Ethel Lillian Voynich wrote the famous novel The Gadfly, which was first published in 1897 in the United States. This revolutionary romantic work became a very famous literary work in the USSR. And after multiple reprints of the book, Khrushchev awarded the author a special prize, thereby recognizing his invaluable contribution to the formation of socialist ideology among the citizens of our country.
Italy, 19th century. The main character of the novel is named Arthur Burton. He is a student and a member of the secret revolutionary organization Young Italy. This secret is revealed to the authorities by his confessor, which entails the arrest of him and his comrade. The organization connects this fact with the betrayal of Burton, who is very much affected by such injustice. He quarrels with his girlfriend and accidentally learns from relatives that his father is the rector of the Montanelli seminary. The young man fakes suicide in despair and goes to Buenos Aires.
After 13 years, Burton returns to his homeland, calling himself Rivares. He is engaged in the publication of satirical pamphlets, which he signs with the pseudonym "Gadfly". After some time, an armed clash occurs, which leads to his arrest and death sentence. Cardinal Montanelli persuades Arthur to escape. However, he sets a condition according to which the clergyman must renounce his religious beliefs and resign from his clergy. The denouement of the novel leads to the shooting of the Gadfly and the death of Montanelli after the sermon.
Historical legacy of the famous novel
The first publication of the novel by E. L. Voynich takes place in the United States in 1897, and his translation in Russia was carried out a year later.
At first it was a supplement to a literary magazine, but already in 1900 a separate book was published. The novel began to spread in our country through the active participation of popular revolutionary figures. The Soviet people recognized that The Gadfly had become their favorite piece of art. In the USSR, this novel was filmed three times, and a ballet and a rock musical were staged on its plot basis.
Part one
Nineteen-year-old Arthur Burton is in close contact with Lorenzo Montanelli, the rector of the seminary, who is also his confessor. The young man has immense respect for the Catholic priest (padre). After the death of his mother, which happened a year ago, he lives with his half-brothers in Pisa.
The appearance of the young man makes many people stop looking at him. “Everything in him was too graceful, as if carved: long arrows of eyebrows, thin lips, small arms, legs. When he sat quietly, he could be mistaken for a pretty girl dressed in a man's dress; but with flexible movements he resembled a tamed panther - albeit without claws."
Burton, communicating with the padre, tells him that he joined the "Young Italy" and is going to devote his whole life to the struggle for freedom. The priest unsuccessfully tries to dissuade the young man from a reckless act in his opinion. He has a presentiment that trouble will soon happen.
Childhood friend Jim (Gemma Warren) also belongs to the same revolutionary organization. Soon Montanelli moved to Rome, where he assumed the office of bishop. The new rector is appointed as Arthur's confessor. The young man trusts him with the information that he loves the girl, who, in turn, is jealous of his party comrade Bolle.
After a short time, Arthur is arrested. During interrogations, he remains loyal to his revolutionary organization, without betraying any of his friends. The gendarmes are forced to release him. However, his comrades consider him a traitor, guilty of Bolla's arrest. The young man understands that the confessor has violated the secret of confession, but unknowingly behaves in such a way that Jim concludes that he is betrayal. She is violently indignant, and they part as enemies.
There is a scandal in the family circle, during which the brother's sister tells Arthur that Montanelli is his own father. The young man fakes his own death, throwing his hat into the river and first breaking the crucifix and writing a suicide note. He illegally moves to Buenos Aires.
Part two
In 1846, in Florence, members of Mazzini's party discussed their own actions to combat the political power in the country. Dr. Riccardo invites his comrades to turn to Felice Rivares, who writes political pamphlets under the pseudonym Gadfly.
At an evening meeting at Grassini Gemma Boll, the widow of Giovanni Bolla meets the Gadfly, who comes there with the gypsy dancer Zita Reni, who is his mistress. “He was dark as a mulatto, and despite his lameness, he was as agile as a cat. In all his appearance, he resembled a black jaguar. His forehead and left cheek were disfigured by a long, crooked scar - apparently from a blow from a saber … when he began to stutter, the left side of his face twitched with a nervous spasm. The behavior of the Gadfly impresses her, because he does not respect the rules of decency and behaves quite boldly.
Motanelli arrives in Florence, already serving as a cardinal. Signora Ball, who has not seen him since the time when Arthur died, goes to meet him. Then the priest confessed to her that he had deceived the young man, which he learned about. On that unfortunate day, the padre fell in a fit right on the street, having learned about the death of his child. On a joint walk of Gemma and Martini, he meets the Gadfly, in which the woman sees the deceased Arthur.
Rivares is seriously ill. Party comrades take turns on duty near his bed, and Zita, at the direction of the patient, is not allowed near him. The dancer is strongly and aloud indignant, which betrays Martini her love for the Gadfly. Soon he begins to recover and, on one of the shifts at his bedside, Gemma confides in her about life's adventures. She, in turn, admits that her beloved person died through her fault.
Soon, Jama begins to guess that the Gadfly is Arthur. After all, there are so many external coincidences. She even tries to sort out her doubts by observing the Gadfly's behavior when she shows him a photograph of ten-year-old Arthur. But an experienced revolutionary does not betray himself in any way. Soon he asks Signora Ball to help transport military equipment to the Papal States, to which she agrees.
Zita accuses Felice that he loves only Cardinal Montanelli, and does not pay due attention to her feelings. She says: “Do you think I didn’t notice with what look you followed his wheelchair?”. Rivares agrees with her reasoning.
In Brisigella, the Gadfly, through accomplices, meets with Montanelli. He sees that the padre continues to suffer because of the death of Arthur. Rivares almost reveals himself to the cardinal, he is stopped only by his own pain from the memories of the past. Returning back, the man learns that Zita left with the gypsy camp, intending to marry a fellow tribesman.
Part three
The gadfly must go to the rescue of a revolutionary comrade who was arrested while transporting weapons. Before leaving, Gemma again wants to find out for himself the question of the identity of the Gadfly, but this is hindered by Martini who appeared at the wrong time.
In Brisigella, Rivares lost his composure in a shootout when he met Montanelli and was arrested. The colonel asks the cardinal to start a military trial. But Montanelli wants to see the prisoner before this. The meeting is accompanied by all sorts of insults to the clergyman from the Gadfly.
The escape of the Gadfly, organized by his friends, fails due to another attack of his illness, during which he loses consciousness. The shackled prisoner asks to meet with the cardinal. Montanelli visits a prisoner. He is outraged by the mistreatment of the prisoner. And the Gadfly, in turn, is revealed to the Padre. Moreover, he sets a condition for the spiritual dignitary: either God or he. The cardinal leaves the cell in a depressed state. The gadfly shouts after him: “I can't stand it! Radre, come back! Come back!.
Montanelli agrees to the court-martial proceedings. However, the soldiers sympathize with the Gadfly and shoot past him. In the end, Rivares is hit by bullets and falls. His last words refer to the cardinal: "Radre … is your god … satisfied?" Friends will learn the sad news.
During the solemn liturgy, the cardinal, seeing bloody footprints in the rays of the sun, decoration and flowers, accuses the parishioners of the death of his son, which was accomplished by him like the Father brought his Son to atone for the sins of the whole world. The suicide letter of the Gadfly is addressed to Jem, in which he confirms the validity of her suspicions. “She lost him. Lost again! Martini reports of the cardinal's heart attack, which caused his death.
