《牛虻》以19世纪30年代意大利反抗奥地利统治者、争取民族独立运动为背景，成功地刻画了牛虻这一坚定的革命者形象，在世界范围内产生巨大影响。小说主人公牛虻出身富裕的资产阶级家庭，因在严酷的现实教育下看破天主教的虚伪，愤然离去，从而走上革命道路，历经磨难，一次在偷运军火的行动中被捕，毅然经受了严刑折磨和神父（实为牛虻的生父）的劝诫，不屈而死。(The Gadfly, taking national independent movement against rulers of Austria as background, successfully describes a firm revolutionary image of Gadfly, which makes greatly difference worldwide in 1830s. Gadfly, leading character in this novel was born in a rich bourgeoisie family, and left in anger for recognizing hypocrisy of Catholicism under harsh reality education, thus, he walked up revolutionary road, going through hardships, and be arrested in an operation of smuggling munitions; he resolutely went through cruel torture and exhortation of priest (actually father of Gadfly) and died for unyielding.)