A new student at Pisa, Angelo proves to be a fish out of water. Having lived a sheltered life with his grandfather in a remote province, he retains a social clumsiness that gets him in trouble at his first day in school. It is only through Cesare's timely intervention that Angelo begins to realize his awkward and lackadaisical upbringing. It is through the eyes of Angelo that we primarily learn Cesare's multifaceted motivations and the beginnings of his ambitions.