&quot;The Italian&quot;, (in full <i>&quot;The Italian; or, The Confessional of the Black Penitents: A Romance&quot;</i>) is a novel by Ann Radcliffe, published in three volumes in 1797.<br /><br />&quot;The Italian&quot; is a classic gothic novel, renowned throughout history; a tale of secrecy and intrigue that incorporates seemingly supernatural events to explain a very complicated plot.<br /><br />The main plot concerns the attempts of various characters to prevent the marriage of Vincentio di Vivaldi, a gallant and persistent nobleman, to Ellena di Rosalba, a fair maiden of unknown ancestry.&nbsp;<br />The protagonist, Vivaldi, falls in love and plans to marry Ellena, a young woman with a secret family history, against his family&#39;s wishes. His mother and Schedoni conspire to separate them by kidnapping and imprisoning Vivaldi. Eventually, Ellena&#39;s family history is revealed, allowing her to be acknowledged as a suitable match for Vivaldi.<br /><br />&nbsp;