Captain Corelli’s Mandolin Essay -- essays research papers

Captain Corellis Mandolin S U M M A R Y It is 1941, and a young Italian officer, Captain Antonio Corelli,arrives on the beautiful Grecian island of Cephallonia as part of an occupying force. He is billeted in the house of the local doctor, Iannis and his daughter Pelagia. He quickly wins the spirit of Pelagia through his humour and his sensitivity, not to mention his stunning ability on the mandolin. But Pelagia is engaged to Mandras, a local fisherman who is away fighting with the Greek army. Despite her growing affection for Corelli, Pelagia continues to write to Mandras, but he does not answer. It transpires that he could not, since he is illiterate. But Pelagia takes this as a point that their love is dead and she gives herself to Corelli. Then there is the betrayal. Everyone, it seems, in a compact space of time, is betrayed. In the autumn of 1943, the Allies invade Sicily instead of the Greek islands, and, in the eyes of the islanders, betray Greece the Italian commander, General Gandin, betrays his men, the Germans betray the Italians by chance Corelli even betrays Pelagia by leaving her. The full abhorrence of war, international and therefore civil, comes home to all the characters, then is swept away by the course of history. Pelagia and Corelli are apart and destined to remain so for half a lifetime. Pelagia thinks Corelli is dead, Corelli, visiting Pelagia secretly every year, thinks she is married. Then, in 1953 a new horror hits the island the earthquake. The events ...