Marriage in "Giovanni and Lusanna"

Paper Summary:

This paper deals with the major themes in the story of "Giovanni and Lusanna". It looks at how marriage was seen as more of a business contract than as a communion of love in Florence and how Giovanni and Lusanna's relationship exemplified this situation. The paper then goes on to explain how Lusanna is a woman trying to exert control over her own life and establish some independence in a male-dominated society with dignity and how she is presented as a strong woman for her time. Lastly, the author is criticized for his main goal of connecting with the reader on a personal basis through a personal story and how this is central to the themes he is presenting.

From the Paper:

"The greatest theme that Brucker is trying to convey in the story of Giovanni and Lusanna is that marriage in Florence during the Renaissance was more of a business contract rather than a union based on love. The major aims of marriage were to increase one's social standing or to solidify or gain wealth, in total opposition to today's "Western ideal" of marriage (Brucker 93). Men who established themselves in society, both financially and socially, were "in great demand" and fetched substantial dowries from the woman's family (Brucker 11). A father did not seek a suitor for his daughter who would love and protect her: he would search for one that would bring financial security to her and prestige to the family."

More papers on Marriage in "Giovanni and Lusanna":

• Analytical Essay # 22566 : "Giovanni and Lusanna"
• Book Review # 139051 : "Giovanni & Lusanna" by Gene Brucker"
• Analytical Essay # 16646 : "Marriage in Renaissance Florence"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: