Violenta reiterates the conventional belief of the time: the notion that the value of a woman's life is linked irrevocably to her virginal status, and, that a loss of the latter implied a loss of the former as "modesty is rarely or never to be regained." ... As such, after more than a year of fruitless pursuit, Roderigo decides to marry Violenta despite her low social status because "her virtue and accomplishments, her beauty and discretion, deserved greater advancement" and the Count was pleased to be the person "destined to reward her chastity, raise her abject fortu...

• Word Count: 1986
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Graduate