The Cardinal’s First Tale (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Isak Dinesen
- First Published: 1957
- Type of Plot: Fable
- Time of Work: The eighteenth century
- Setting: Italy
- Principal Characters: Cardinal Salviati, The lady in black, Princess Benedetta, Prince Pompilio, Ercole, Atanasio, Dionysio
- Genres: Fable, Short fiction
- Subjects: Children, Self-discovery, Music or musicians, Rural or country life, Eighteenth century, Storytelling, Singing or singers, Religious life, Nobility
- Locales: Italy
The Story
When a lady in black asks Cardinal Salviati, “Who are you?” he replies not with a straight answer but with a story. The cardinal's mother, Benedetta, was married at fifteen to Prince Pompilio, a nobleman of forty-five. She bore him a son, as expected, but the boy was weak and physically deformed. Pompilio then took his young wife to the country, following the advice that she would benefit from being away from the temptations of city life. In their country villa Princess Benedetta matured and experienced a discovery of self. She transformed from a traditionally...
[The entire page is 1426 words long]
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