Whosoever Shall Offend

"Whosoever Shall Offend" by F. Marion Crawford is a story placed in Italy, about how trust, family, and love can be tested, centering on Marcello Consalvi, his rich widowed mother, and her new, young husband, Folco Corbario. The story, written in the early 1900s, introduces a setting among high society where perceptions are everything, and the marriage of Marcello’s mother to Folco causes whispers. Folco is seen as an ideal stepfather to young Marcello; however, as Marcello grows, his mother tries hard to keep him from the world’s harshness. This desire to protect him clashes with what society expects, building tension and making us think about how outside forces change lives and relationships.