The Italian Ann Radcliffe is a classic Gothic novel that focuses on themes such as love and betrayal, abduction and murder, and imprisonment by the Inquisition. As Radcliffe’s final and most compelling work, it combines romantic and eerie elements and is an influential example of the 'terror' genre.
Summary
'Among his associates no one loved him, many disliked him, and more feared him.'
In this story, Father Schedoni spares nothing to prevent the son of the authoritarian Marchesa di Vivaldi from marrying the beautiful Ellena. Without scruples, he abducts Ellena and sets in motion a shadowy game of love and betrayal, abduction and murder, which leads to imprisonment by the Inquisition. Radcliffe’s masterpiece is full of uncertainty and darkness.
Radcliffe defined the 'terror' genre and laid the foundation for the Gothic novel. In The Italian it addresses the individual—especially women—within a culture of power and historical threat. This edition also includes her essay 'On the Supernatural in Poetry', in which she distinguishes between terror and horror.
Product specifications
- Author: Ann Radcliffe
- Series: Oxford World's Classics
- Publisher: Oxford University Press
- Publication date: 2017-03-23
- Number of pages: 496
- ISBN: 9780198704430
- Theme: Classic fiction: literary and general
- BISAC: FICTION / Romance / General
About the author
Nick Groom specializes in authenticity and identity formation in literature. He has written, among other things, The Gothic (2012) and is editor of various works in the Oxford World's Classics series.