Corinne; or, Italy

by Madame de (Anne-Louise-Germaine) Staël

"Corinne; or, Italy" by Madame de Staël is a novel published in 1807. It tells the love story between Corinne, a brilliant Italian poet, and Lord Oswald Nelvil, a melancholy Scottish nobleman haunted by his father's death. As Corinne guides Oswald through Rome and Naples, they fall deeply in love while exploring Italy's art, history, and culture. Yet both harbor secret fears that threaten their happiness, and Oswald struggles with the suspicion that his late father would disapprove of their relationship.