The Betrothed (Manzoni Novel) - Characters

Characters

• Lorenzo Tramaglino, or in short form Renzo is a young silk-weaver of humble origins, engaged to Lucia, whom he loves deeply. Initially rather naive, he becomes more cunning during the story as he is confronted with many difficulties: he is separated from Lucia and then unjustly accused of being a criminal. Renzo is somewhat short-tempered, but also gentle and honest.
• Lucia Mondella is a pious and kind young woman who loves Renzo. She is forced to flee from her village to escape from Don Rodrigo in one of the most famous scenes of Italian literature, the Addio ai Monti or "Farewell to the mountains."
• Don Abbondio is the priest who refuses to marry Renzo and Lucia because he has been threatened by Don Rodrigo's men; he meets the two protagonists several times during the novel. The cowardly, morally mediocre Don Abbondio provides most of the book's comic relief; however, he is not merely a stock character, as his moral failings are portrayed by Manzoni with a mixture of irony, sadness and pity, as has been noted by Luigi Pirandello in his essay "On Humour" (Saggio sull'Umorismo).
• Fra Cristoforo is a brave and generous friar who helps Renzo and Lucia, acting as a sort of "father figure" to both and as the moral compass of the novel. Fra Cristoforo was the son of a wealthy family, and joined the Capuchin Order after killing a man.
• Don Rodrigo is a cruel and despicable nobleman and the novel's main villain. He decides to forcibly prevent the marriage of Renzo and Lucia, threatens to kill Don Abbondio if he marries the two and tries to kidnap Lucia.

• L'Innominato (literally: the Unnamed) is probably the novel's most complex character, a powerful and feared criminal who is torn between his ferocious past and the increasing disgust that he feels for his life. Based on the historical character of Francesco Bernardino Visconti, who was really converted by a visit of Federico Borromeo.
• Agnese Mondella is Lucia's wise mother.
• Federico Borromeo (Federigo in the book) is a virtuous and zealous cardinal; an actual historical character.
• Perpetua is Don Abbondio's loquacious servant.
• La Monaca di Monza (the Nun of Monza) is a tragic figure, a bitter, frustrated, sexually deprived and ambiguous woman. She befriends Lucia and becomes genuinely fond of her, but her dark past haunts her. This character is based on an actual woman.
• Griso is one of Don Rodrigo's henchmen, a silent and traitorous man.
• Dr Azzecca-garbugli ("Quibble-weaver") is a corrupt lawyer.
• Count Attilio is Don Rodrigo's malevolent cousin.
• Nibbio (Kite - the bird) is the Innominato's right-hand man.
• Don Ferrante is a phony intellectual and erudite scholar who believes the plague is caused by astrological forces.
• Donna Prassede is Don Ferrante's wife, who is willing to help Lucia but is also an opinionated busybody.