Zofloya

Zofloya, or The Moor is a Gothic novel written by the English poet and novelist Charlotte Dacre and published in 1806. The novel was published after Dacre had already attained some success with a previous novel and a collection of poetry; Zofloya sold well but also attracted criticism for its depictions of female sexuality and allusions to an interracial relationship. While Dacre presents the novel as a warning against the consequences of moral lapses, she also explores critiques of marriage and the patriarchy, and inverts conventions of the Gothic novel by depicting her heroine, Victoria, as willful and reckless rather than passive and submissive.

This guide references the 1997 Broadview edition of the novel.

Content Warning: The novel and the guide reference racist stereotypes, domestic and familial violence, death by suicide, and rape.

Plot Summary

The novel is set in Venice, Italy, in the late 1400s. The Marchese di Loredani is a wealthy nobleman; he is married to Laurina, and they have two children: Leonardo and Victoria. When Victoria and Leonardo are teenagers, Laurina is seduced by a nobleman named Ardolph and abandons her family to be with her lover. Leonardo runs away from home, and the Marchese is killed in a confrontation with Ardolph. After the death of her father, Victoria lives with Laurina and Ardolph; when she is 17, she catches the eye of a Venetian nobleman named Berenza. Berenza wants Victoria to become his mistress, and she is eager to do so. However, Laurina and Ardolph find out that Victoria is planning to begin an illicit relationship; they place Victoria into the custody of a strict elderly relative, Signora di Modena. Victoria quickly escapes, makes her way to Venice, and begins living with Berenza as his mistress.

Prior to meeting Victoria, Berenza had been in another relationship with a woman named Megalena Strozzi. Unbeknownst to Victoria, Megalena is now in a relationship with Leonardo (Victoria’s brother). When Megalena learns that Berenza has a new lover, she dispatches Leonardo to kill him; Leonardo is unsuccessful and accidentally injures Victoria instead. After the murder attempt, Leonardo and Megalena are forced to flee from Venice lest the crime be traced back to them (Leonardo left an engraved dagger at the crime scene). After the attack, Victoria and Berenza get married, but Victoria comes to understand that Berenza had not initially perceived her as worthy of marriage, and this sours their relationship.

Years pass, and Berenza’s brother, Henriquez, comes to Venice. Henriquez is very devoted to a young woman named Lilla and plans to marry her. However, Victoria becomes obsessed with Henriquez and longs to be his lover. Victoria begins to have strange dreams featuring Henriquez’s servant, a man named Zofloya. Zofloya eventually approaches Victoria and offers to help her. He gives her poisons to give to Berenza. The poisons eventually kill Berenza; once her husband is dead, Victoria confides her feelings to Henriquez, but he rejects her. Victoria decides that she doesn’t have a chance with Henriquez while Lilla is alive, so she and Zofloya imprison Lilla in a cave. With Lilla missing, Henriquez becomes ill with grief and continues to reject Victoria. Zofloya uses magic to confuse and disorient Henriquez so that he believes Victoria to be Lilla. However, when Henriquez realizes that he has been deceived and has slept with Victoria, he dies by suicide.

Enraged, Victoria kills Lilla. Realizing she is going to be caught for her various crimes, she begs Zofloya to help her. Using supernatural powers, he transports her to the Alps, where they take shelter with a group of bandits. The chief of the bandits is Leonardo, and Megalena is by his side. Some of the bandits come upon Ardolph and Laurina, who have been traveling nearby; they intervene because Ardolph is beating Laurina. When the couple is brought to Leonardo, he seizes the moment for vengeance and kills Ardolph. Laurina dies due to her injuries; Leonardo readily forgives his mother, but Victoria refuses to do so. Shortly after Laurina’s death, the bandits are betrayed to the local authorities. Realizing there is no chance of escape, Megalena and Leonardo both kill themselves rather than surrender.

Zofloya whisks Victoria away from the confrontation between the bandits and the authorities. He asks her to confirm one more time that she is entirely his; when she does so, Zofloya reveals that he is actually Satan. Since he now possesses Victoria’s soul, he drags her down to hell.