A Sicilian Romance (Annotated)

Ann Radcliff, was an English author, and pioneer of the gothic novel. Her works were extremely popular, especially with respectably sheltered young women who were starved for something a bit more exciting than needlepoint. Her works included The Sicilian Romance [1790], The Romance of the Forest [1791], The Mysteries of Udolpho [1794], and The Italian [1796] A Sicilian Romance was her second published work, and was first published anonymously in 1790. The plot concerns the fallen nobility of the house of Mazzini, on the northern shore of Sicily, as related by a tourist who learns of their turbulent history from a monk he meets at the ruins of their once-magnificent castle. The Mazzini sisters, Emilia and Julia are 'beautiful' young ladies with many talents. Julia quickly falls in love with the young and handsome Italian count Hippolitus de Vereza, but to her dismay her father decides that she should marry Duke de Luovo instead...