Marriage Between Giovanni and Lusanna and the Florentine Society

GIOVANNI AND LUSANNA CASE ANALYSIS
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Giovanni and Lusanna Case Analysis
Introduction
In Giovanni and Lusanna: Love and Marriage in Renaissance Florence book by Gene Burker highlights the societal expectation on marriage in Florence society during the Renaissance period. The book recounts the experiences of Giovanna and Lusanna, who were engaged in a clandestine marriage. The book is based on legal documents and court proceedings during the case that happened after Lusanna took Giovanni to court after he decided to marry another woman. This paper will provide an overview of norms in Florence society, a comparative analysis of Giovanni's and Lusanna's relationship and typical Florentine marriage. Lastly, the paper will discuss which version of events is more plausible.
Overview of Norms in Florence Society
Florence's society during the Renaissance period was depicted as highly controlled by social and cultural norms. The hierarchical structure of the society dictated that men had more powers than women. It was a completely patriarchal-ruled society. During this time, women's legal rights in society were disregarded. When Lusanna decided to file a case against Giovanna was indeed a challenging event for Lusanna being a woman. Lusanna belonged to the lower social class. She was not wealthy and neither did she come from a wealthy background. Giovanni on the other hand was a wealthy businessperson who has secretly married her.However, during the proceedings at court, Giovanni denied having married her. The prosecution showed how complex and limiting Florence society's legal and social structures were during the Renaissance period.[Brucker Gene A. Giovanni and Lusanna: Love and Marriage in Renaissance Florence: With a New Preface. Berkeley: The University of California Press. (2005):1-138.]
In essence, power dynamics and social status played a crucial role in deciding how someone is treated in society. The fact that Giovanni had more wealth meant that he was more powerful and this played a critical role in influencing the outcomes of the case. Lusanna, a woman with low social status in society, had limited power to influence anything. Justice was only accorded to the powerful rather than the weak. Hence this further highlighted the legal complexities that existed during the Renaissance period.
Additionally, the case highlights how social status structures were crucially considered in determining who someone could marry. Marriage was not just about love and commitment but rather the social status of the people getting married. The judges and legal personnel involved in this case doubted that Lusanna would have been married to Giovanna since their social status was incompatible.
Differences in Giovanni’s and Lusanna’s Relationship and Typical Florentine Marriage
There are several ways in which Giovanni’s and Lusanna’s relationship and typical Florentine marriage differ. The first difference is that in the case scenario of Giovanni and Lusanna's marriage was clandestine, meaning it was a secretly done marriage. This contrasts with the typical Florentine marriage, where everything is done openly by the family and huge celebrations are organized ...