Freedom
One of the key themes that feature in the novel is that of freedom. Donata is spurred into action by a lack of freedom at home and longs for this freedom when she hatches her plan to escape the palazzo and explore the city. We also see this longing for freedom in Donata and Laura later in the novel. They long for husbands in order to avoid lives as nuns in the convent, a lifestyle that is typically associated with routine and the lack of freedom.
Love
Love is also another theme that features in the novel in both the form of romantic love and familial love. These two forms are both observed in Donata's actions in the novel. When she is presented with the opportunity to marry, she hatches a plan to have Laura take her place. She is spurred not only by familial love for Laura as Laura has been masquerading as her, but also by romantic love for Noe.
Women's Empowerment
Another important but less prominent theme that features greatly in the novel as well is that of women empowerment. Even though we see many women in the novel, they are often subject to rules imposed upon them by men. Even in the life-changing act of marriage we see in the novel, the husbands are chosen for the girls by their father and they appear to have little to no say in the issue. Thus, we are able to observe how women are treated. It is only at the end of the novel when we see Donata's father allowing her to pursue a further education at a university, a path that women are generally not expected to take in that time period, where we see a slight semblance of women being empowered.
