The Valley of Decision

What It's About

Set in northern Italy in the second half of the 18th century, the novel follows Odo Valsecca, a boy of noble blood raised in poverty who unexpectedly inherits the dukedom of Pianura. As he comes of age and takes power, Odo must navigate the competing claims of the entrenched feudal aristocracy, the Catholic Church, and the liberal reform movements sweeping Europe in the years leading up to the French Revolution. His personal loyalties, particularly to the free-thinking idealist Fulvia Vivaldi, repeatedly pull against the demands of his position, forcing him toward difficult political and moral choices.

Key Concepts

The novel weighs Enlightenment idealism against the practical burdens of governing, and explores the uneasy relationship between reform movements and the old feudal order they sought to overturn. It also examines the political weight of the Church in pre-unification Italy. Wharton takes a notably even-handed approach, presenting the failures of both entrenched tradition and revolutionary zeal rather than siding with either.

About the Author

Edith Wharton (1862–1937) was an American novelist and short-story writer, born into a wealthy and socially prominent New York family. She spent much of her adult life in France and had a lifelong fascination with Italy and its history and art, which shaped this, her first full-length novel.