Tristi Amori

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

25177

Title

Tristi Amori

Language

it

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Giuseppe Giacosa's 'Tristi Amori' is a poignant provincial comedy exploring the destructive power of illicit love. Set in a small Italian town, the play follows Fabrizio and Emma, whose passionate affair threatens the stability of Emma's marriage to the honest lawyer Giulio. Through sharp dialogue and emotional depth, the work examines themes of social class, honor, and the moral compromises required to suppress forbidden desire.

Summary up to 500 words

Giuseppe Giacosa's *Tristi Amori* (Sad Loves) is a poignant three-act comedy that dissects the corrosive impact of social hypocrisy and rigid moral codes on genuine human emotion. Set in a small provincial town, the narrative focuses on Avvocato Giulio Scarli, a diligent and financially successful lawyer married to the thoughtful Emma, and his colleague, Fabrizio Arcieri. Fabrizio, the son of a notorious gambler, engages in a secret, tormented affair with Emma. Their relationship is defined by a deep love that is constantly shadowed by the fear of discovery and the guilt of their deception. The plot intensifies as external pressures mount. Fabrizio's father, a desperate gambler, attempts to force his son to marry the daughter of a local merchant to settle debts, threatening to ruin Fabrizio's reputation. To protect Giulio from the scandal of their affair, Fabrizio and Emma devise a plan to deceive him. They intend for Fabrizio to leave town abruptly, hoping the sudden departure will explain his absence and spare Giulio the pain of a direct confrontation. However, the deception unravels when Giulio, observing the couple's strained behavior and the arrival of a carriage for Fabrizio, deduces the truth without needing explicit confirmation. In a climactic moment of tragic realization, Giulio chooses not to confront them with anger but to sacrifice his own happiness for the sake of his young daughter, Gemma. He explains to Emma that he is leaving the marriage to secure a better future for Gemma, hoping she will marry well and live an honest life, free from the shadow of her mother's scandal. The play concludes with a somber tone: Fabrizio departs, leaving Emma alone in the house, weeping over the loss of her love and her home. Through this devastating conclusion, Giacosa critiques the era's obsession with appearances and honor, illustrating how the pressure to maintain social standing can lead to the destruction of authentic human connection and happiness.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/25177.epub.noimages

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data/epubs/pg25177.epub

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2026-07-05 09:47 UTC

Categories

• Classics
• Drama