Renzo in The Betrothed

Created by Arianna Bossi on Tue, 06/28/2022 - 11:13

Part of Group:

The Monomyth through Time and Space

Renzo is the main character of The Betrothed (I promessi sposi), a historical novel by Alessandro Manzoni. It was first published in 1827.

The Italian masterpiece is considered a historical novel but contains a bildungsroman focused on Renzo.

Renzo is short for Lorenzo (Tramaglino) and he’s an honest boy in his twenties. He is a worker and owns a small estate, so he is economically stable. He is peaceful, joyous and virtuous but, at the same time, he is rebellious and impulsive when deceived or suffering injustice. However, this side of his temperament is calmed most of the time by the figure of Lucia, his betrothed and is for him like a "light", as her name suggests.

Renzo is not a warrior or a professor, he's "just" a simple worker in a silk factory. Like Ulysses in the Odyssey and Professor Cooper in Interstellar, Renzo too is always moving, never still in a place. This is what makes him so similar to them.

Let’s see how his journey goes…

Here's a painting of the young Renzo by the famous artist Mantegazza Here is a very famous painting of Renzo by Mantegazza

Timeline

Chronological table

Displaying 1 - 4 of 4
Date Event Created by Associated Places
7 Nov 1628 to 13 Nov 1628

The beginning of the journey: the "green" Renzo

  • Renzo and Lucia are to be married on 8th November. Don Abbondio, the priest, while heading back home, meets the Bravi who warn him not to perform the marriage: the local baron Don Rodrigo has forbidden it, he wants Lucia for himself. The wedding’s off.
  • Renzo finds out about Don Rodrigo and we can see how impulsive he is. He repeatedly plans to kill Don Rodrigo and surrenders only when Lucia is almost begging him to. Together with other characters (Fra Cristoforo, Menico, Tonio and Gervaso), they even plan a “surprise marriage”, that doesn’t end as planned.
  • Fra Cristoforo reveals that Don Rodrigo intends to kidnap Lucia and suggests they go to Monza. Renzo has to depart from them and go to Milan, where he finally begins his real journey.
  • Once in the city, his personality betrays him several times: first, he witnesses the assault on the “Forno delle Grucce” where the police identify him as one of the bosses because of a speech he gives.
    A policeman in disguise goes with him to the Inn of Luna Piena (Full Moon), Renzo gets drunk and reveals his name. The following day he gets arrested but manages to flee.
    Renzo gets to Gorgonzola and the Adda river and then moves to Bergamo thanks to his cousin Bortolo who offers him a job under a fake name.
 Arianna Bossi
Dec 1628 to Jul 1630

Renzo in Bergamo: work and discipline

When he’s in the countryside, Renzo gets to work. We don't know much about his daily life. He is not moving anywhere because he has to remain hidden. He certainly has more time to reflect and spends his time trying to get evidence of Lucia and her life in Monza.

He is not yet fully grown and, as a matter of fact, he gets angry when he finds out about Lucia's vote: she voted for her virginity in exchange for her freedom from Don Rodrigo.

 Arianna Bossi
Aug 1630 to Nov 1630

Renzo's second time in Milan and his compassion

Moved by his love for Lucia, Renzo returns to Lecco where he discovers that Lucia is in Milan in the lazzaretto. Although everyone tries to convince him to stay away because he is wanted, he heads for the city.
Like Dante in the Divine Comedy, Renzo discovers a completely different Milan, devastated by the plague. He also gets to meet Don Rodrigo, who is dying.
Here we finally see how much Renzo has changed: despite everything, he forgives Don Rodrigo and prays for him.

 Arianna Bossi
Nov 1630 to Autumn 1631

Renzo: man, worker and father

Renzo goes back to Lecco and finally gets to marry Lucia!

Renzo is a man, ready to buy new estates together with his cousin, ready to move to a different place because he wants to and... Ready to have lots of children together with his beloved.

As we can understand, he does not return home: he creates a new one that is better for his family.

 Arianna Bossi