In Garibaldi's Time "What have we to do with Thee, Thou Jesus of Nazareth?"-the cry of one man at the beginning of his life, of another at its close-is the line that stands on the title page of Voynich's "Gadfly." One man, while he is still a mere boy, loses faith in God and man and goes through the rest of his life a professed atheist, the other lives a long life of Christian faith and charity, making one final, supreme sacrifice to his religion-only in his turn to curse God and die. The atheism of the Gadfly may be ...
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In Garibaldi's Time "What have we to do with Thee, Thou Jesus of Nazareth?"-the cry of one man at the beginning of his life, of another at its close-is the line that stands on the title page of Voynich's "Gadfly." One man, while he is still a mere boy, loses faith in God and man and goes through the rest of his life a professed atheist, the other lives a long life of Christian faith and charity, making one final, supreme sacrifice to his religion-only in his turn to curse God and die. The atheism of the Gadfly may be directed against any God and all religion, as much of the book indicates, or it may be merely a protest against the state of the Roman Catholic Church at that period, when it had degenerated into the merest political tool. The Gadfly himself is always bitter against God, Christ and Christianity, as well as against the Church and its priests, and Montanelli, at the end, turns against them likewise. It may be that Voynich would show that there is no God, that one man may lose his God while he is still a boy and another may keep his faith until he is an old man-only to lose it at last. The cry of each of them "what have we to do with Thee, Thou Jesus of Nazareth?" seems to mean that a man may lose his faith early or late, as the chance may be, but lose it he must sometime. On the other hand, and the fact that neither man knew any religion but that of the Catholicism of the period supports this, it is possible that Voynich would only show the terrible results that must arise when the Church is corrupted, used for political ends, its faith betrayed, its sanctity gone. Whatever the aim Voynich had in writing the book it is in itself most unpleasant reading. But it is also extremely fascinating. The plot is good, it is original, strong and well-knit; it appeals to one's intelligence too, instead of relying entirely upon the imagination of the reader. The description and character development are the most remarkable features of the Gadfly. There is many a good plot that is wasted in the telling, but the account of the Gadfly's trial for his connection with Young Italy, his disguises in Italy, his death, the prison scene with Montanelli, the filing of the prison bars, the last night with Gemma, are all marvelously vivid. Then the book has those little things, those phrases and words, that make a book dear as well as interesting. The character development is scarcely behind the description. The Gadfly himself, as the most fully developed, shows Voynich's power at its best. Skillfully she draws the transformation of the high-strung, loving, sensitive, morbidly religious boy into a bitter, revengeful man, hard as beaten iron and inspiring fear rather than respect by his ability and wit. He was so exasperating, so absolutely maddening to deal with, and yet he had in him so much that was lovable and loving, that his character is full of contradictions which seem almost impossible. It is in this that Voynich's art is best proven, she presents the Gadfly first as Arthur, rather an unattractive boy, a little lacking in manliness; then as Rivarez, the satirist, disagreeable in the extreme, and finally she makes you forget all this and remember him only as the people knew him. The people loved him, '' he and his stinging repartees, his perpetual laughter, his bright infectious courage had come into their lives like a wandering sunbeam." That is good art. Montanelli and Gemma are well drawn, particularly Montanelli, and of the minor characters Martini is the best. The book will probably be censured-it is too careless of criticism to escape that-but with all its fascination it is not a book to have any lasting influence. It might gain one convert for atheism but it would drive away ten. -"The Vassar Miscellany," Volume 28
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well written.
exploring the idealism and sacrifices of youth against the issues of long term relationships -particularly the conflicts for a godly churchman with a flawed past, and a powerful revolutionary leader with deep hurt and bitterness
