A challenge to the patriarchal system: Romantic love in Italy during the Risorgimento

Abstract

Biographies of many protagonists in the Italian Risorgimento, both women and men, often reveal a challenge to customs and values of the traditional society: now young people aim to choose their own destiny, particularly their private life. Love marriage,extramarital relatioships, oppose themselves to the traditional customs that entrust to the elderly the decisions on young people’sdestiny. For the young women patriots, to participate in the political struggle and in their own domestic conflict for personal freedom are one, as the cases mentioned in the article show.