Welcome to New Concept English Book 3. Today we will read the story 'A Noble Gangster'. This tale takes us back to 14th century Italy, during the age of city-states and mercenary warriors. Our protagonist is Hawkwood, an Italian condottiere - a professional soldier who sold his military services to the highest bidder. The story explores the fascinating paradox of a man who was both feared as a gangster and respected as a noble figure in medieval Italian society.
Let's begin reading the first part of 'A Noble Gangster'. There was a time when the owners of shops and businesses in Chicago had to pay large sums of money to gangsters in return for protection. If the money was not paid promptly, the gangsters would quickly put a man out of business by destroying his shop. Notice the pronunciation of key words: gangsters with a hard 'g' sound, protection with stress on the second syllable, and promptly meaning quickly or without delay.
Continuing with our story: Obtaining protection money is not a modern crime. As long ago as the fourteenth century, an Englishman, Sir John Hawkwood, made the famous Italian city-state of Florence pay him 200,000 florins not to attack it with his army. Notice how Hawkwood's business model worked - he would threaten to attack cities with his mercenary army unless they paid him substantial sums of money. This was an early form of organized extortion on a massive scale.
Here's the final part of our story: In spite of this, the Italians regarded him as a sort of hero. When he died at the age of eighty, the Florentines gave him a state funeral and had a picture of him painted which was dedicated to the memory of 'the most valiant soldier and most notable leader'. Notice the incredible irony here - a man who essentially extorted money from cities through threats of violence was honored as a hero and given a state funeral. This paradox is what makes Hawkwood a 'noble gangster'.
Let's review the complete text of 'A Noble Gangster'. This story brilliantly connects modern organized crime with historical precedent, showing how protection rackets existed even in the 14th century. Notice the sophisticated grammar structures: past tense narratives, passive voice constructions, and complex sentences with phrases like 'In spite of this'. The central irony is powerful - a man who extorted money through threats became a celebrated hero. This paradox reflects the complex nature of power, respect, and moral ambiguity throughout history. The story demonstrates that some human behaviors transcend time periods, connecting medieval Italy with modern Chicago through the universal theme of protection money.