Page "Beppo (poem)" Paragraph 1

The poem tells the story of a Venetian lady, Laura, whose husband, Giuseppe ( or " Beppo " for short ), has been lost at sea for the past three years.

According to Venetian customs, and without shedding too many tears, she finally takes on a Cavalier Servente, simply called " the Count ".

But when the two of them attend the Venetian Carnival, where she is duly admired for her beauty by all the men, she is closely observed by a Turk who turns out to be her missing husband.

Beppo explains that he has been captured and enslaved, but was freed by a band of pirates that he joined.

Now, with the money he made through his life of piracy, he has returned to be re-baptized and reclaim his wife.

Laura returns to Beppo, and he and the Count become " friends ".