The Italian

A gothic novel written by Ann Radcliffe and published in 1797, The Italian concerns a young couple driven apart by the scheming of the young man’s family and a corrupt monk, Schedoni.

Not to be confused with the Sebastiano Vassalli novel, the 1915 film, or the 2005 film of the same name.


 * Cool Big Sis: Olivia behaves this way to Ellena before the Reveal.
 * Corrupt Church
 * Creepy Uncle: Schedoni.
 * Earn Your Happy Ending
 * Either or Title: The Italian, or the Confessional of the Black Penitents.
 * Evil Uncle: Schedoni is this to Ellena.
 * If I Can't Have You: If Schedoni can’t have the woman he loves, then he will kill her.
 * Long-Lost Relative: Sister Olivia is really Ellena’s long-lost mother.
 * Love At First Sight: Vincentio di Vivaldi loved Ellena Rosalba from when he first saw her.
 * Love Makes You Crazy: It was love for Ellena’s mother that initially drove Schedoni down his destructive path.
 * Love Makes You Evil: Schedoni is this all over.
 * Luke, I Am Your Father: Schedoni believes himself to be Ellena's father. He turns out to be her uncle instead.
 * Missing Mom: Ellena’s mother is presumed dead.
 * My God, What Have I Done?: Schedoni has a moment like this when he discovers who Ellena is and after he thought he had killed his wife.
 * Parental Marriage Veto: Vincentio’s mother went to great lengths to keep her son from marrying Ellena.
 * Parental Substitute: Ellena was raised by her aunt.
 * The Spanish Inquisition
 * Take That: Written in response to Lewis' The Monk, which Ann Radcliffe was disgusted with.
 * Villain Protagonist: Schedoni.
 * Villainous Crush: Schedoni has one for Countess di Bruno.