Alessandro Manzoni
![''[[Portrait of Alessandro Manzoni]]''<br /> by [[Francesco Hayez]]<br />([[Pinacoteca di Brera]], Milan, 1841)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Francesco_Hayez_-_Ritratto_di_Alessandro_Manzoni.jpg)
Alessandro Francesco Tommaso Antonio Manzoni (, , ; 7 March 1785 – 22 May 1873) was an Italian poet, novelist and philosopher. He is famous for the novel ''
The Betrothed'' (orig. ) (1827), generally ranked among the masterpieces of
world literature. The novel is also a symbol of the Italian
Risorgimento, both for its patriotic message and because it was a fundamental milestone in the development of the modern, unified
Italian language. Manzoni also contributed to the stabilization of the modern Italian language and helped to ensure linguistic unity throughout Italy. He was an influential proponent of
Liberal Catholicism in Italy. His work and thinking has often been contrasted with that of his younger contemporary
Giacomo Leopardi by critics.
Provided by Wikipedia