Arme Violetta

Summary

Violetta Duclos, a destitute Parisian draped in threadbare garments, is thrust into the unforgiving glare of modernity when a speeding automobile severs her fragile existence, leaving her bruised yet inexplicably enamored with the impassioned playwright Alfred Germont. Their fleeting romance, kindled in the shadow of a streetlamp and nourished by whispered verses, is abruptly severed when Alfred departs to attend a family crisis, abandoning Violetta to the caprices of an unforgiving city. Bereft and spiraling into deeper penury, Violetta encounters the aristocratic Count von Geray, whose opulent promises of shelter and sustenance appear as a lifeline amidst her ruin. Initially repulsed by the Count's gilded overtures, Violetta's resolve crumbles as desperation gnaws at her resolve, prompting her to flee with the nobleman into a world of silk and candlelight. Alfred, haunted by lingering affection, trails her across the Seine, only to discover that Violetta's abandonment was not a betrayal of love but a desperate concealment of a grave, incurable illness that threatens to consume her very breath.

Synopsis

Violetta Duclos is a poor Parisian girl. After being struck by an automobile, she falls deeply in love with a young playwright, Alfred Germont. Called away by a family emergency, Alfred leaves Violetta, who, falling into more dire circumstances, is taken under the wing of the Graf (Count) von Geray. Von Geray promises her wealth and comfort. She initially rejects her rich suitor, but then, surprisingly, runs off with him. Alfred pursues her, only to learn that she has abandoned him not for lack of love, but due to serious illness.