Marietta: A Maid of Venice

Marietta: A Maid of Venice is a historical novel by F. Marion Crawford, first published in 1901. Set in Venice during the Renaissance, the story follows the life of Marietta, a beautiful and spirited young woman caught in the intrigues of love, politics, and societal expectations.

Marietta is the daughter of Zorzi the glassmaker, a skilled artisan working on the island of Murano, famous for its exquisite glassware. She is in love with Pasquale, a young man of lower social standing, but her beauty and charm attract the attention of Giovanni Gradenigo, a nobleman from one of Venice's powerful families.

As the story unfolds, Marietta becomes entangled in the political and romantic machinations of Venetian high society. Giovanni's pursuit of her creates tension, especially since she remains devoted to Pasquale. The novel explores themes of class conflict, love, loyalty, and the constraints of societal norms in Renaissance Venice.

Marietta: A Maid of Venice remains an engaging example of early 20th-century historical fiction, offering a romanticized yet richly detailed glimpse into Venetian culture.

About the Author

Francis Marion Crawford (1854-1909) was a prolific American writer, best known for his numerous novels and classic weird and fantastical stories. Born in Italy, he spent much of his life abroad, particularly in Italy, which became the setting for many of his works.

Crawford was born in Bagni di Lucca, Italy, the only son of American sculptor Thomas Crawford. He received a diverse education, studying at St. Paul's School, Cambridge University, the University of Heidelberg, and the University of Rome. In 1879, he traveled to India, where he studied Sanskrit and edited the Allahabad Indian Herald. Upon returning to America, he continued his Sanskrit studies at Harvard and contributed to various periodicals.

His literary career took off with the publication of his first novel, Mr. Isaacs (1882), which quickly achieved success. This was followed by Doctor Claudius (1883). In 1883, he returned to Italy, where he resided permanently, eventually purchasing and remodeling the Villa Renzi, which became Villa Crawford, in Sant'Agnello. He also wrote historical works, including Ave Roma Immortalis (1898) and The Rulers of the South (1900).

Crawford was incredibly prolific, producing some forty novels and a play. At the height of his career, his books outsold those of any other contemporary fiction writer in England or the United States. He died in 1909 in Sorrento, Italy.