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خيانة زوجة
An unhappy love, marriage of convenience... and Gemma, the central character in The Wayward Wife, is drawn into an inenvitable affair before she realizes where her true feelings lie. Unsentimental, clear-sighted, dispassionately observant, this collection represent Moravia at his best.
160 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1963
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145 people want to read
About the author
Alberto Moravia
514 books1,213 followersAlberto Moravia, born Alberto Pincherle, was one of the leading Italian novelists of the twentieth century whose novels explore matters of modern sexuality, social alienation, and existentialism. He was also a journalist, playwright, essayist and film critic.
Moravia was an atheist, his writing was marked by its factual, cold, precise style, often depicting the malaise of the bourgeoisie, underpinned by high social and cultural awareness. Moravia believed that writers must, if they were to represent reality, assume a moral position, a clearly conceived political, social, and philosophical attitude, but also that, ultimately, "A writer survives in spite of his beliefs".
Moravia was an atheist, his writing was marked by its factual, cold, precise style, often depicting the malaise of the bourgeoisie, underpinned by high social and cultural awareness. Moravia believed that writers must, if they were to represent reality, assume a moral position, a clearly conceived political, social, and philosophical attitude, but also that, ultimately, "A writer survives in spite of his beliefs".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
October 31, 2016
اذا يوجد رواية قد ملأتني اشمئزازاً وقهراً وتصبّراً حتى انهائها فهي رواية خيانة زوجة للكاتب الإيطالي البرتو مورافيا، تفاصيلها الدقيقة، وتباطئ ردود فعل بطلة الرواية جيما يصيبُك بالبرود القاتل.
صحيح ان هذا يحسب لقدرة الراوي على التحكم في أحاسيسك باتجاه الغضب من برود جيما، وصمت جيما، وطيبة جيما، مقابل تعنت الفيرا، المرأة التي عرفت اسرار جيما وفضيحة جيما، لتربطها مثل الكلب في يدها.
وجيما التي كادت ان تخسر اعظم زوج نالته والتي كانت تستنقصه في بادئ حياتها الزوجية، هذا الزوج والدكتور بالجامعة هو المنقذ بصبره وعدم تطليقها وتجريعها الألم ألمين عندما فضحتها الفيرا بخيانتها، تلك الخيانة التي تم تجريرها جراً إليها بواسطة الفيرا وفيتوني الشاب المخادع وعاشق اللهو والغمار والفتيات.
هذا التصبّر من زوجها يحسب لكاتب الرواية الذي جعلك تغضب في نواحي عدة من قبل نهاية الرواية، تغضب من البرود الممل الذي عاشته صامتةً جيما تتلاعب بها المرأة الرومانية الفيرا التي تمتلك كل صفات الوقاحة والحقارة.
عموماً، هي قصة فتاة عاشت مع جدتها في بيت ريفي باحدى الارياف الجبلية بايطاليا، ويوجد عند الطرف الآخر من الجبل فيلا راقية، وكانت امها قبل وفاتها تبقيها بهذه الفيلا في كل صيف، وبعد وفاتها صار يأتي فيتوني السائق ليوصلها للفيلة، وفيتوني هو الذي سيغتال عذريتها عندما سيلتقيها في روما اثناء انتقالها مع زوجها حيث يدرِّس بالجامعة هناك.
قبل هذا الاغتيال، سيقع ابن صاحب الفيلا في حب وهيام جيما، وسيتبادلان رسائل الصداقة ثم الحب والعشق، وعندما اعلن الابن أبيه عن رغبته الزواج من جيما، رفض رفضاً قاطعا، وقد ارسل الأب رسالة الرفض الى جدة جيما، والتي قالته بعد مقدمات الى جيما، في بادئ الأمر انفجرت جيما متهمةً اياهم بانهم لا يريدون الزواج من فتاة ريفية فقيرة، ولكن عندما اخبرتها جدتها باستحالة الزواج لسبب ان صاحب الفيلا هو اباها الذي لم يتزوج امها اقتنعت بان حبها كان لأخيها وليس معشوقها وزوجها المحتمل!
الرواية ملأى بالتفاصيل الأخرى، وهي رائعة ومشوقة، وجميلة
صحيح ان هذا يحسب لقدرة الراوي على التحكم في أحاسيسك باتجاه الغضب من برود جيما، وصمت جيما، وطيبة جيما، مقابل تعنت الفيرا، المرأة التي عرفت اسرار جيما وفضيحة جيما، لتربطها مثل الكلب في يدها.
وجيما التي كادت ان تخسر اعظم زوج نالته والتي كانت تستنقصه في بادئ حياتها الزوجية، هذا الزوج والدكتور بالجامعة هو المنقذ بصبره وعدم تطليقها وتجريعها الألم ألمين عندما فضحتها الفيرا بخيانتها، تلك الخيانة التي تم تجريرها جراً إليها بواسطة الفيرا وفيتوني الشاب المخادع وعاشق اللهو والغمار والفتيات.
هذا التصبّر من زوجها يحسب لكاتب الرواية الذي جعلك تغضب في نواحي عدة من قبل نهاية الرواية، تغضب من البرود الممل الذي عاشته صامتةً جيما تتلاعب بها المرأة الرومانية الفيرا التي تمتلك كل صفات الوقاحة والحقارة.
عموماً، هي قصة فتاة عاشت مع جدتها في بيت ريفي باحدى الارياف الجبلية بايطاليا، ويوجد عند الطرف الآخر من الجبل فيلا راقية، وكانت امها قبل وفاتها تبقيها بهذه الفيلا في كل صيف، وبعد وفاتها صار يأتي فيتوني السائق ليوصلها للفيلة، وفيتوني هو الذي سيغتال عذريتها عندما سيلتقيها في روما اثناء انتقالها مع زوجها حيث يدرِّس بالجامعة هناك.
قبل هذا الاغتيال، سيقع ابن صاحب الفيلا في حب وهيام جيما، وسيتبادلان رسائل الصداقة ثم الحب والعشق، وعندما اعلن الابن أبيه عن رغبته الزواج من جيما، رفض رفضاً قاطعا، وقد ارسل الأب رسالة الرفض الى جدة جيما، والتي قالته بعد مقدمات الى جيما، في بادئ الأمر انفجرت جيما متهمةً اياهم بانهم لا يريدون الزواج من فتاة ريفية فقيرة، ولكن عندما اخبرتها جدتها باستحالة الزواج لسبب ان صاحب الفيلا هو اباها الذي لم يتزوج امها اقتنعت بان حبها كان لأخيها وليس معشوقها وزوجها المحتمل!
الرواية ملأى بالتفاصيل الأخرى، وهي رائعة ومشوقة، وجميلة
June 26, 2021
Era tanto che non leggevo (ascoltavo) Moravia e avevo dimenticato quanto potesse essere essenziale, asciutto e decisamente preciso nelle sue descrizioni. Quella di Gemma é una storia in cui succede poco e niente, ma resta comunque un piccolo capolavoro.
October 14, 2019
Piacevole, ma la scrittura é un po' datata.
August 14, 2020
Gemma: il personaggio più odioso, ignobile, superficiale ed ignorante del quale ho letto quest’anno.
Che magnificenza la scrittura di Moravia!
Che magnificenza la scrittura di Moravia!
July 9, 2016
insomma a me il primo Moravia piace moltissimo....
September 19, 2017
“In verità c'era in lei un'inclinazione naturale e invincibile al lusso, alla vanità e alla vita mondana... “
Una ragazza di provincia, la bella ed ambiziosa Gemma, divisa fra vizio (purché proficuo) e virtù è la protagonista di questo racconto/romanzo breve di Moravia, che fa parte della raccolta Racconti (1927-1951) (premio Strega 1952, che provocò a Carlo Emilio Gadda, suo competitor, un vero e proprio “delirio nevrastenico”...): incapace di scegliere fra la ricchezza patinata e la visibilità sociale da un lato e l’amore romantico e sentimentalmente appagante dall’altro, Gemma vive dapprima l’amore per Paolo, un ragazzo ricco che frequenta fin dall’infanzia, che le interessa soprattutto per il riscatto sociale che metterebbe fine alla sua vita modesta e provinciale. Ma, pur entrambi innamorati, il matrimonio non può farsi a causa del veto assoluto posto dal padre di lui. Come seconda – e caparbiamente voluta - scelta, Gemma va sposa ad un modesto professore universitario, affittuario nella casa che lei condivide con la madre: uomo d’altri tempi e per nulla attraente, la ragazza si costringe ad amarlo, senza però riuscirvi. Complice l’insoddisfazione seguita a questo matrimonio di convenienza, Gemma si fida di una donna rumena che la caccerà in una serie di guai...
La narrativa di Moravia possiede spesso caratteri torbidi e un po’ artificiosi, che possono risultare disturbanti: "La provinciale" non fa eccezione, è un dramma scontato i cui personaggi sono macchiette tipiche: la ragazza scontrosa e arrivista, il professore rinchiuso nel suo mondo accademico e incapace di comprendere cosa stia accadendo all'inquieta moglie, l’avventuriera straniera pronta ad ogni bassezza pur di arricchirsi, la madre colpevole che ha nascosto alla figlia la vera identità del padre, una famiglia di nobili sfaccendati che tratta la ragazza (in realtà loro stretta parente) in modo distaccato e altezzoso: insomma un quadro caratterizzato dai toni del realismo ma che in definitiva è una sorta di fumetto per adulti. Ma la scrittura è così limpida, chiara e allo stesso tempo elegante, raffinata, che mi ha portata con sé per alcune ore con grande piacevolezza, grazie alla voce dell'attrice Maria Grazia Mandruzzato. Un ottimo ascolto.
Una ragazza di provincia, la bella ed ambiziosa Gemma, divisa fra vizio (purché proficuo) e virtù è la protagonista di questo racconto/romanzo breve di Moravia, che fa parte della raccolta Racconti (1927-1951) (premio Strega 1952, che provocò a Carlo Emilio Gadda, suo competitor, un vero e proprio “delirio nevrastenico”...): incapace di scegliere fra la ricchezza patinata e la visibilità sociale da un lato e l’amore romantico e sentimentalmente appagante dall’altro, Gemma vive dapprima l’amore per Paolo, un ragazzo ricco che frequenta fin dall’infanzia, che le interessa soprattutto per il riscatto sociale che metterebbe fine alla sua vita modesta e provinciale. Ma, pur entrambi innamorati, il matrimonio non può farsi a causa del veto assoluto posto dal padre di lui. Come seconda – e caparbiamente voluta - scelta, Gemma va sposa ad un modesto professore universitario, affittuario nella casa che lei condivide con la madre: uomo d’altri tempi e per nulla attraente, la ragazza si costringe ad amarlo, senza però riuscirvi. Complice l’insoddisfazione seguita a questo matrimonio di convenienza, Gemma si fida di una donna rumena che la caccerà in una serie di guai...
La narrativa di Moravia possiede spesso caratteri torbidi e un po’ artificiosi, che possono risultare disturbanti: "La provinciale" non fa eccezione, è un dramma scontato i cui personaggi sono macchiette tipiche: la ragazza scontrosa e arrivista, il professore rinchiuso nel suo mondo accademico e incapace di comprendere cosa stia accadendo all'inquieta moglie, l’avventuriera straniera pronta ad ogni bassezza pur di arricchirsi, la madre colpevole che ha nascosto alla figlia la vera identità del padre, una famiglia di nobili sfaccendati che tratta la ragazza (in realtà loro stretta parente) in modo distaccato e altezzoso: insomma un quadro caratterizzato dai toni del realismo ma che in definitiva è una sorta di fumetto per adulti. Ma la scrittura è così limpida, chiara e allo stesso tempo elegante, raffinata, che mi ha portata con sé per alcune ore con grande piacevolezza, grazie alla voce dell'attrice Maria Grazia Mandruzzato. Un ottimo ascolto.
August 9, 2021
Le prime pagine, con la descrizione della protagonista, Gemma, e della madre, valgono da sole la lettura.
July 21, 2020
The men in every story seem like
Brett Kavanaugh frat pals cavorting
in between-wars 20th century Italy.
Rampant misogyny, but no boofing.
Brett Kavanaugh frat pals cavorting
in between-wars 20th century Italy.
Rampant misogyny, but no boofing.
September 9, 2024
مدهشة ،محشوة بجمال طازج !🖤
February 13, 2019
لولا طول السرد لحازت النجمات الثلاث ولكن هذا السرد الطويل اصابني بالملل في بعض الاحيان اثناء القراءه .
August 5, 2022
A selection of short stories and a novella (the Wayward Wife) published between 1927 and 1948. They are similar in style to Morandi’s “Roman Tales”—realistic, psychological, quirky. The protagonists are often looking for love or affection but find themselves in mismatched relationships, misunderstood, cheated, or confused. There is a downbeat quality to the stories but also considerable humanity.
I would rank the collection on a par with “Two Adolescents” and “Contempt” and a notch above “Roman Stories”, “the Lie”, and “1934”. Early Morandi is a simple pleasure compared to his later existential works which sometimes seem to be trying too hard for intellectual importance.
My short story reviews, ranked
I would rank the collection on a par with “Two Adolescents” and “Contempt” and a notch above “Roman Stories”, “the Lie”, and “1934”. Early Morandi is a simple pleasure compared to his later existential works which sometimes seem to be trying too hard for intellectual importance.
My short story reviews, ranked
March 25, 2024
Contrar titlului cărții, care provoacă și îți creează anumite așteptări (false), cartea puțin pare a avea legătură cu denumirea sa. Nu e o lucrare psihologică / științifică / instructivă, sau un roman pe subiectul dat. Ci de fapt un volum ce conține 16 nuvele și esee, unele atît de scurte, de doar 6 pagini, încît te plictiseau prin rapiditatea prin care se încheiau.
Potrivit titlului avut, majoritatea nuvelelor sînt, de fapt, despre dragoste: amorul extraconjugal, poliamorie, înșelăciune, fetișuri sexuale, iubirea adolescentină, etc. Pentru fundamentaliștii "familiei tradiționale", cartea e un "don't read it" obligatoriu. Pentru cei mai liberali, deschiși către "complexitățile dragostei", it's ok.
Potrivit titlului avut, majoritatea nuvelelor sînt, de fapt, despre dragoste: amorul extraconjugal, poliamorie, înșelăciune, fetișuri sexuale, iubirea adolescentină, etc. Pentru fundamentaliștii "familiei tradiționale", cartea e un "don't read it" obligatoriu. Pentru cei mai liberali, deschiși către "complexitățile dragostei", it's ok.
November 4, 2016
not very much bad
1.7
1.7
July 11, 2019
Racconto che mi appare un pò datato così come la recitazione.
La storia di questa ragazza di provincia è narrata con un senso di superiorità un pò fastidioso.
La storia di questa ragazza di provincia è narrata con un senso di superiorità un pò fastidioso.
July 23, 2022
Dovrei creare un nuovo scaffale: "personaggi-insopportabilmente-umani". Tanto l'odio per Gemma quanto l'amore per la scrittura di Moravia.
August 10, 2022
⭐ 3.25
essenziale, asciutto e preciso nelle descrizioni. splendide le prime pagine.
essenziale, asciutto e preciso nelle descrizioni. splendide le prime pagine.
November 24, 2025
Alberto Moravia was a major twentieth‑century Italian novelist, noted for his cool, analytic style and for dissecting bourgeois hypocrisy, sexual frustration and moral emptiness in modern life. He lived through Fascism and war, wrote openly about sexuality and politics, and sometimes drew criticism from both Church and state for perceived immorality or ideological leanings. La provinciale is a realist psychological novel about class, desire and respectability in provincial Italy, often read as social critique as much as intimate drama. It will appeal to readers interested in mid‑century European fiction, complex female protagonists and stories where small social humiliations and compromises gradually shape a life.
Gemma, a pretty but modestly born girl from a central Italian town, dreams of escaping provincial dullness through beauty and an advantageous match. She first falls for Paolo, a rich young man she has known since childhood, seeing in him both romance and social rescue, but a family revelation makes marriage impossible. Resentful yet determined to “get on”, she settles for Franco, a serious, rather dull university professor she cannot truly love. Bored and dissatisfied, Gemma allows herself to be guided by a worldly, disreputable “countess” who introduces her to high society and an affair, pulling her into deceit, vulnerability to blackmail and a painful reckoning with what she really wants. La provinciale can feel schematic: Gemma sometimes reads less as a fully rounded woman than as a type embodying vanity and social climbing, which may limit emotional nuance.
Memorable quote: "In trying to climb a little higher, she discovered only how far she could fall.”
Gemma, a pretty but modestly born girl from a central Italian town, dreams of escaping provincial dullness through beauty and an advantageous match. She first falls for Paolo, a rich young man she has known since childhood, seeing in him both romance and social rescue, but a family revelation makes marriage impossible. Resentful yet determined to “get on”, she settles for Franco, a serious, rather dull university professor she cannot truly love. Bored and dissatisfied, Gemma allows herself to be guided by a worldly, disreputable “countess” who introduces her to high society and an affair, pulling her into deceit, vulnerability to blackmail and a painful reckoning with what she really wants. La provinciale can feel schematic: Gemma sometimes reads less as a fully rounded woman than as a type embodying vanity and social climbing, which may limit emotional nuance.
Memorable quote: "In trying to climb a little higher, she discovered only how far she could fall.”
February 21, 2025
One of my first thoughts after reading this book was, "I'll read any short story this man has written, but none of his novels."
I suppose it might be because I prefer short stories, but I do feel Moravia's talent is in compacting stories into a single story, while the story can be unravelled into a full novel, it would only feel like a drag (literally).
Giving this book 5 stars because of the bluntness. Moravia's characters aren't the whitewashed characters we usually see in books. They are imperfect individuals we might meet on the way, neighbours, classmates and they might even be us.
In the eponymous story, "The Wayward Wife", we see a girl whose only wish is to leave behind a life of poverty, in failing to do that, she tries to use lies and fantasies to escape from her reality, before she eventually realises what an error that is.
In "Woman from Mexico", we see a man who has all his life lived a 'straight' life, but suddenly he sees that the things that repel him are inadvertently attracting him, pushing him to become the unconventional person he despises. There is no doubt that we have at some point felt the same way.
All the stories in this collection will pull you in and force you to think (don't be scared, not in that philosophical way) about life and yourself in general.
Highly recommended.
I suppose it might be because I prefer short stories, but I do feel Moravia's talent is in compacting stories into a single story, while the story can be unravelled into a full novel, it would only feel like a drag (literally).
Giving this book 5 stars because of the bluntness. Moravia's characters aren't the whitewashed characters we usually see in books. They are imperfect individuals we might meet on the way, neighbours, classmates and they might even be us.
In the eponymous story, "The Wayward Wife", we see a girl whose only wish is to leave behind a life of poverty, in failing to do that, she tries to use lies and fantasies to escape from her reality, before she eventually realises what an error that is.
In "Woman from Mexico", we see a man who has all his life lived a 'straight' life, but suddenly he sees that the things that repel him are inadvertently attracting him, pushing him to become the unconventional person he despises. There is no doubt that we have at some point felt the same way.
All the stories in this collection will pull you in and force you to think (don't be scared, not in that philosophical way) about life and yourself in general.
Highly recommended.
September 2, 2025
Gemma, figlia di un'affittacamere, s'innamora di un ricco giovane, Paolo Sertori; ma non puo' sposarlo, avendo scoperto che è un figlio adulterino di sua madre. Superata la grave delusione, Gemma s'acconcia a sposare il giovane professore Franco Vagnuzzi, che l'ha fatta sua. Non unita al marito da vero affetto, essa è senza difesa di fronte alle losche arti di un'ignobile mezzana, la contessa Elvira, che la induce a divenire l'amante di un certo Tittoni. Franco, che tutto assorto negli studi, poco si cura delle esigenze sentimentali della moglie, non concepisce alcun sospetto. La relazione con Tittoni è solo una breve parentesi, dopo la quale Gemma si riavvicina al marito e durante un viaggio ha modo di meglio conoscerlo. Al ritorno, Gemma trova la contessa Elvira insediata in casa: la losca sfruttatrice la ricatta e cerca di pervertirla del tutto. Quando Franco ottiene il trasferimento a Roma, Gemma vede in cio' una liberazione; ma la contessa assicura che li seguirà nella capitale. Gemma, esasperata, le si scaglia addosso e la ferisce. Dopo questa crisi tra Franco, Gemma e la madre di lei ha luogo una spiegazione. La contessa è cacciata: Gemma e Franco hanno imparato ad amarsi.
April 26, 2020
من الأعمال التي يصعب تقييمها
قرأتها بصعوبة لأن كثرة الوصف أصابني بالملل، وكذلك طبيعة القصة ليس فيها حركة ولا أي أحداث مشوقة أو صادمة مما يجعلها شديدة الرتابة والملل.
ما يجعلني أقيمها بنجمتين هو الجزء الأخير حين بدأت التقلبات والحركة تجعل من العمل يستحق القراءة.. غير ذلك فهمو عمل سيء
طبعا الترجمة ضعيفة جدا ولم تكن على قدر تطلعاتي..
قرأتها بصعوبة لأن كثرة الوصف أصابني بالملل، وكذلك طبيعة القصة ليس فيها حركة ولا أي أحداث مشوقة أو صادمة مما يجعلها شديدة الرتابة والملل.
ما يجعلني أقيمها بنجمتين هو الجزء الأخير حين بدأت التقلبات والحركة تجعل من العمل يستحق القراءة.. غير ذلك فهمو عمل سيء
طبعا الترجمة ضعيفة جدا ولم تكن على قدر تطلعاتي..
July 2, 2023
في رواياته خيانة زوجه يقدم لنا ألبرتو مورافيا بأسلوبه الدقيق والعميق صورة فتاه جميلة في سن المراهقه تعيش بفضل مخيلتها الخصبة في عالم غريب عن عالمنا المادي الذي نعرف وتروح وتحلم وتمني النفس بنيل مآربها حتى ولو كان هذا عن طريق الخيانه وذلك بعد أن ينهار صرحها العاجي.
November 1, 2024
Un’Emma Bovary col lieto fine.
Contenta anche se non felice.
Non ti ricordi la scioltezza e l’eleganza della prosa di Moravia finché non rileggi Moravia.
Il potere di fascinazione esercitato dalle sue parole è altissimo.
Contenta anche se non felice.
Non ti ricordi la scioltezza e l’eleganza della prosa di Moravia finché non rileggi Moravia.
Il potere di fascinazione esercitato dalle sue parole è altissimo.
January 24, 2020
Moravia is great, though the translation is horrible.
January 18, 2022
اقل من عادي
صياغه فقيرة وتشويق معدوم
صياغه فقيرة وتشويق معدوم
June 19, 2022
جميلة هذه الرواية ... تحوي بناء ومعاني أجمل كثيرا من عنوانها
April 1, 2024
Novella novecentesca Knorr
April 18, 2025
اقل من عادي
صياغه فقيرة وتشويق معدوم
December 9, 2021
مملة للغاية
السرد الطويل دون وجود أحداث أو تشويق جعلني أنهيها بصعوبة
السرد الطويل دون وجود أحداث أو تشويق جعلني أنهيها بصعوبة
April 28, 2014
I think this deserves 2.5 stars but no option for that. I like Moravia's Back to the Sea but found this collection ...I dunno slightly racist and/or misogynist. Still interesting human interactions but I couldn't ignore his overbearing attitude poisoning good stories and atmospheres. Or maybe it was just the time and place and person he was. I'll forgive ya Bert but only two stars.
November 11, 2017
The Wayward Wife is one of my favorite Moravia short stories. It's more of a novella. If you get the chance don't miss seeing the 1953 Gina Lollobrigida film version, La provincial. It's interesting to know the film versions of Moravia's work have some of the most famous and beautiful European actresses of all time.
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