cuoco (1770-1823), author of the essay “On the Neapolitan Revolution of 1799” (“Saggio sulla revoluzione napoletana del 1799”, 1801), which shocked the young poet with terrible descriptions of Bourbon repressions. From him Alessandro receives an incentive to study the works of Giambattista Vico and to historical research. The idea of history as an analysis of the living conditions of the people and as a set of events, the main character of which is the mass of the people, occupies the author of “The Betrothed,” “a novel about the poor,” at this time.

Milan is an attractive and inspiring city for a young man who, until he was sixteen, lived among the tranquil landscapes of Lake Como and the harsh walls of colleges. Despite this, Alessandro leaves Lombardy with enthusiasm when his mother invites him to Paris in 1805. In 1804, Monti was visiting Count Imbonati and Giulia and told them about the son they hardly knew. Finally, a mother figure appears in Alessandro's life. Perhaps fear of loneliness or guilt prompts Julia to invite her son to her place. Alessandro accepts the invitation, but while he is preparing for the trip, Imbonati suddenly dies, bequeathing to Giulia his entire fortune, among other things, the Villa Brusulio, not far from Milan. Twenty-year-old Alessandro arrives in Paris in September 1805, however, instead of his mother, he is met by a grieving woman. However, over time, an attachment arises between mother and son, even stronger due to long years of separation. From this moment in the life of a young man, the most important and constructive period of intellectual development begins.

Julia Beccaria was 43 years old at that time. Blonde with gray eyes and an aquiline nose, a woman of imperious, proud and courageous character, she retained the grace that once made her the queen of Milanese salons. Her son immediately succumbs to this charm, gains confidence in her, and helps her survive the pain of loss. For her, he writes a lyric poem “On the Death of Carlo Imbonati” (“In morte di Carlo Imbonati”, 1806), in which he imagines that the deceased appeared to him in a dream to advise how a man of honor should behave. The poem is like a moral precept that Manzoni will follow throughout his life, in which the poet expresses his human and literary ideals related to ethics and a concrete analysis of the history of mankind and its evolution. The poet also condemns art for art's sake and art that has become the subject of economic relations. It is impossible not to recall here the spiritual testament of Giuseppe Parini - the ode “The Fall”. Moral severity reveals Manzoni's hostility towards flatterers who, by praising their masters, turn literature into a "shameful bazaar of flattery."

The time spent in Paris gave Manzoni the opportunity to expand his cultural horizons through contacts that would play a significant role in his artistic and literary formation. Here Alessandro finds his closest friend, Claude Fourier (1772-1844), a philologist who, together with Madame de Staël, developed the culture of romanticism in France. It was Claude Fourier who brought Manzoni into the circle of "Ideologues", a group of intellectuals opposed to the Napoleonic regime because it had destroyed what they had fought for in 1789. This circle included such personalities as Anthony Destutt de Tracy (1754-1836), physician, physiologist and philosopher, and Pierre-Jean Cabanis (1757-1808). Under their guidance, Manzoni opens up to the new European literature and begins to realize that any research should be carried out “as carefully as possible and without drawing any conclusions unless you are completely sure of them.” This is where Manzoni pays detailed attention to the reconstruction of historical situations in his dramatic works and in The Betrothed.

At this time, Alessandro became interested in reading the works of the great moralists and philosophers of the 17th century: Blaise Pascal, Jacques Busset... He also shared the ideas of Voltaire, and thanks to Fourier he became familiar with romantic ideas and became acquainted with the works of August-Wilhelm Schlegel (1767-1845) .

In 1807, the poem “Urania” (possibly dedicated to his beloved Sophia Grushi) was published, which proves the educational role of poetry. The poet uses Monti's classicist schemes, which are, however, only an external form. Poemetto is an educational work of art. Here the muses and graces sent to earth by Jupiter symbolize in an almost Christian way the virtues that form God's crown. However, some time later, Manzoni abandons his creation, saying that “this is not how poetry should be written. Perhaps I will write something even worse, but never such poetry.” Indeed, the poemetto is not capable of arousing the reader’s interest, and is very mediocre in style.

During this period, he accompanies his mother to Italy three times: to Turin in 1806, to Genoa in February 1807 to woo Luigina Visconti (the engagement did not end in marriage) and in September of the same year to Milan after an unsuccessful engagement to the daughter of Destu de Tracy . On the shores of Lake Como, through the mediation of his mother, he meets Enriquette Blondel, the daughter of Genevan bankers who moved to Italy. This time the engagement was successful.

Thus, sixteen-year-old Enriqueta entered Manzoni's life to leave a deep mark on it. She and Alessandro were married in the municipality of Milan on February 6, 1808. In the evening of the same day, the newlyweds were blessed according to the evangelical rite in Enriqueta's house - the house of convinced Calvinists. Enriquette's father, François-Louis Blondel, was a wealthy Genevan businessman, owner of spinning mills on the banks of the Adda. During these years, he began active banking activities in Milan and bought the Imbonati Palace.

In June 1808, the Manzoni family went to Paris. All three - the newlyweds and Julia - are immensely happy. It is known about Enriquetta that “she was blonde, good-natured and graceful, very modest, ready to hide from society, while Alessandro’s mother always felt like an actress; very neat and tactful, while Julia preferred artistic disorder in everything.” Alessandro was sure that the mother was pleased with her daughter-in-law; and she treated Julia with respectful tenderness and filial affection. In December 1809, the young couple had a daughter, Julia-Claudia, who in August, according to the marriage contract, was baptized according to the Catholic ritual.

Alessandro's modest life does not give biographers the opportunity to establish the events that led the couple to the Catholic faith. Without a doubt, Enriqueta was tired of endless visits to salons, and motherhood forced her to think about her obligations towards her child - obligations regarding not only how to raise him, but also how to educate him. How to bring Julia to the Christian faith if Enriqueta herself feels insecure?

Thus, the need arose to get to know Catholicism better, according to the canons of which the daughter was to be raised. The Jansenist abbot Eustaquio Degola (1761-1826) became a friend of the family. On May 22, 1810, Enriqueta converted to the Catholic faith, and in February of the same year the couple were married according to the Catholic rite.

Enriquetta’s communication with the abbot did not go unnoticed by Alessandro. Until this moment he had been completely indifferent to religion, perhaps due to his youthful rebellion against pedantic religious education. Gradually, he becomes infected with his wife’s desire to find a way to communicate with God. During the same period, Manzoni’s “conversion” took place, although the Catholic faith for him is not a way of life, as it was for Enriquetta: in faith he saw values previously hidden from him.

Numerous friends throughout his life would ask Manzoni about his “eureka moment,” the moment that became decisive in his acceptance of faith. And Alessandro never answered these questions directly: “It was the mercy of God, my dear, simply the mercy of God.” A possible motive was an episode that occurred during the celebration of the wedding of Napoleon and Marie Louise of Austria. Separated by the crowd, Alessandro and Enriquetta lost sight of each other. Frustrated, Alessandro went to the Church of St. Rocco. The words of daughter Victoria “it was the Lord who appeared before St. Paul on Damasco Street” became prophetic. Alessandro left the church and immediately saw Enriquetta, alive and unharmed.

The Jansenist ideas through which Manzoni came to the Catholic faith were reflected in his vision of humanity, as they instilled in him a pessimistic view of history as an irrational mixture of events and facts, organized only by God's provision, and also strengthened his moral rigor and severity of behavior.

Returning to Milan, Manzoni continued his studies under the guidance of the Jansenist Luigi Tosi, who would greatly influence not only the writer's religious formation, but also his literary works.

In the winter of 1810, the Manzoni family settled in Milan, sometimes going to the countryside Villa Brusulio. These are the happiest years, lived under the sign of complete agreement.

While Alessandro plants plane trees, spruces, cypresses, robins, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, large-flowered magnolia, Lebanese cedar, Tyrolean grapes, thinking about ideas for his future works, Enriqueta is raising children. Pietro was born in 1813, Christina in 1815, Sofia in 1817, and Enrico in 1819. In 1821, Clara was born, having lived only two years; in 1822 - Victoria, in 1826 - Filippo, in 1830 - the youngest daughter Matilda. Of all of them, only Victoria and Enrico will survive their father.

Villa Brusulio was always full of friends and acquaintances, among whom were the most significant writers and intellectuals of the time: Ermes Visconti, Giovanni Bercher (1783-1851), Tommaso Grossi (1790-1853), Carlo Porta (1775-1821), Massimo d "Azeglio (1809-1850), later Manzoni's son-in-law, the Florentines Gino Capponi (1792-1876) and Giuseppe Giusti (1809-1850). Some of them consider Manzoni a "mystery", not being able to comprehend the full diversity of his character. Thanks to his With his friendly and peaceful attitude towards everyone, his deep respect for the past, his slightly stuttering but always kind manner of communication, Manzoni aroused only sympathy among those around him. Claude Fourier sometimes comes from Paris, whom little Sofia adores and meets the philosopher Antonio Rosmini (1792-). 1867) - a future close friend who influenced the artistic and religious concepts of Manzoni. In September 1819, the Manzoni family goes to Paris, where Alessandro meets the historian Augustin Thierry (1795-1856) and the philosopher Victor Cusi (1792-1867), who will go with him. Manzoni to Italy. Thus, the trip to Paris, which lasted until August 1820, became extremely useful for the final formation of literary ideas and the concept of the writer’s most significant works.

In 1812, under the spiritual guidance of Monsignor Tosi Manzoni, he prepared a literary project of twelve sacred hymns dedicated to religious holidays. Of these, only five were written:

* Resurrection (La Risurrezione, April-June 1812);
* Maria (Il nome di Maria, November 1812 - April 1813);
* Christmas (Il Natale, July-September 1813);
* The Passion of Christ (La Passione, March 1814 - October 1815);
* Trinity (La Pentecoste, begun in June 1817, continued in April 1819 and completed in September-October 1822).

To these five hymns will be added "Poems for First Communion" ("Strofe per una prima comunione"); together they will compile a collection of religious poems.

At the same time, four odes on civil themes were written:

* April 1814 (Aprile 1814);
* Appeal at Rimini (Il proclama di Rimini; written after the defeat of Murat in Tolentino; interrupted at the 51st stanza; is the embodiment of Manzoni’s patriotic ideas);
* March 1821 (Marzo 1821; political and patriotic address by Manzoni, an expression of his desire to see Italy united and free);
* Fifth of May (Il cinque maggio; written on the death of Napoleon Bonaparte).

On January 15, 1816, Manzoni begins to write the first of his two tragedies, “The Count of Carmagnola” (“Il conte di Carmagnola”), on which he worked for a long time, as evidenced by letters to Fourier and the preface to the tragedy itself.

This winter the writer's health is deteriorating. He is seized by an attack of the same illness from which he had already suffered in Paris. This is a nervous illness that haunted him all his life, a type of hypochondriacal depression against which he was powerless. In March 1817, the family plans a trip to Paris, but they are denied passports. Even a doctor’s certificate about the need for treatment due to poor health did not help. The government demanded a written statement of the reasons for the trip, issuing an order prohibiting the police from issuing permission to travel on health grounds. Therefore, the hope for travel and for a new meeting with Fourier was in vain. At that time, the mayor of the city was Francesco di Soro, a civilian dignitary of the Austrian army. From 1815 to 1817 he governed Lombardy, then was transferred to the imperial chancellery, and was replaced in this post by Count Giulio Strassoldo. In 1819, the Manzoni finally reached Paris. During the trip, the Manzoni family visited Savoy and Switzerland. Alessandro needed this to distract himself a little. On September 19, the Manzoni arrived in Chamberly to visit friends, from there on the 23rd they went to Paris, where they arrived on October 1.

The stay in Paris lasted until July 1820. The Manzoni even toyed with the idea of moving to France, but were unable to sell the villa in Brusilio.

However, Alessandro's health did not improve. He was tormented by fears, anxiety, headaches... The only thing that saved him for a while was walking, especially hiking from Milan to Brusulio. In addition, Manzoni ran every day for four hours.

Upon returning from Paris, an intense creative period begins: the tragedy "Adelgiz", the hymn "Trinity" and two civil odes and, finally, in 1827 the first edition of "The Betrothed" was published.

MANZONI THE MAN

Much has been written about Alessandro Manzoni as a great writer and intellectual. But what was he like in family life and as a father? Anyone who imagines him as a calm patriarch will be severely disappointed. Alessandro Manzoni exhibited all the traits of a person with a nervous disorder. Researcher and literary critic Pietro Citati lists all his phobias: at the table he began to feel dizzy; on the street he was afraid that houses would collapse on him or he would fall into the abyss. He couldn't stand the crowd, the wet ground and the chirping of sparrows. If a thunderstorm started, he felt unusually weak. “A victim of his illness, he did nothing for weeks... With an empty mind and a lost look, he really had to fear falling into the abyss of oblivion.”

Over time, the writer learned to deal with his absurd fears, developing a whole strategy that allowed him to live with neurosis. He tried to lead a measured life according to the rules: 25 minutes of walking before lunch, dressing according to the weather; always went to bed at a certain time; ate the same thing; drank hot chocolate in the morning... If he was overcome by anxiety, he would walk for hours along the streets of the city or in the surrounding area. Sometimes he walked 30-40 kilometers a day and returned home tired but calm.

Enriquetta Blondel dies on December 25, 1833. And this was the first of a long series of griefs that befell Alessandro Manzoni. Pietro Citati writes: “A few years after the completion of The Betrothed, the writer’s life became increasingly sad. The brief creative impulse faded away; at almost 45 he became a pedantic proofreader and an inexorable editor of his works.” A year later, the eldest daughter Juliet dies, who had recently married Massimo d'Azeglio; she was only 25 years old. Dejected by everything that was happening, Manzoni began writing the hymn "Christmas", which was never finished.

In 1837, Alessandro married Teresa Borri, the widow of Decio Stampa and the mother of the modest young man Stefano Stampa, with whom the writer began a paternal relationship built on respect, affection and veneration. Teresa devoted her entire life to caring for her husband’s health, creativity and fame; friends compared her to a vestal virgin who passionately guards something sacred.

In May 1841, two months after the death of Giulia Beccaria, twenty-five-year-old Cristina, who was married to Cristoforo Baroggi, dies. In 1845, at the age of twenty-seven, Sofia, the wife of Ludovico Trotti, died. In the same year, Victoria marries Giovanbattista Giorgini, a moderate liberal. Victoria moves to Pisa, where the ill Matilda, who will die in March 1856, will come to her.

Material problems are added to the grief for loved ones: the fire in Brusulio in 1848, bad harvests, debts of sons. At the age of 26, Filippo went to prison for debt, while Enrico was spending his wife’s huge inheritance. The "heroic" moment in Filippo's life was his participation in the battles against the Austrians in 1848, during which he was captured. He is transported to Vienna. He would die in 1868 in poverty, leaving four children.

The uprising in Milan did not have the expected result, and in August 1848 the Austrians returned to the city. Manzoni takes refuge for two years in Lesa on Lake Maggiore, where he is received by Stefano Stampa and his mother Teresa. At this time, he developed a close friendship with Antonio Rosmini, who lives near Lesa, in Stresa. The result of this friendship was the dialogue “On Artistic Fiction” (“Dell” invenzione”, 1850), in which Manzoni argues that there should be no place for fantastic fiction in a literary work, it must convey the truth, especially the historical truth. That is why he refused to write "The Betrothed" in the vein in which the first edition was written Rosmini even offers him a possible topic, collected in the treatise "On Pleasure" ("Del piacere", 1851).

This correspondence was followed by a decade of reflection on historical topics and linguistic research, which later served as material for the essay “On the French Revolution of 1789 and the Revolution of 1859” (“Sulla rivoluzione francese del 1789 e la rivoluzione del 1859”, 1860; published posthumously) .

In 1860, Manzoni received the title of Senator of the Kingdom of Italy. On February 26, 1861, he took part in the Turin meeting of the Senate, which awarded Victor Emmanuel II the title of King of Italy.

Teresa Borri dies in August 1861. Back in 1856, Claude Fourier went missing, and a year earlier Manzoni lost the support of his best friend Rosmini. What was his influence on Manzoni? He defined the concept of “creativity” as a divine spark that manifests itself through human talent. With the help of Rosmini, Manzoni deepened the concept of Catholic morality, getting rid of Jansenist ideas forever.

Alessandro Manzoni remained lucid until the end of his days. He died at 6 pm on May 22, 1873, after excruciating agony, outliving his son Pietro by almost a month. The deterioration of his condition began in January 1872, when he fell while leaving the Church of St. Fedele and hit his head hard. The whole of Milan took part in his funeral. The funeral cortege drove along Victor Emmanuel Avenue to the Monumental Cemetery. A year later, Giuseppe Verdi dedicated the Mass to Alessandro Manzoni and personally conducted the orchestra during its performance in St. Mark's Church and at La Scala.

Opere / Works

* I promessi sposi / Engaged (rtf .zip) Audio
* Fermo e Lucia / Fermo and Lucia
* Il conte di Carmagnola / Count of Carmagnola
* Adelchi / Adelgiz
* Inni sacri / Sacred hymns
* Il cinque maggio / Fifth of May
* Tutte le poesie / Poetic works
* Storia della colonna infome / History of the pillory
* Del romanzo... / About the novel...

Biography

Alessandro Francesco Tommaso Manzoni (Italian: Alessandro Francesco Tommaso Manzoni (March 7, 1785, Milan - May 22, 1873, Milan) - famous Italian romantic writer, author of the novel "The Betrothed".

Manzoni's father, Don Pietro, was already 50 years old when his son was born. He represented one of the oldest families who settled near Lecco (Italian: Lecco is a city in the Italian region of Lombardy), where its ruthlessness is remembered in a proverb that compares it to streams falling in the mountains. His mother, Giulia, had literary talent; her father was the famous economist, lawyer and publicist Cesare Beccaria.

In the period from 1806 to 1807, during his stay in Paris, he first appeared before the public as a poet with 2 short passages. The first, with the title Urania, is written in the classical style, which he himself later opposed. The second was an elegy in free verse dedicated to the memory of Count Carlo Imbonati, from whom he inherited considerable property, including a country house in Brusuglio, which from then on became his main residence.

In September 1822, Alessandro completed work on the novel The Betrothed and in 1827 the book was published, which brought the author enormous fame. In 1822 he published the second tragedy Adelchi, which tells the end of Lombard rule in Italy thanks to Charlemagne and contains many veiled allusions to Austrian dominance. The author's literary career was practically ended by these works. Nevertheless, Manzoni continued his work on the novel, rewriting and correcting some passages. Subsequently, he also wrote a short article about the Italian language.

Death of Manzoni

After the death of Manzoni's wife in 1833, several of his children and his mother die. In 1837 he married again, this time to Teresa Borri, widow of Count Stampa, whom he also later survived. Of Manzoni's 9 children, only 2 remained after his death. The death of his eldest son Luigi on April 28, 1873 was the final blow; he almost immediately fell ill and died of meningitis.

The country saw off Manzoni on his last journey with almost royal luxury. His remains were accompanied to the Milan cemetery by a huge funeral procession, which included princes and high officials. However, an impressive monument is Verdi's Requiem, which he wrote for the first anniversary of the writer's death and was first performed in the Church of St. Mark's in Milan.

Bibliography

1806-1807 - two small poetic excerpts (the first "Urania", the second - dedicated to the memory of Count Carlo Imbonati)
1819 - tragedy "Conte di Carmagnola"
1821 - poem "Cinque maggio" ("Fifth of May")
1822 - novel "The Betrothed" (published in 1827)
1822 - tragedy "Adelchi"

Biography (Literary encyclopedia. - At 11 t.; M.: Publishing House of the Communist Academy, Soviet Encyclopedia, Fiction. Edited by V. M. Fritsche, A. V. Lunacharsky. 1929-1939.)

MANZONI (Manzoni) Alessandro (Alessandro Manzoni, 1775-1863) - Italian writer. Born into a noble family in Milan. A representative of that part of the Italian bourgeoisie, which, frightened by the revolutionary upheavals of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, dreamed of calmly reaping the fruits of the French Revolution and Napoleonic conquests and was content with the Christian concept of the moral improvement of society.

In M.'s first poem, “The Triumph of Freedom” (1801-1802), allegorical figures of the French Revolution still appear. The idyll “Adda” (1803) is dedicated to the memory of Parini, a fighter against tyranny. In the passage “Urania”, under the guise of mythological images, Christian ideas of forgiveness, mercy, and compassion for all those who suffer come through. The ode “On the Death of Carlo Imbonato” (1806) is permeated with a mood of detachment from life: contentment with little is presented as a principle of social behavior. However, his religious sentiment reaches its greatest expressiveness in the “Sacred Hymns” (Jini Sacri, created between 1812 and 1822), dedicated to individual church holidays (Christmas, the Passion of the Lord, Resurrection, Praise of the Mother of God, Trinity). “Emerging during the days of the restoration, these religious songs reflect the triumph of the church principle characteristic of the era” (Fritsche). Religion appears in them as the beginning of reconciliation with reality, Christ is the god of the disadvantaged. In these songs, in the apt expression of de Sanctis, the famous triad of the Great French Revolution - freedom, equality and fraternity - is evangelized; the revolutionary phrase of the third estate is translated into the humble and meek language of the believing bourgeois of the Restoration era. M.’s poems, which during this period are dedicated to individual episodes of the struggle for the liberation and unification of Italy, are also colored with a religious mood. In “The Rimini Appeal” (Il proclama di Rimini, 1814), written in connection with Murat’s appeal to the Italians, the poet pins his hopes on the intervention of divine power, which alone can collect “the scattered rods of Italian destiny.” The same motif is developed in “March 1821” (Marzo 1821). In the ode to the death of Napoleon (Il cinsue Massio), the religious mood crystallizes into the concept of world history. Personality, no matter how powerful it is, is nothing more than the shadow of the creator, a tool in his hands. History is a revelation of the divine will; people can only marvel at the incomprehensible, at the great miracle that Napoleon represented. This ode was a huge success among the liberal-minded intelligentsia and was translated into German. Goethe himself.

The dramatic works of M., the first experiments in Italian romantic drama, also date back to the same period: “Count Carmagnola” (Il conte di Carmagnola, 1820) and “Adelgiz” (Adelchi, 1822). Representing the result of painstaking historical research, both dramas interpret episodes from Italy's distant past and embody the same idea of Christian retirement. Tragic death in Manzoni's dramas is religiously determined: the will of man cannot overcome the vicissitudes of fate; only sincere religious consciousness is capable of reconciling a person with reality, no matter how unsightly it may be.

M. began working on his largest work, the novel “The Betrothed,” in 1821 and published its first edition (I promessi sposi) in three volumes in 1825-1827. “The Betrothed is one of the best historical novels not only in Italian, but also in world literature” (Frice). M. is given here a vivid picture of the life and customs of Italy in the 17th century, and the disintegration of feudal orders.

The heroes of “The Betrothed,” the peasants Renzo and Lucia, are devoid of any activity; they are timid and pious people, under the powerful protection of the church, the only stable institution in this kingdom of arbitrariness, violence and robbery. “In the soul of the peasant weaver Renzo,” writes Fritsche, “it is true that every now and then the indignation of the oppressed son of the people flares up. But as soon as Padre Cristoforo reminds him that the only judge is God, all his revolutionary fervor evaporates, and he is ready to forgive his offender in a Christian way.” Cardinal Borromeo, a representative of the church, is the central figure of the novel: it is given to him, as a beneficent and instructive force, to bind and untie the destinies of people. V. M. Fritsche defines the meaning of the novel “The Betrothed” as follows: “Having broken in life with the class to which he belonged by birth, Manzoni depicted in his novel the feudal lords of the 17th century as either cruel arbitrators or funny maniacs, and the social system that rested on them - a kingdom of violence and robbery, anarchy and decay. Burying the old aristocratic world, Manzoni’s novel was in this respect a kind of prelude to the new bourgeois-democratic society that was emerging in Italy.”

Bibliography:

I. Count Carmagnola, trans. in verse by N. Sokolov, St. Petersburg, 1888; Engaged, abbreviated. translation E. Nekrasova, St. Petersburg, 1899; Opera, 1837; Opera complete, ed. U. Hoepli, Milano, 1905; Carteggio di A. Manzoni, a cura di G. Sforza e G. Gallavresi, parte I, 1912; parte II, 1921; Manzoni intimo, 3 vv., Milano, 1923; Tutte le opere, a cura di G. Lesca, 2 ed., Barbera, Firenze, 1927.
II. Watson M., Alessandro Manzoni, St. Petersburg, 1902; Petrov D., A. Manzoni and romanticism in Italy, “History of Western Literature, Edited by F. Batyushkov,” vol. III, M., 1914; Fritsche V., Literature of the era of the unification of Italy (1786-1870), M., 1916; Him, Essays on the development of Western literature, M., 1931 (see appendix); Ovett A., Italian literature, M., 1922; Arcari F., Manzoni, Milano, 1823; Momigliano A., A. Manzoni: la vita, Messina, 1905; Scrocca A., Studi sul Monti e sul Manzoni, 1905; Momigliano A., A. Manzoni, Messina, 1905; Galli G., Manzoni and Chateaubriand, 1907; Ovidio F., Nuovi studi Manzoniani, Milano, 1908; Pellizari A., Studi Manzoniani, Napoli, 1914; Garzia R., Note Manzoniane, Bologna, 1918; Busetto N., Le genesi e la formazione dei "Promessi sposi", Bologna, 1921; Sanctis F., de, Manzoni, studi e lezioni, 1922; Croce V., Poesia e non poesia, Bari, 1923; Calletti A., A. Manzoni, il pensatore e il poeta, 2 vv., 1927; Tonelli L., Manzoni, 1928; Momigliano A., Alessandro Manzoni, 1929.
III. Bellezza R., Intorno alle versioni inglesi, tedesche e russe dei "Promessi sposi", "Rassegna Nationale", 1902, X; His, Curiosita Manzoniane, 1923; Rubertis A., de, Documenti Manzoniani, 1926.

Biography (E. Yu. Saprykina, TSB)

Manzoni Alessandro (7.3.1785, Milan, - 22.5.1873, ibid.), Italian writer. Born into the family of a count. Graduated from the aristocratic college (1805). In his early work (allegory “The Triumph of Freedom,” 1801; ode “On the Death of Carlo Imbonati,” 1806) M. is faithful to the tradition of the Enlightenment. In the 20s, he switched to the position of romanticism ("Sacred Hymns", 1812-22, published 1815 and 1823; "Letter to Mr. Sh. on the unity of time and place in tragedy" and "On Romanticism", both 1823). M.'s odes "March 1821" and "The Fifth of May" (1821), the historical tragedies "Count Carmagnola" (1820, Russian translation 1888) and "Adelgiz" (1822), imbued with patriotism and love of freedom, responded to the ideas of the Risorgimento. M.'s best work is the historical novel "The Betrothed" (1827, Russian translation 1833), which combines romanticism with a realistic depiction of folk life and the historical situation of the 17th century in Lombardy. M.'s heroes are simple peasants whose moral strength resists the tyranny of the feudal lords. The ideas of Christian humility do not drown out the democratic sound of the novel, which occupies a significant place in Italian realistic prose of the 19th and 20th centuries. After 1827, M. published only theoretical articles on language and literature.

Works: Tutte le opere, Roma, 1965.

Lit.: Poluyakhtova I.K., A. Manzoni, in her book: History of Italian literature of the 19th century (the era of Risorgimento), M., 1970; De Sanctis F., Manzoni, in his book: Opere, v. 10, ; Sapegno N., Ritratto di Manzoni ed altri saggi, Bari, 1961; Deria L., ll realismo storico di A. Manzoni, Mil. - Varese, 1965; Santarelli G., I cappuccini nel romanzo manzoniano, Mil., .

Summary of the novel "The Betrothed" by Manzoni A. (V. T. Danchenko)

Don Abbondio, the priest of a small village located in that part of Lake Como where it turns south between two mountain ranges and is all cut up by ledges and bays, at sunset on November 7, 1628, returns home after a pleasant walk. He is about to turn onto the path leading to the village when two ominous figures block his path. Their attire, appearance and grip - both have their heads tied with a green net with a large tassel, long mustaches are curled, a pair of pistols, a huge dagger and a broadsword with a brightly polished hilt are attached to a leather belt - leave no doubt about their occupation. These are the so-called bravi, dashing fellows who are hired for a variety of, including very dubious, assignments. Poor Don Abbondio's soul instantly sinks into his boots, and he painfully tries to remember whether he has committed anything against the powers that be. On behalf of his master, the young and unbridled feudal lord Don Rodrigo, the bravi demands that Don Abbondio cancel the wedding of the local peasant boy Renzo Tramaglino and his bride Lucia Mondella, scheduled for tomorrow. The unfortunate priest is a kind man and does not wish harm to anyone, but does not have courage at all and therefore avoids any clashes, and once they touch him, he always takes the side of the strongest, making it clear to the weak that in his soul he is not his enemy. Tormented by remorse and even more acute attacks of fear, he spends a painful night. The next morning, Renzo Tramaglino, dressed to the nines, comes to him - a twenty-year-old guy, left without parents from a young age, has a small piece of land and is engaged in spinning silk, which gives him a modest but constant income. He is impatient to unite with his beloved Lucia and wants to discuss the last details of the upcoming wedding ceremony with Don Abbondio. But the priest meets the beaming groom without the usual friendliness and awkwardly and confusedly explains to him that the wedding cannot take place - for good reasons. The wedding is postponed for a week. Don Abbondio's talkative maid Perpetua, to whom the priest had entrusted a terrible secret the day before, puts doubts in Renzo's heart. He passionately interrogates Don Abbondio, talks with his bride and finally understands what the problem is: the impudent Don Rodrigo has tender feelings for the pretty Lucia. After consulting, Renzo and the bride's mother Agnese decide that the groom should take four capons with him, go to the large village of Lecco and find there a long, skinny, bald lawyer with a red nose and a crimson mole on his cheek, whom everyone calls Hookman - he knows everything laws and will help you find a way out of a difficult situation.

The lawyer readily agrees, but as soon as he hears the mention of the terrible Don Rodrigo, he hurries to get rid of the unlucky client and even returns the living “fee” tied at the feet. Lucia comes up with the idea to seek help from the monk of the neighboring Capuchin monastery, Father Christopher, before whose authority even the most notorious tyrants bow. This already middle-aged monk is known not only for his piety, but also for the strict fulfillment of two duties that he voluntarily prescribed to himself: to reconcile those who quarrel and protect the offended. Father Christopher bravely goes into the lair of the beast, which he hopes to tame with prayers or a description of the torment that awaits him in the afterlife. The stormy conversation has absolutely no effect: Don Rodrigo, his equally impudent Milanese cousin Attilio and the drunken guests make the monk laugh, and he leaves the luxurious villa, calling curses on the head of the wicked owner. The last resort remains - to get married without Don Abbondio's consent, but in his presence. To do this, you need to bring two witnesses. The groom says, “This is my wife,” and the bride says, “This is my husband.” Everyone has heard everything, the holy sacrament is considered accomplished. The main thing is to take the priest by surprise and not let him escape. God-fearing Lucia has difficulty agreeing to the dubious proposal of her mother and Renzo. She finds shelter in a monastery with a high-ranking nun, Gertrude.

Renzo goes to Milan, where he finds himself in the midst of a food riot, when desperate townspeople rob and destroy bakeries and storm the house of the provisions master. Unexpectedly for himself, Renzo becomes a people's tribune and expresses common peasant thoughts about the social order. He stops for the night in a tavern, orders dinner and, after drinking one or two bottles of good wine, allows himself overly bold judgments about the actions of the authorities. The owner of the tavern considers it his duty to warn the police about the dangerous rebel. The next morning, two policemen and a criminal official lift him out of bed and ask him to follow them. Along the way, he is freed by an excited crowd. Fearing that he will once again get into an unpleasant mess, Renzo leaves Milan and goes to the province of Bergamo (at that time the Duchy of Milan was under Spanish rule, and Bergamo belonged to the Most Serene Republic of Venice - once you cross the Adda River, you are already abroad). Here in the village lives his cousin Bortolo, from whom Renzo receives a warm welcome and gets him a job in his spinning mill. On the same day, November 13, when Renzo comes to Bortolo, a messenger arrives in Lecco with an order to arrest the fugitive criminal Lorenzo Tramaglino and escort him in shackles to Milan, where he will appear before justice. The frantic Don Rodrigo, whose coveted prey has slipped from his hands, gloats and starts new intrigues. The thug Griso discovers where Lucia is hiding, and Don Rodrigo plots to kidnap her from the monastery.

Everything goes extremely smoothly: Gertrude submits to the will of the villain Egidio, who once helped her escape from the monastery and has an insurmountable dark power over her. She sends Lucia on an errand to a nearby monastery, taking advantage of Agnese's temporary absence. The Braves grab the girl on a deserted road and take her to the gloomy castle of the Nameless One, where they entrust her to the care of an old vixen.

The next morning, the jubilant ringing of bells announces that Cardinal Federigo Borromeo, famous for his wisdom, piety and learning, has arrived in the neighboring village. The Nameless One asks for an audience with the high prelate, who never refuses mercy and consolation to anyone. A beneficial conversation brings the desired cleansing to a repentant villain. A miracle has happened. The Nameless One becomes a different person and yearns to atone. On behalf of the cardinal, Don Abbondio, overwhelmed by constant fears, and the Nameless One, go to the castle to fetch the unfortunate captive. Agnese reunites with her daughter, but not for long - they have to part again. Having learned that the cardinal is looking for a safe haven for Lucia, one noble married couple - Don Ferrante and Donna Prassede - invites the girl to settle in a Milanese house. Before parting, Lucia confesses to her mother that in a moment of despair she made a vow to Madonna never to marry if she managed to escape the vile claims of Don Rodrigo. She asks her mother to find Renzo and give him half the money from her dowry. A lot of time passes before she manages to fulfill the request.

Meanwhile, clouds are gathering over the country: to top off the famine that claimed thousands of lives, in the fall of 1629, cruel German mercenaries - Landsknechts - invaded the Duchy of Milan from the north and participated in the redistribution of territories. Rumor has it that cases of plague have been noticed among their ranks. Mortally frightened civilians hastily gather their belongings, bury what they cannot carry, and flee. Agnese, Perpetua and Don Abbondio find hospitable shelter in the castle of the Nameless, impregnable to enemies and open to all fugitives. As soon as the danger has passed, they return to the village and see that everything has been plundered and defaced. What Don Abbondio buried in the garden also disappeared. Pestilence enters Milan at the end of October 1629 and rages the following year, 1630.

The plague does not spare Renzo either. Having barely recovered from his illness, he returns to his native village to find out what happened to his loved ones. Don Abbondio is barely alive from the hardships he endured and still trembles with fear. Perpetua was carried away by the plague, Agnese lives with relatives in Pasturo, and Lucia lives in Milan with Don Ferrante. Renzo rushes to Milan and sees desolation, despair and fear everywhere. In response to his knock, an alarmed woman appears at the window of Don Ferrante’s house and tells him that Lucia is in the infirmary. At this moment he is surrounded by an excited crowd. Screams are heard about mazun - a carrier of infection. Renzo runs in panic and escapes from his pursuers by jumping onto a cart with corpses. The betrothed finally meet in the infirmary. Father Christopher is also there, who with great patience and courage fulfills his pastoral duty - he consoles the suffering and gives the last communion to the dying. He frees Lucia from her vow of celibacy. Don Abbondio can now marry the happy lovers with peace of mind. The young couple settles in a village near Bergamo, and less than a year later their daughter Maria is born. She will be followed by who knows how many more babies of both sexes - all of them, at Renzo’s request, will learn to read and write. Renzo loves to talk about how he learned to avoid trouble. Faith in God gives you the strength to overcome them, and what you experience teaches you how to make your life better.

Biography

Born March 7, 1785 in Milan. A devout Catholic, he adhered to liberal convictions. His early poems, especially religious hymns, appear in all Italian anthologies, and his critical works, especially on linguistic and religious themes, remain in cultural circulation, but he is best known as the author of the historical novel The Betrothed (I Promessi Sposi). Less successful were his tragedies in verse: Count Carmagnola (Il Conte di Carmagnola, 1820) and Adelgiz (Adelchi, 1822).

By the end of his life, Manzoni had become a national symbol, although he lived in seclusion in Milan and his estate nearby. Shy and nervous in character, he did not play a significant role in the Italian Risorgimento, but was sympathetic to its goals. At the end of his life he was surrounded by honor; After his death on May 22, 1873, the government gave him a state funeral. G. Verdi dedicated his Requiem to Manzoni.

The novel The Betrothed was first published in 1827, but the final edition with numerous changes and corrections appeared only in 1840-1842. Formally, Manzoni's novel continues the romantic tradition of historical novels, but in essence there is very little of Walter Scott here; Manzoni's approach to depicting events is more realistic than romantic. There are dozens of characters in the novel: a nobleman, priests, inquisitors, innkeepers, poor artisans - and even the most insignificant of them are superbly depicted with some expressive detail; in general, the novel gives a wide panorama of life in Italy in the 17th century.

Biography (en.wikipedia.org)

Manzoni's father, Pietro, was already 50 years old when his son was born. He represented one of the oldest families that settled near Lecco in the Italian region of Lombardy, where its ruthlessness is remembered in a proverb that compares it to streams that fall in the mountains. His mother, Giulia, had literary talent; her father was the famous economist, lawyer and publicist Cesare Beccaria.

Alessandro did not study well, but at the age of 15, a passion for poetry awakened in him, and he began to write sonnets. After the death of his father, in 1805, he moved to his mother in Paris and spent 2 years there in the circle of writers and ideologists of the philosophical movement of the 18th century. Among them he found true friends, in particular Claude Foriel. At that time, Manzoni was absorbed in the ideas of Voltaire. And after his marriage, being largely under the influence of his wife, he became a passionate adherent of Catholicism, to which he remained devoted throughout his entire subsequent life.

Creation

In 1819, Manzoni published his first tragedy, Conte di Carmagnola, which broke all the classical principles in literature and, at the same time, fueled lively disagreement. In one article it was strongly criticized, after which Goethe defended the work. The death of Napoleon in 1821 prompted the writing of the poem Cinque maggio (“Fifth of May”), which became one of the most popular poems in Italian (it was translated into Russian by Fyodor Tyutchev - “High anticipation of impulses and longing...”). The political events of this year and the arrest of many of his friends affected the writer’s work. During his subsequent retreat to Brusugli, in order to take his mind off things, Manzoni devoted much time to historical research.

Death of Manzoni

In 1860, King Victor Emmanuel II appointed him a senator.

The death of his eldest son Luigi on April 28, 1873 was the final blow; he almost immediately fell ill and died of meningitis.

The country saw off Manzoni on his last journey with almost royal luxury. His remains were accompanied to the Milan cemetery by a huge funeral procession, which included princes and high officials. However, the impressive monument is Verdi's Requiem, which he wrote for the first anniversary of the writer's death and was first performed in the Church of St. Mark's in Milan.