to be a mom

Monika Mezyk

In Ann Radcliffe's "The Italian", the very first thing that we see
described is a veiled woman:
"It was in the church of San Lorenzo at Naples, in the year 1758, that
Vincentio di Vivaldi first saw Ellena di Rosalba. The sweetness and fine
expression of her voice attracted his attention to her figure, which had a
distinguished air of delicacy and grace; but her face was concealed in her
veil. So much was he fascinated by the voice, that a most painful curiosity
was excited as to her countenance, which he fancied must express all the
sensibility of character that the modulation of her tones indicated" (5).
Even without knowing anything about Gothic elements, this indicates very
clearly what the quality and tone of the book are going to be like.
Vivaldi's pursuit of the veiled woman is a signal that his is the pursuit of
the mysterious, with the certainty that it will be beautiful. This certainly
does seem to be a great fascination in the no...