The Betrothed: I Promessi Sposi

Lucia Mondella is the secondary protagonist of the novel. She is Renzo’s betrothed, with their marriage (or the delay of their marriage) driving the plot. Lucia is not necessarily a beautiful woman, as the gossipers in Bergamo suggest. She is, however, an immensely devout woman. She is a good person, who lives her life in accordance with the will of God. While others break the laws or sin against the church, the innocent Lucia is remarkable in her natural instinct for good. She is not a priest, but she lives a more pious life than most men of the church. This pure and saintly demeanor is exactly why Renzo fell in love with her. Her piety, however, becomes a problem when Don Abbondio will not perform the marriage, as Lucia recognizes the difference between legal and ethical. She understands that the proposed surprise marriage may be legal, but she does not feel comfortable tricking a priest. Her concession to Renzo is the closest Lucia comes to sinning during the novel, and she spends the rest of her life regretting this slip in her judgement. Lucia’s remarkable devotion to God and her instinct for goodness establishes her as a unique presence in the novel. She is inherently good and pure, in contrast to the corrupt and cynical world she inhabits.

Lucia is persecuted through no fault of her own. Don Rodrigo spots her and makes a bet with his cousin that he can make Lucia his own. He fails in this bet, but his spiteful persecution chases Lucia into hiding. When she is kidnapped by the Nameless One, Lucia’s faith is tested. Rather than forsake God, however, she offers to take a vow of chastity in exchange for her freedom. The very next day, she is freed by the Nameless One. Rather than an act of divine intervention, however, the Nameless One’s conversion was already in motion before Lucia made her vow. Indeed, the sight of the devout young woman in such a state of panic prompted a conversion in the Nameless One’s morality. Lucia, through her faith, inspired her captor to see God. Her faith saves her, but not in the way she imagined.

After being freed by the Nameless One, Lucia finds herself in a bind: She wants to marry Renzo but she has made a vow of chastity with God. She cannot marry, she believes, so the thought of Renzo becomes a painful reminder of the cost of her freedom and the cost of her faith. In an ironic twist, she is granted physical freedom only to find herself caught in a spiritual prison. She cannot find a way to give up her vow without somehow insulting her faith, so she decides that she must live without Renzo, no matter how much she suffers. Lucia’s decision to respect her vow is another illustration of her faith. Even Renzo, the novel’s other protagonist and a good man in his own right, urges her to give up the vow when they are finally reunited. His efforts are futile, however, as Lucia refuses to abandon her promise to God, even though she recognizes her enduring love for Renzo. Lucia’s vow is sincerely made and, in her mind, unbreakable. Luckily for Lucia, Fra Cristoforo suggests to her that her vow to Renzo predates the vow to God, so he is able to absolve her of her commitment to chastity. Rather than a loophole, Lucia is again saved by her own devotion. People like Fra Cristoforo are so inspired to help her—and Renzo is so determined to find her—because they love her piety and her goodness. Lucia’s demonstration of faith and her commitment to morality are her saving grace, inspiring others to help her even when she cannot help herself. She is the living embodiment of Fra Cristoforo’s advice of always trusting in God. As her reward, she is given the life with Renzo that she always wanted.

Don Abbondio is the local priest who provides the audience’s first real introduction to the world of The Betrothed. This introduction sets the tone for the novel, as his self-involved and cowardly ways function as a satire of a certain section of the clergy. Don Abbondio frets, fearing for his life and refusing to perform his duties as a priest. As he is threatened by the bravi, he refuses to perform the wedding ceremony for Renzo and Lucia. He puts up very little fight, dedicating more time to thinking up a way to escape from his predicament than inventing a solution for the two young lovers. Don Abbondio is focused on self-preservation. He ignores any noble cause or social responsibility in favor of making sure to save his own skin.

Later in the novel, Don Abbondio’s cowardice is criticized by Cardinal Borromeo. While Don Abbondio is quick to defend himself against laypeople, he cannot stand up to the criticism of a devout and powerful man like Borromeo. He is actively ashamed of his actions and, for the first time in the novel, Don Abbondio looks inward. Far from the raft of excuses which he is able to produce for any of his actions, he tells the Cardinal that he is a cowardly man who finds bravery difficult. This is a confession, an acceptance of a tragic flaw which is the first step toward growth. This act of contrition is undermined by Don Abbondio’s failure to change completely (in the final chapter, for example, he is still reluctant to perform the wedding until he learns that Don Rodrigo is truly dead), but he shows, much like the Nameless One, that he has the capacity for redemption.

Don Abbondio’s failure to truly change adds a subtle element of tragedy to the novel. While Renzo and Lucia get their deserved happy ending, Don Abbondio is left alone. Perpetua is dead, as is Fra Cristoforo. The priest is left all alone, without anyone else to criticize, blame, or judge. He demonstrates a deep pathos, in which the ending becomes an opportunity to reckon with himself and his own failings. Don Abbondio is smart enough to recognize his limitations but not strong enough to address them. By the end of the novel, he is left alone with this tragic revelation.