Passion

Written in 1869 but only now translated into English, this little-known Italian novel has been shoved into the limelight by the success of Stephen Sondheim's Tony-winning Broadway adaptation. Tarchetti's ( Fantastic Tales ) morbid but engaging examination of love, obsession and the nature of beauty set in mid-19th century Italy centers on a bizarre love triangle between Giorgio, the pessimistic young officer recording the affair, and two women, one attractive and sensual, the other repulsive and unearthly. Giorgio's first romance is with the beautiful Clara, whom he meets while recovering from a heart ailment in Milan. The adulterous couple flout contemporary convention in their intense, doomed liaison, which ends when Giorgio is reassigned to Parma. Still pining for his absent lover, Giorgio is invited to dine regularly at his new commander's home, where an empty place setting is a reminder of the commander's cousin, Fosca. Too ill for company, Fosca remains confined to her room, but her eerie, tortured shrieks punctuate each meal. When they eventually meet, Giorgio is repelled by Fosca's appearance (she is ``illness personified, hysteria made woman'') and attempts to avoid her company, but he is ultimately unable to withstand her passions. Although somewhat overwrought and ponderous, the energy in Tarchetti's tale of illicit love, disease and the erotic overcomes the sometimes unwieldy language. (Aug.)