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Giovani And Lusanna Analysis

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Although the story of Giovani & Lusanna takes place over half a millennium ago, human interaction and relationships has only evolved marginally. This story escorts the reader through the court case of Giovanni & Lusanna’s marriage dispute, but during this story the witnesses and their descriptions paint an image of the social structure of Italy during the early modern period. The most vivid descriptions presented by witnesses are that of class relations, marriage, and social traditions. One core element of this case is that witnesses appeared to be highly biased in their testimonies toward their individual party, but it is in the details of their stories that most likely present an honest representation of Florence during the Renaissance. Class interactions are a key foundation to the Giovani & Lusanna story; their inherent separation in class contributes to the separation and ultimate course between the couple. Yet, it is not just this couple that faces class tensions on a regular basis because class separation is ingrained into Florentine society in this period. Often those in the lower classes only interacted with aristocrats during “special occasions, baptismal feasts, or …show more content…

The court case is inherently hypocritical because Lusanna is trying to present her legitimacy in societal practices and force Giovanni to continue in their marriage, while their marriage is based on an affair. The witnesses define this dynamic, while presenting the couple’s societally ambiguous interaction regarding class relations, marital practices, and social standards. Oddly enough, this story could be placed into modern day and would continue to fit rather well, pointing to the similarities in social traditions and human nature even over 500 years

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The charges against her were eventually dropped; but even though all evidence concludes they were married, Giovanni still prolonged the case. Lusanna won because the court identified their marriage as valid, and found Giovanni guilty for breaking the law with his second marriage. But, because of his status he was only fined to pay for the court case’s fees and 1,000 florins. Lusanna’s witnesses were not respected enough by society to have a valid and truthful opinion.

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