Vendetta Guy de Maupassant 1850 1893 Narrator Third

Vendetta Guy de Maupassant (1850 - 1893)

Narrator • Third Person - omniscient

Setting • Bonifacio and Longosardo in Sardinia, Italy

Famously known as the fortress town, Bonifacio lies in the Corsica Island in France. The people inhabiting this area are termed as Bonifaciens.

Theme • Revenge vs vendetta

Definition of Revenge • 1. the action of hurting or harming someone in return for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands.

Definition of Vendetta • a blood feud in which the family of a murdered person seeks vengeance on the murderer or the murderer's family. • a prolonged bitter quarrel with or campaign against someone.

Characters • Widow Saverini, Semilanté, Antoine Savarini, Nicholas Rovolati

Protagonist • Widow Saverini

Antagonist • The Vendetta

Exposition • Cold, harsh environment emphasises loneliness of widow.

Development • Antoine Savarini is murdered by Nicholas Rovolati and Widow Saverini vows revenge. • She is alone and struggles to figure out how to avenge her son's murder. When an idea presents itself, she goes to church and prays and starts training the dog.

Climax • The widow starves Semilanté and then puts black pudding on the scarecrow.

Falling Action • Widow Saverini and dog goes to Longosardo. Semilanté kills Nicholas Rovolati as she was trained to do.

Conclusion • Widow Saverini gets peace of mind.

Answer the Following Questions 1. What was the widow’s husband’s name? 2. In which town did the widow and her son live? 3. What was the murderer’s name? 4. Where did he live? 5. How long did the widow train the dog? 6. Who wrote this story?

Questions… 7. What can the rocks in the ocean be compared to? 8. Discuss the irony of the Widow’s actions. 9. In 5 -8 lines, explain the way the Widow trains the dog for her intended action. 10. How does the Widow get across to Sardinia? 11. Why, do you think, the Widow slept well that night? Would you be able to, after committing the crime?

Answers • 1) Paolo • 2) Bonifacio • 3) Nicholas Ravolati • 4) Longosardo, Sardinia • 5) 3 months • 6) Guy de Maupassant

Answers • 7) They are compared to torn sheets of linen floating on the surface of the waves. • 8) It is ironic that she is planning to go murder someone and yet she goes to church to pray about it and seek God’s help

• 9) –tied the dog up • -starved it for days • -made a dummy out of straw • -tied meat (black pudding) around its neck • -then she would release it to attack the dummy

• 10) She struck a bargain with a Sardinian fisherman to take her over in his little boat. • 11) She slept well because she finally got revenge for her son’s murder. I would not be able to have peace as there would be an overwhelming guilt.