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Love And Marriage In Renaissance Florence By Gene Brucker

1783 Words8 Pages

In the ethereal tapestry of Renaissance Florence, where love was but a pawn in the intricate game of power and alliances, Giovanni and Lusanna dared to traverse the treacherous terrain of passion. In this unforgiving landscape, where rigid gender roles held sway, their affair blossomed, challenging the very fabric of societal norms. Gene Brucker, the master chronicler, weaves a tale of profound complexity in his meticulous compilation of court documents. Through his discerning eye, the audience is invited to peer into the depths of this intricate case, where the clash of social classes and the weight of gender expectations obscure the truth. In the novel Giovanni and Lusanna, Love and Marriage in Renaissance Florence, Brucker’s narrative …show more content…

The narrative questions preconceived notions about how men and women behave while examining gender, power, and social standards. Brucker explores the complexities of gender interactions in historical and political contexts. Lusanna's unorthodox conduct, which was not following cultural standards, portrayed a suboptimal reputation that reinforced Giovanni's accusations of her chastity and alleged seduction to coerce him into marriage. In Giovanni's testimony, Lusanna's neighbors attested to several male visitors during her marriage. The allegations have merit considering Lusanna's relationship with Giovanni began while she was married, which conflicts with the notion and her claims of chastity. Despite the accusations of her misconduct, her pursuit of love and desire for marriage with Giovanni transcended this position and displayed her devotion to the new union. Devotion to the relationship was a one-sided affair, as Giovanni urged her to conceal the marriage and further damaged her reputation by rejecting their union. Following Giovanni's attempt to remarry, Lusanna's decision to sue demonstrates her lack of passivity in actively pursuing personal fulfillment and agency, even when doing so required breaching social conventions. Despite a patriarchal society ruled by power-hungry men, Lusanna's tenacity inspires women to assert their voice in a society dominated by

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Summary Of Gene Brucker's Court Case

762 Words | 4 Pages

Since the reader does not hear from Lusanna, many questions are left unanswered. For instance, we know that “the letter had been brought to the palace by Antonio di Benedetto” (Brucker, 13). This letter was the one to commence the long court case between Giovanni and Lusanna. Because Lusanna was not the one to initiate the case, firstly because women could only be represented by their legal guardians, and because we don’t hear her perspective on why it was initiated, it is unclear if Lusanna even wanted to appeal the marriage in the first place. From the accounts given by witnesses “nearly all eighteen witnesses called by Giovanni’s procurators reported, either as personal judgment or as public rumor, that Lusanna was a woman of low moral character” (Brucker 27).

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He betrays Lusanna and, as it was expected of him, trades love for power and money. When Lusanna realized that she turned to the church for help. This example illustrates the fact that love and marriage was rather unusual in this era, and Lusanna had unrealistic

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Women In Giovanni And Lusanna By Gene Brucker

1071 Words | 5 Pages

Giovanni’s lawyer told the court that Lusanna is not a reliable person because of her class, and that Giovanni would never bother with her because he is aware of his social ranking. He also says that Giovanni would not risk his reputation for a girl like Lusanna. This shows that women do not

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How Does Gene Brucker Respond To Love And Marriage In Renaissance Europe?

1654 Words | 7 Pages

Giovanni della Casa, an aristocrat (nobility), someone that possesses rank and privileges. Lusanna was an artisan woman that was less wealthy and powerful. Finally, a woman stood up against the prevailing men of Florence to be recognized that love and marriage can coexist between the poor and wealthy, “one woman’s struggle to gain a measure of personal independence in a male-dominate world (93). Although, Lusanna was married, she caught Giovanni’s attention and they pursued one another. As time passed on they fell in love with each other, with Giovanni promising to marry Lusanna.

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