SOURCE: “Manzoni's Dark Ladies,” in Romance Studies, Vol. 19, Winter, 1991, pp. 37-52.

In the following essay, Jones discusses Manzoni's use of only dark-haired women in I promessi sposi as it departs from the canon's tradition of differentiating between virtuous blond-haired and treacherous dark-haired women.

‘“I didn't finish the book,” said Maggie. “… I'm determined to read no more books where the blonde-haired women carry away all the happiness … If you could give me some story, now, where the dark woman triumphs, it would restore the balance. I want to avenge Rebecca and Flora MacIvor, and Minna and all the rest of the dark unhappy ones.”’

(The Mill on the Floss, Book 5, Chapter 1)

There are no blonde women in Manzoni's novel. Both the heroine, good, sweet, shy, homely Lucia, and the counter-heroine, glamorous, imperious, treacherous Gertrude, are dark. What follows is an investigation of the modes and significance of this infringement...