While Dulche’s vocabulary may have wowed us all at the tour of the Duke and Duchess of Palma’s Palazzo, I was not that intrigued by the tour and information we learned about Gioacchino and Nicoletta Lanza Tomasi. It was great to see the original manuscripts of ll gattopardo enclosed in the living room glass case. Ultimately though I think growing up in the U.S. it is interesting to think about our view of monarchy and its role in society. In looking at a nation like England where there is a constitutional monarchy in which honestly the Queen has more symbolic power than real authority, I still have trouble understanding people’s admiration of the royal family. When thinking about Italy and how the monarchy was the system of government that ended in 1946, it is difficult to understand the significance or potential fascination with Gioacchino and Nicoletta Lanza Tomasi. I am glad we went on the tour but I think it is just interesting to think about how our American identity and the history of the country shapes our view of monarchy.
