Love And Marriage In Renaissance Florence By Gene Brucker: Chapter Summary

HIST 103: Paper 1

Giovanni and Lusanna: Love and Marriage in Renaissance Florence – Gene Brucker

Set against the grindstone of social class, Gene Brucker’s Giovanni and Lusanna throws light on fifteenth century Renaissance Florence. The novel revolves around Lusanna, a beautiful widow of an artisan, and Giovanni, her aristocrat lover, who she brought suit against when she learned that he contracted to marry a woman representing his own class. Through narration of the clash between artisans and aristocrats in archiepiscopal court, Gene Brucker expands further to expose his readers to the law and order and the social stratum prevalent during that period. To construct his novel, Brucker gained knowledge about the litigation and social order
Brucker referred to the Notarile antecosimiano, which documented the entire case in chronological manner. Starting from the Archbishop Antoninus’s interrogation of Fra Felice, who agreed to officiate the marriage between Giovanni and Lusanna, on 15 May 1455 (Brucker, 19), to the reference of the papal letter to Antoninus reversing his decision against Giovanni. Hence, by referring notarial protocol, Brucker was able to accurately depict the events that were carried out in the curia. Additionally, by understanding the entire legal proceeding he was successful in adding relevance to his narration. Brucker also drew help form catasto records and tax registrations to gain information about Florentine households, and understand the wealth and status of the parties involved. Through these he was able to come to conclusions about the wealth of the artisan family of Lusanna and that of
Brucker used these testimonies as source so as to directly quote the witness. However, even though the testimonies are recorded, they cannot be proved to be accurate since the testimonies of witnesses could be influenced by external circumstances. For example the initial testimony of Giuliani Magaldi against Lusanna (Brucker, 29) stated that Lusanna was having carnal relationship with Giovanni, even when her husband, Andrea was alive. However, Giuliani Magaldi later confessed to lying in her statement (Brucker, 72) and mentioned besides Giovanni promising to take Lusanna for his wife should her husband die, she had not seen or heard anything else. In relation to this Antoninus may have understood how a poor woman like Giuliani Magaldi could be tempted by bribe, but ultimately frightened by her perjury that she recanted her testimony. Additionally, the testimony made by Piero and Tita Cavicciuli against Lusanna (Brucker, 28) having a carnal relationship with Giovanni may have been influenced by the fact that Giovanni was their employer and godparent of their child. Additionally, the above families that testified against Lusanna were artisans themselves. It is possible that their actions were a result of jealousy towards Lusanna’s ability climb to the higher social rank through marriage to Lusanna.