The Cardinal's First Tale by Isak Dinesen
"The Cardinal's First Tale" by Isak Dinesen explores themes of identity, transformation, and the complexities of parental legacy through the story of Princess Benedetta and her experiences. Married at a young age to the much older Prince Pompilio, Benedetta's journey unfolds in a country villa, where she evolves from a submissive wife into a self-aware individual, driven primarily by her newfound love for singing. This art form not only facilitates her personal awakening but also leads to a significant spiritual connection with the castrato Marelli during a transformative opera experience in Venice.
The narrative reveals the tension between Benedetta and Pompilio regarding the upbringing of their children, exemplified by their conflicting visions for their unborn son's future. Following the birth of twins, tragedy strikes, leading to a power struggle over identity and legacy. The surviving child, Atanasio, becomes the embodiment of both parental aspirations, excelling in ecclesiastical and secular pursuits. The tale concludes with reflections on the nature of storytelling, distinguishing between the divine art of narrative and the more contemporary novel, setting the stage for deeper discussions on character and meaning. This rich tapestry of themes invites readers to consider the intricate interplay of personal and collective identities within a historical context.
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The Cardinal's First Tale by Isak Dinesen
First published: "Kardinalens tredie Historie," 1957 (English translation, 1957)
Type of plot: Fable
Time of work: The eighteenth century
Locale: Italy
Principal Characters:
Cardinal Salviati , the frame narratorThe lady in black , a woman whom he counselsPrincess Benedetta , his motherPrince Pompilio , his fatherErcole , their one-eyed first sonAtanasio , their older twin son, named by his father and destined for the churchDionysio , their younger twin son, named by his mother and destined for the worldly arts
The Story
When a lady in black asks Cardinal Salviati, "Who are you?" he replies not with a straight answer but with a story. The cardinal's mother, Benedetta, was married at fifteen to Prince Pompilio, a nobleman of forty-five. She bore him a son, as expected, but the boy was weak and physically deformed. Pompilio then took his young wife to the country, following the advice that she would benefit from being away from the temptations of city life. In their country villa Princess Benedetta matured and experienced a discovery of self. She transformed from a traditionally submissive wife to a woman of self-awareness. Her change grew out of her love for singing, which surpassed even her prior love for literature. In singing she found a language all her own.
The climax of her self-transformation occurred during a trip to Venice to see Pietro Trapassi Metastasio's opera Achilles in Scyros (1736), whose music awakened her entire sense of identity. Within a few hours, every particle of her nature underwent a change, and she triumphantly became her whole self. Her awakening was realized in her spiritual communion with the castrato Marelli when their momentary gaze into each other's eyes united them, bestowing manhood on him and imparting passion to her—a mentally virginal woman. Afterward, Benedetta was impregnated by her husband, but she knew the spiritual father of her child to be the castrato.
Benedetta and her husband then disagreed about how to rear their unborn child. The prince was determined that if the child were a boy, he should be a pillar of the church, and that he should be named Atanasio, after the church leader Athanasius. Benedetta was determined that any son she bore should become an artist of the world and be named Dionysio, after the "God of inspired ecstacy."
Benedetta eventually bore identical twins, resolving the conflict. Only six weeks later, however, a tragic fire took the life of one of them. The sole means of differentiating the twins was a blue ribbon that Dionysio wore round his neck; it was burned away, so the prince declared the surviving baby to be Atanasio. Benedetta did not contest his decision but secretly called the child Pyrrha—the name given to Achilles by his mother in Achilles in Scyros, believing him to be Dionysio.
Atanasio excelled at both ecclesiastical classics and secular skills and eventually was ordained into the priesthood. The first son, Ercole, died soon afterward, leaving Atanasio his parents' sole heir. Following the deaths of Pompilio and Benedetta—which complete the story—Atanasio became both an earthly and a heavenly prince.
Returning to the frame story, the cardinal and the lady in black discuss the nature of character and the value of the story. The cardinal explains the distinction between story and the newly popular—at the time—form of narrative, the novel. He argues that the novel is a valuable but human-contrived form focusing on character, and the story is a divine art in which all elements, including character, unite to form a whole.