The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni (1827 & 1842)

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The Betrothed (I promessi sposi ) is an Italian historical novel by Alessandro Manzoni which was first published in 1827 in three volumes, then significantly revised until the definitive version was published between 1840 and 1842.

In the Duchy of Milan in 1628, during the years of Spanish Habsburg rule, two young lovers are forced to flee their village on the shores of Lake Como after a powerful lord prevents their marriage, plunging them into the maelstrom of history. The novel is noted for its extraordinary description of the bubonic plague that struck Milan around 1630.

The novel deals with a variety of themes such as the illusory nature of political power and the inherent injustice of any legal system; the range of character among the Christian clergy from the cowardice of the parish priest Don Abbondio to the heroic sanctity of others (the friar Padre Cristoforo, the cardinal Federico Borromeo); and the unwavering strength of love (the relationship between Renzo and Lucia, and their struggle to finally meet again and be married). The novel is renowned for offering keen insights into the workings of the human mind.

While the novel is often described as the most widely read work in the Italian language, many Italians believe that the novel is not fully appreciated abroad. In Italy the novel is considered a true masterpiece of world literature and a basis for the modern Italian language. In the early 19th century, there was still controversy as to what form the standard literary language of Italy should take. Although a native of Milan, the regional capital of Lombardy, Manzoni was firmly in favor of the dialect of Florence (in Tuscany) and, as he himself put it, after "washing his clothes in the Arno [the river passing through Florence]", he revised the novel's language for its republication in 1842, cleansing it of many Lombard regionalisms. The original name of one of the protagonists, Fermo, was changed for the same reason to Lorenzo.

The novel is widely studied in Italian secondary schools, usually in the second year, when students are 15. Many expressions, quotes and names from the novel are still commonly used in Italian, such as Perpetua (meaning a priest's house worker) or Questo matrimonio non s'ha da fare ("This marriage is not to be performed", used ironically).