The Charterhouse of Parma

The Charterhouse of Parma is a novel written by Stendhal and originally published in 1839.

The novel is set in 19th century Napoleonic Italy and follows the adventures of the aristocrat Fabrizio del Dongo. The young man, very brave and passionate, seeks the glory of battle far from his county.

This will lead him to participate in the Battle of Waterloo, where he will experience the harsh reality of war and return to Italy. There he will be involved in a series of political and amorous entanglements that will lead him, after passing through many places, to the Carthusian monastery of Parma.

The novel is about passion, ambition and human nature. It also touches on themes such as love or destiny, as it is quite complete, having a war part, a political part and a love part. The Charterhouse of Parma also offers an insight into the Italian society of the time.

This edition of The Charterhouse of Parma is based on the English translation by CK Scott Moncrieff.

"On the 15th of May, 1796, General Bonaparte made his entry into Milan at the head of that young army which had shortly before crossed the Bridge of Lodi and taught the world that after all these centuries Caesar and Alexander had a successor."