Wedding Night by Tommaso Landolfi
"Wedding Night" by Tommaso Landolfi is a short story that presents a unique blend of domestic life and unexpected interruptions. The narrative centers around a wedding banquet that is unexpectedly disrupted by the arrival of a chimney sweep. As the sweep begins his work in the kitchen, the atmosphere shifts, leading to a sense of embarrassment for the bride, who leaves the kitchen while he cleans the chimney. The story unfolds with the sweep's routine, including changing his clothes, sharing a meal, and later sending a small bouquet of edelweiss to the bride. This gesture adds a layer of poignancy, as the bride ultimately places the bouquet under the portraits of her deceased relatives, suggesting themes of memory and connection to the past. The story invites readers to reflect on the intersection of celebration and disruption, as well as the significance of seemingly mundane interactions in shaping personal narratives. Through its concise and impactful storytelling, "Wedding Night" offers a thought-provoking glimpse into the complexities of human relationships and cultural traditions.
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Wedding Night by Tommaso Landolfi
First published: "Notte di nozze," 1939 (English translation, 1963)
Type of plot: Fable
Time of work: The mid-twentieth century
Locale: Northern Italy
Principal Characters:
A young bride A chimney sweep
The Story
The arrival of a chimney sweep brings a wedding banquet at the bride's house to an early end. As the sweep changes his clothes and proceeds to clean out the chimney in the kitchen, slowly working his way up the chimney shaft three times, the bride exits the kitchen in embarrassment. After the sweep finishes, he changes his clothes again, eats breakfast, and sends out to the bride, who is seated outside, a gift of a small bouquet of edelweiss. The family briefly converses with the sweep after his meal; then he leaves, after which the bride places the edelweiss bouquet under portraits of her dead relatives.