The Leopard

The physical terrain of places like Palermo and Donnafugata pleases Prince Fabrizio. Why does he take more comfort from the physical world than the people who inhabit it?

The Leopard is set during the unification of Italy. To what extent does the novel portray Garibaldi as a revolutionary hero? To what extent does the novel believe in the concept of a revolutionary hero?

In the opening chapter of the novel, Prince Fabrizio is described as a physically imposing figure whose fair hair differentiates him from typical Sicilians. How do the Prince’s physical features reflect his personality? What cultural and ethnic prejudices—both his own and those of the world around him—are revealed in the book’s descriptions of his appearance?

Fabrizio has many children, but he believes that Tancredi is his true son. Why? What values or virtues does Fabrizio see embodied in Tancredi? To what degree does Tancredi live up to Fabrizio’s image of him?

How does The Leopard portray the various social classes of Sicily during the Risorgimento? What commonalities does it find across class divisions?

Sensuality and sex play a big role in the day-to-day lives of the Sicilian nobles. To what extent does this devotion to sensuality govern the characters’ lives?

Other than two chapters, the novel is told from the perspective of Prince Fabrizio. What are the effects of depicting the decline of the Sicilian nobility from his perspective? What is the effect of the change in perspective in the other chapters?

Every character in The Leopard thinks of themselves as a Catholic. Does Catholic faith mean different things to different characters? What role or roles does the Church play in daily life?