`sheherazade` and other `alibis` - Rivista di Studi Italiani. Direttore

'SHEHERAZADE' AND OTHER 'ALIBIS':
ELSA MORANTE'S VICTIMS OF LOVE
T h e writer a n d critic C a r l o S g o r l o n after s t a t i n g t h a t Italy, t h r o u g h o u t
the ages, h a s b e e n rich in literati b u t p o o r in writers, affirms t h a t Elsa
M o r a n t e is o n e of the few t r u e n a r r a t o r s of m o d e r n Italian literature.
T h e r e is no n e e d to indulge h e r e in a l o n g list of superlatives r e g a r d i n g
M o r a n t e ' s great talent for writing o r for h e r n a t u r a l a n d u n u s u a l zest
for f a b u l a t i o n , n o r shall we resort to a census of critics w h o h a v e
a p p r e c i a t e d t h e a u t h o r , a list w h i c h usually includes G y o r g y L u k à c s '
s t a t e m e n t t h a t M o r a n t e with Menzogna e sortilegio (trans. House of
Liars) p r o v e s to be o n e of t h e greatest n a r r a t o r s of all t i m e , a n d
M i c h e l D a v i d ' s assertion t h a t Arturo's Island is t h e m o s t beautiful
n o v e l of c o n t e m p o r a r y Italian l i t e r a t u r e , if only to r e p e a t p e r h a p s the
cliché t h a t Elsa M o r a n t e h a s t o s o m e extent b e e n b e t t e r a p p r e c i a t e d
o u t s i d e Italy t h a n a t h o m e . W i t h t h e a u t h o r ' s recent d e a t h , a n d a s w e
m o v e f u r t h e r a w a y from t h e militant a n d / o r m a r x i s t criticism o f the
1960s w h i c h gave rise to s o m e h e a t e d p o l e m i c s r e g a r d i n g t h e success,
or failure, of La Storia (1964) ( t r a n s History. A Novel) — polemics
w h i c h h a d n o t witnessed s o m a n y d i s c o r d a n t views since the d e b a t e s
on N e o r e a l i s m a n d on t h e p u b l i c a t i o n of P r a t o l i n i ' s Metello — we
s h o u l d b e able t o l o o k a t M o r a n t e ' s c o m p l e t e w o r k a s u n i q u e l y
different from m o d e l s a n d e x p e r i m e n t s of literature in v o g u e in p o s t w a r Italy ( s o m e critics h a v e even s p o k e n of elements of a n a c h r o n i s m
in h e r style a n d t e c h n i q u e s ) . M o r e o v e r , as we objectively analyze h e r
talent for c o m b i n i n g n a r r a t i v e t e c h n i q u e o f the great m a s t e r s o f the
19th c e n t u r y w i t h her o w n t e c h n i q u e s , w h i c h a r e clearly indicative of
20th c e n t u r y views o n t h e f r a g m e n t e d family a n d o n m o d e r n alienat i o n , we will certainly recognize a n d a p p r e c i a t e M o r a n t e ' s art in
f a b u l a t i n g " n a r r a t i v e lies" w h i c h , like great fables a n d universal
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m y t h s , c o n t a i n basic t r u t h s a b o u t m e n a n d w o m e n , t r u t h s a b o u t their
c h i l d h o o d d r e a m s a n d a d u l t h o o d d i s i l l u s i o n m e n t s , a b o u t their loves,
desires, fears, a n d anxieties, a n d a b o u t their l o v e - h a t e , m a s t e r - s l a v e
r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h " o t h e r s " a n d with their o w n "self." M o r a n t e ' s opera
omnia s h o w s t h a t her i m a g i n a t i o n capitalizes on m y t h i c a l , fabulistic,
lyrical a n d p s y c h o l o g i c a l e l e m e n t s , a n d t h a t a l t h o u g h t i t rarely favours
ideological p o i n t s of view (as seen in Il mondo salvato dai ragazzini and
La Storia, w h e r e t h e a u t h o r treats " h i s t o r y " a n d i n s t i t u t i o n s thirsty for
p o w e r as " s c a n d a l " a n d / o r as a " j o k e " ) , t h e n a r r a t i v e of o u r selfd e c l a r e d a n a r c h i s t i s intensely existential a n d d e e p l y r o o t e d i n h e r
p r i v a t e life.
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In G i a n n i V e n t u r i ' s Elsa Morante, instead of t h e u s u a l inteview
w h i c h p r e c e d e s t h e m o n o g r a p h i c studies in this series, we find s o m e
q u o t a t i o n s f r o m t h e a u t h o r ' s essays a n d t h e critic's e x p l a n a t i o n t h a t
E l s a M o r a n t e o n c e a g a i n refused t o b e interviewed m a i n t a i n i n g t h a t all
t h e r e i s t o k n o w a b o u t h e r can b e f o u n d i n her b o o k s . Briefly, w h o is,
this solitary a n d , t o s o m e , even p e e v i s h writer w h o , after her s e p a r a t i o n f r o m A. M o r a v i a in t h e early 1960s — they w e r e m a r r i e d in 1941
— secluded herself a l m o s t entirely f r o m society a n d rarely a l l o w e d
herself to be interviewed? S h e w a s b o r n in R o m e in 1912 of a Sicilian
father a n d of a m o t h e r f r o m E m i l i a . S h e b e g a n w r i t i n g at a very early
a g e . In her teens she left h o m e a n d w a s sheltered by a rich g o d m o t h e r ;
self-educated, she h a d a great love for b o o k s , m u s i c , a n d cats. M o r e o ver, she c o n s i d e r e d Achilles, D o n Q u i x o t e , a n d H a m l e t a s t h e greatest
a r c h e t y p e s o f l i t e r a t u r e , a n d she liked great p o e t s ( L e o p a r d i , R i m b a u d , S a b a , P e n n a , a n d Pasolini) a n d n a r r a t o r s , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e great
m a s t e r o f "well m a d e n o v e l s " o f t h e last c e n t u r y , while h a v i n g very
little p a t i e n c e for literati w h o m a k e a business o u t of l i t e r a t u r e . Critics
often r e p e a t e d t h a t w e h a v e very little i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e a u t h o r ,
h o w e v e r , a close e x a m i n a t i o n of h e r w o r k reveals a great deal of the
" i m p l i e d a u t h o r " a n d , indirectly, o f t h e " r e a l a u t h o r " Elsa M o r a n t e
w h o h a s consistently u s e d " a l i b i s " t o n a r r a t e s o m e o f h e r m o s t i m p o r t a n t p e r s o n a l experience w h i c h h a v e deeply c o n d i t i o n e d her life a n d
h e r writing.
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T h e t e r m " a l i b i " in a d d i t i o n to b e i n g t h e title of a p o e m , as well as a
collection of h e r p o e t r y , is a w o r d t h a t M o r a n t e c h o o s e s carefully in
h e r w e l l - k n o w n reply t o " N o v e d o m a n d e sul r o m a n z o . " M a n y critics
refer t o this essay t o reiterate t h e a u t h o r ' s p o s i t i o n o n a r t a n d o n the
role o f writers i n p r e s e n t i n g " i n c o r r u p t i b l e p o e t i c t r u t h s . " T o m y
k n o w l e d g e t h e t e r m " a l i b i " h a s n o t b e e n defined i n relation t o h e r o w n
p o e m s a n d n a r r a t i v e . A s w e recall M o r a n t e h a d stated:
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il romanziere moderno in luogo di invocare le muse, è indotto a
suscitare un io recitante (protagonista e interprete) che gli valga da
alibi. Quasi per significare, a propria difesa: "s'intende che quella
da me rappresentata non è la realtà; ma una realtà relativa all'io di
me stesso, o ad un altro io, diverso in apparenza, da me stesso, che
in sostanza, però, m'appartiene, e nel quale io adesso, m'impersono per intero." (italics hers)
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T h i s p a s s a g e is m o s t revealing, especially for t h e use of expressions
such a s " a l i b i " a n d " r e c i t i n g - I " w h i c h , while referring t o " n a r r a t i v e
v o i c e s " in novels in general, c a n easily be a p p l i e d to h e r o w n writings.
A n d h e r e I m u s t clarify t h a t in t h e t e r m " a l i b i " I include s o m e of
M o r a n t e ' s m a j o r p r o t a g o n i s t s s u c h a s A n d r e a , a s well a s her n a r r a t o r p r o t a g o n i s t s Elisa, A r t u r o , a n d M a n u e l e w h o , i n m y o p i n i o n , b e they
m a l e or female, clearly function, in v a r y i n g degrees, as t h e a u t h o r ' s
dramatis personae. In s h o r t , these c h a r a c t e r s are all v a r i a t i o n s of the
s a m e a u t o b i o g r a p h i c a l n a r r a t i n g subject w h i c h c o m p l e m e n t o n e
another.
In this article I shall focus p r i m a r i l y on A n d r e a in " L o scialle
a n d a l u s o , " on A r t u r o in Arturo's Island, a n d on M a n u e l e in Aracoeli,
all o f w h o m a r e u n d o u b t e d l y M o r a n t e ' s m o s t i m p o r t a n t m a l e " a l i b i s "
w h o h i d e a n d reveal a t t h e s a m e time t h e a u t h o r ' s m o s t i n t i m a t e
desires, fears, d e l u s i o n s , a n d overall p e r s o n a l experiences related t o
love a n d rejection. As we shall see, it is m a i n l y t h r o u g h these m a l e
"alibis" that M o r a n t e has accentuated the d r a m a of "addiction" to
"excessive l o v e , " a n d t h e anxieties of feeling " n e g l e c t e d . "
N a r c i s s i s m is a c e n t r a l m o t i f in M o r a n t e ' s w o r k . A m o n g her critics
no o n e is m o r e emphatic than Carlo Sgorlon in alluding to an actual
flirtation b y t h e a u t h o r w i t h h e r o w n a u t o b i o g r a p h i c a l elements. I
w o u l d certainly e x t e n d S g o r l o n ' s o b s e r v a t i o n s w h i c h a r e b a s e d o n
Menzogna e sortilegio a n d L'isola di Arturo to o t h e r writings as well,
b u t I am n o t sure t h a t , as the critic suggests, this is a f o r m of "civetteria
n a r c i s i s t i c a " for t h e r e is t o o m u c h suffering in her " a l i b i s " for us to
see t h e m i n t e r m s o f " c o q u e t r y . " H e r " a l i b i s " are all p r o j e c t i o n s o f a n
a u t o b i o g r a p h i c a l n a r r a t o r w h o seeks relief (catharsis? o r better, t h e rapy?) a n d h o p e (like a S h e h e r a z a d e ) t h r o u g h h e r n a r r a t i o n . A n d
s p e a k i n g o f narcissism, C e s a r e G a r b o l i gives t h e d i a g n o s i s o f A r t u r o ' s
m a l a d y as " n e v r o s i n a r c i s i s t i c a . " T h i s is in reality an excellent diagnosis for all of M o r a n t e ' s n a r r a t o r - p r o t a g o n i s t s . In fact, as we see in
her last novel, M o r a n t e h a s E m a n u e l e confess t h a t he is afflicted by
" n e u r o s e s " a n d t h a t a s a child h e w a s " N a r c i s s u s - l i k e . " F u r t h e r m o r e , m o s t o f M o r a n t e ' s " a l i b i s " crave affection, a r e obsessively
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c o n c e r n e d with feeling u n a t t r a c t i v e , a n d often manifest a very low
self-esteem. In a d d i t i o n , they a r e a t t r a c t e d by so-called " b e a u t i f u l "
individuals w h o seem t o b e b o t h blessed a n d c u r s e d b y " b e a u t y " ( a
p r o t o t y p e of these c h a r a c t e r s afflicted by this c u r s e is E d o a r d o , in
Menzogna e sortilegio). On a different n o t e of narcissism (which I shall
discuss in a s e p a r a t e article on M o r a n t e ' s n a r r a t i v e t e c h n i q u e s ) , it
s h o u l d b e briefly p o i n t e d o u t here t h a t the a u t h o r gives i n n u m e r a b l e
signs, t h r o u g h o u t her w o r k , t h a t h e r n a r r a t i o n is a highly selfc o n s c i o u s act of writing, o r , i n d e e d , a narcisistic experience w h i c h , for
t h e m o s t p a r t , deals with p e r s o n a l m e m o r i e s . F r o m t h e early d a y s o f
Le bellissime avventure di Caterì dalla trecciolina to t h e last n o v e l
Aracoeli, M o r a n t e h a s c o n s t a n t l y a f f i r m e d h e r p r e s e n c e i n h e r
w r i t i n g s t h r o u g h v a r i o u s f o r m s o f a u t h o r i a l i n t r u s i o n s a n d stylistic
devices.
In w h a t is u n d o u b t e d l y o n e of the rarest a n d most revealing
interviews with J e a n Noël Schifano (the translator of her novels in
F r a n c e ) , which t o o k place a l m o s t a year before her d e a t h , Elsa
M o r a n t e r e a s s e r t e d : " S o n o t u t t a i n t e r a nei m i e i l i b r i , " a n d " A r t u r o
s o n o i o , " w h i l e a l s o s p e a k i n g freely o f h e r a t t e m p t e d s u i c i d e , h e r
d e s i r e t o b e a m o t h e r , h e r l o v e for " l o v e , " for c h i l d r e n , a s well a s for
c a t s , a n d f o r " r e a l " w o m e n a n d " r e a l " m o t h e r s (like t h e c h a r a c t e r
N u n z i a t e l l a ) . S h e a l s o s t a t e d t h a t w h e n s h e die s h e w o u l d like
people to be h a p p y at her funeral listening to music by M o z a r t ,
Bach, a n d Bob Dylan. T h e a u t h o r goes on mentioning her possible
S p a n i s h r o o t s a n d , m o s t i n t e r e s t i n g l y , s h e c o n f e s s e s t h a t w h e n she
w a s t w o - a n d - o n e - h a l f y e a r s o l d s h e fell in love w i t h a n i n e - y e a r o l d
b o y , a n d t h a t since t h e n l o v e for h e r h a s a l w a y s b e e n first " h e a v e n "
a n d then " h e l l " : " P e r me era il P a r a d i s o e l'Inferno: in a m o r e , è il
Paradiso e p o i n o n si sa c o m e , si precipita n e l l ' I n f e r n o . " M o r a n te'es m e t a p h o r s o f t h i s m e t a m o r p h o s i s o f l o v e , f r o m " h e a v e n " t o
" h e l l , " i n h e r o w n life, a r e m o s t p e r t i n e n t t o o u r d i s c u s s i o n o n t h e
ever present t h e m e of love (usually blinding a n d possessive), which,
i n h e r n a r r a t i v e , w e see p o r t r a y e d a s a p a s s i o n , i f n o t a n o b s e s s i o n ,
that leads to despair a n d destruction.
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Before focusing on s o m e of the a u t h o r ' s " a l i b i s , " it m a y be
o p p o r t u n e t o recall, e v e n i f o n l y briefly, t h e c o l l e c t i o n o f p o e m s
Alibi, w h i c h p r o v i d e s s o m e excellent m a t e r i a l for t h e a n a l y s i s o f
E l s a M o r a n t e ' s dramatis personae.
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T h e s i x t e e n p o e m s w h i c h a p p e a r i n Alibi ( 1 9 5 8 ) w e r e w r i t t e n
b e t w e e n 1941 a n d 1957, t h e y e a r in w h i c h Arturo's Island w a s
p u b l i s h e d . I n Alibi, s p e a k i n g t o t h e r e a d e r — a f r e q u e n t p r a c t i c e o f
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M o r a n t e —, the a u t h o r explains that these p o e m s are either an
e c h o , a c h o r u s o f h e r p r o s e ( s o m e w e r e i n fact w r i t t e n specifically
for t w o o f h e r n o v e l s ) , o r , t o s o m e e x t e n t , a f o r m o f divertissement,
w h i c h s h e e n j o y e d for t h e i r m u s i c a l i t y . I n m y e s t i m a t i o n , h e r p o e t r y
i s far t o o i m p o r t a n t t o b e t a k e n l i g h t l y , a s t h e a u t h o r m a y a p p e a r t o
suggest in the preface. In fact, it seems t h a t Elsa M o r a n t e here is
fishing f o r c o m p l i m e n t s for h e r s o - c a l l e d h o b b y o f w r i t i n g p o e m s ,
a h o b b y t h a t in r e a l i t y r e v e a l s a g r e a t a r t i s t i c t a l e n t , as we c a n see in
Il mondo salvato dai ragazzini. A c l o s e r e a d i n g of Alibi ( t h e c o l l e c t i o n h a s u n f o r t u n a t e l y r e c e i v e d v e r y little c r i t i c a l a t t e n t i o n ) s h o w s
t h a t w h a t w e f i n d i n h e r p o e t r y — t h e s a m e i s t r u e for h e r s h o r t
s t o r i e s a n d n o v e l s — is d i s t i n c t e c h o e s of a f a m i l i a r v o i c e , a v o i c e
w h i c h r e p e a t e d l y , w i t h very few v a r i a t i o n s , u n v e i l s t h e p e r s o n a l
d r a m a of a highly sensitive p e r s o n w h o from early c h i l d h o o d
s e n s e s , j u s t a s M a n u e l e d o e s i n Aracoeli, t h a t s h e i s d e s t i n e d t o
suffer f r o m r e j e c t e d l o v e a n d s o l i t u d e ( " A difficili a m o r i i o n a c q u i " ) — a d r a m a r e m e m b e r e d a n d n a r r a t e d with great vividness
in every writing.
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T h e p o e t i c voice of Alibi is u n m i s t a k a b l y t h e s a m e voice as t h e o n e
w e find i n M o r a n t e ' s n a r r a t i v e w h e r e t h e a u t h o r - n a r r a t o r - p r o t a g o n i s t
sees herself as a S h e h e r a z a d e (destined to be " f a n t a s t i c a " ) w h o m u s t
n a r r a t e , h o p i n g t h a t h e r stories will b r i n g p l e a s u r e t o o t h e r s a n d h o p e
to herself:
...io sola, unica io
so con bellissime fiabe
consolare la notte.
Non è mio pregio, ma del cielo
che mi fece fantastica
se degna io sono della grazia.
A Voi diletto, a me speranza
rechi l'Oscura ("Sheherazade," p. 29).
T h r o u g h o u t Alibi t h e a u t h o r s p e a k s a b o u t cats, fables, allegory,
H a m e l t , c h i l d h o o d friends, i n v e n t e d c h a r a c t e r s , a n d , o f c o u r s e , herself. A n d i n t h e p o e m that lends its n a m e t o t h e collection, " A l i b i "
( c o m p o s e d in 1955, while writing Arturo's Island) we find M o r a n t e
a d d r e s s i n g h e r " a l i b i s " w h o , as t h o u g h in a g a m e , hide their t r u e
identity:
Qual è il tuo nome? Simile al firmamento
esso muta con l'ora. Sei tu Giulietta? o sei Teodora?
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ti chiami Artù? o Niso ti chiami? Il nome
a te serve solo per giocare, come una bautta (p. 57).
I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e familiar M o r a n t e a n t h e m e o f t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f
l o v e , expressed i n t h e o p e n i n g verse: " S o l o chi a m a c o n o s c e . P o v e r o
chi n o n a m a , " in " A l i b i " we a l s o find t h e beautiful i m a g e of a
" g a t t a - f a n c i u l l a " w h i c h , I feel, is a very p o i g n a n t psychological i m a g e
b y t h e a u t h o r . M o r e o v e r , i n " A l l a F a v o l a " (written i n 1947 a n d
p u b l i s h e d a year later in Menzogna e Sortilegio in 1948) M o r a n t e refers
to herself as a " f e n i c e " , a " p h o e n i x " , t h u s clearly a l l u d i n g to h e r role as
a n a r r a t o r w h o r e t u r n s in every writing:
Di te, Finzione, mi cingo,
fatua veste.
Ti lavoro con l'auree piume
che vesti prima d'esser fuoco
la mia grande stagione defunta
per mutarmi in fenice lucente! ("Alla F a v o l a , " p. 37).
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I n h e r u n u s u a l l y c a n d i d interview with Schifano w h e n t h e a u t o r
states " A r t u r o s o n o i o , " while also a d m i t t i n g t h a t o n e o f h e r life-time
d r e a m s h a d always been that of "wishing to be a b o y , " p e r h a p s a
m o r e e n c o m p a s s i n g confession w o u l d h a v e b e e n : " A n d r e a , A r t u r o ,
a n d M a n u e l e (as well as Elisa) sont moi." F o r in these c h a r a c t e r s ,
regardless o f their sex, w e r e c o g n i z e t h e voice o f E l s a M o r a n t e , the
S h e h e r a z a d e , t h e " p h o e n i x , " w h o , while n a r r a t i n g " u n i v e r s a l p o e t i c
t r u t h s " a b o u t h u m a n n a t u r e , r e p e a t e d l y , n a r r a t e s a n d reveals t h e t r u t h
o f h e r o w n p e r s o n a l d r a m a s . I t i s i n d e e d t h r o u g h h e r " a l i b i s " (as well
a s t h r o u g h h e r " a u t h o r i a l p e r s o n a " ) t h a t M o r a n t e discloses h e r feelings, views, a n d n e u r o s e s . In this sense she is q u i t e right w h e n refusing
t o b e interviewed a b o u t h e r life i n c l a i m i n g t h a t " E l s o M o r a n t e c a n b e
f o u n d i n h e r b o o k s . " T h i s t y p e o f a d m i s s i o n , plus t h e fact t h a t the
a u t h o r h a s frequently e m p l o y e d n u m e r o u s s y m b o l i c a n d o n i r i c descriptions in her work, not to m e n t i o n her constant treatment of
m i s o g y n y , n e u r o s e s , possessive a n d destructive love, s a d o - m a s o c h i s t i c
r e l a t i o n s h i p s , t h e O e d i p a l c o m p l e x , t h e divided-self (especially in Aracoeli), c h i l d h o o d t r a u m a s , etc., all this w o u l d certainly e n c o u r a g e a
p s y c h o a n a l y t i c a l r e a d i n g ( F r e u d i a n o r J u n g i a n ) o f h e r writings.
Nevertheless, critics have ignored, or simply avoided, the psychoanalytical e l e m e n t s of M o r a n t e ' s w o r k , a fact w h i c h m a y well be a t t r i b u t e d
to the m a n n e r in w h i c h t h e a u t h o r herself h a s implicitly identified (by
reiterating in a variety of i n t r a a n d i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p s ) t h e p s y c h o l o g i cal factors afflicting h e r " a l i b i s . "
2 3
24
-56-
Although it is not my intention to elaborate on Morante's contribution to literary p s y c h o a n a l y s i s , I s h o u l d p o i n t o u t h e r e t h a t in Menzogna e sortilegio (especially w h e n we t h i n k of Elisa w h o uses her " l i e s "
— h e r fiction — to arrive at t h e t r u t h a b o u t o t h e r s a n d herself), the
a u t h o r clearly uses t h e act of writing as a possible t h e r a p e u t i c instrum e n t . A n d w e w o u l d agree t h a t i n m o s t o f h e r w o r k the a u t h o r
r e a p e a t e d l y d e n o u n c e s c h i l d h o o d illusions a n d t h e e m o t i o n a l alienat i o n t h a t results f r o m feeling rejected by t h e loved o n e s . M o r e o v e r , it is
in Aracoeli, t h a t M o r a n t e , t h r o u g h M a n u e l e , s p e a k s explicitly of h e r
writing as an i n s t r u m e n t of t h e r a p y , or b e t t e r , as a last a t t e m p t at
self-therapy i n this last j o u r n e y t h r o u g h m e m o r i e s : " I a s k myself
w h e t h e r , a l s o with this j o u r n e y , o n t h e m a d pretext o f finding A r a c o e l i
a g a i n , I am n o t actually a t t e m p t i n g a last, a b s u r d t h e r a p y to be c u r e d
o f h e r " (p. 20). O f c o u r s e , a s w e k n o w , t o e r a d i c a t e c h i l d h o o d a n d
family experiences p r o v e s t o b e a b s u r d i n d e e d n o t only for M a n u e l e
b u t for all of M o r a n t e ' s " a l i b i s " as well.
25
S p e a k i n g o f c h i l d h o o d , children play a n i m p o r t a n t role i n Elsa
M o r a n t e ' s w o r k . T h e y a r e p o r t r a y e d a s g r e a t c u s t o d i a n s o f fables,
m y t h s , idols, a n d h e r o e s . C h i l d r e n a r e v u l n e r a b l e t o love, confused
a b o u t d e a t h , a n d c r a v i n g for a t t e n t i o n . T h e y a r e also blessed with
fantasy a n d t h e ability t o c o m m u n i c a t e w i t h n a t u r e a n d a n i m a l s ,
qualities t h a t we s e e m to lose in a d u l t h o o d . Pasolini, in fact, in his
e x c e p t i o n a l review of Il mondo salvato dai ragazzini (a review written in
free-verse — t h e s a m e f o r m u s e d by M o r a n t e in w h a t is u n d o u b t e d l y
h e r m o s t u n u s u a l w o r k ) , calls t h e a u t h o r a " n o n n a - b a m b i n a , " a
" g r a n d m o t h e r - c h i l d , " w h o says u n h e a r d - o f things a b o u t society a n d
w h o i s able t o scandalize n o t only t h e b o u r g e o i s , b u t e v e r y b o d y .
W i t h his expression " n o n n a - b a m b i n a " Pasolini h a s , i n m y o p i n i o n ,
best c a p t u r e d t h e essence o f M o r a n t e ' s s o u l a n d p e r s o n a l i t y (her
c o n s c i e n t childshness), a n d o f h e r p a s s i o n for children a n d a d u l t s w h o
r e m a i n child-like.
26
Arturo's
Island, w i n n e r of t h e prestigious " P r e m i o S t r e g a " for 1957,
h a s b e e n labelled for o b v i o u s r e a s o n s by critics as a novel of initiation
a n d g r o w i n g u p ( s o m e , like A n g e l o R . P u p i n o , h a v e even m a d e
a n a l o g i e s w i t h M o r a v i a ' s Agostino), b u t it w o u l d n o t be far-fetched to
say t h a t m o s t , if n o t all, of E l s a M o r a n t e ' s w o r k d e a l s p r i m a r i l y with
bitter a n d alienating experiences i n the t h e p r o c e s s o f g r o w i n g u p .
U s e p p e in La Storia is M o r a n t e ' s only child p r o t a g o n i s t w h o r e m a i n s a
child right up to his d e a t h ; similarly, P a z z a r i e l l o is a y o u n g m a n w h o
r e m a i n s child-like, h a p p y a n d free, f r o m b e g i n n i n g to e n d in Il mondo
salvato dai ragazzini. On t h e o t h e r h a n d , m o s t of M o r a n t e ' s m a j o r
- 57-
p r o t a g o n i s t s , a n d especially her n a r r a t o r - p r o t a g o n i s t s such as Elisa,
A r t u r o , a n d M a n u e l e a r e disillusioned a d u l t s w h o write a n d n a r r a t e ,
with hindsight ( t h a n k s t o their r e m a r k a b l e m e m o r i e s ) o f t h o s e child h o o d events t h a t h a v e led t o their u n h a p p y p r e s e n t c o n d i t i o n .
***
Because of the o v e r w h e l m i n g success of M o r a n t e ' s first novel, there
h a v e been v a r i o u s studies o f c h a r a c t e r s , t h e m e s , a n d n a r r a t i v e techniq u e s in Menzogna e sortilegio. This w o r k deserves far m o r e s p a c e t h a n
it is possible to give here. H o w e v e r , I will recall, as o t h e r critics h a v e
a l r e a d y p o i n t e d o u t , t h a t i n this m o n u m e n t a l w o r k (in m a n y w a y s
M o r a n t e ' s m a c r o t e x t a n d , for m a n y , h e r masterpiece), i t i s n o t h a r d t o
recognize in t h e o m n i s c i e n t n a r r a t o r Elisa — even f r o m her n a m e —
m a n y allusions to the a u t h o r E l s a . Elisa is t h e first fully d e v e l o p e d
p r o t o t y p e o f M o r a n t e ' s n a r r a t o r - p r o t a g o n i s t s w h o h a v e b e e n raised
with very little p a r e n t a l a t t e n t i o n (definitely n o t f r o m b o t h p a r e n t s ) ,
w h o love r e a d i n g b o o k s ( m o s t l y fables a n d a d v e n t u r e novels) a n d ,
m o s t i m p o r t a n t , w h o write a n d n a r r a t e a b o u t their c h i l d h o o d a n d
adolescent experiences t h r o u g h f l a s h b a c k s a n d h i n d s i g h t . O t h e r c h a racters such a s A n n a , C e s i r a , C o n c e t t a , T e o d o r o , F r a n c e s c o , a n d
E d o a r d o ( m o s t of t h e m c a n be f o u n d , even if only s k e t c h e d , in
p r e v i o u s s h o r t stories) will r e e m e r g e , w i t h m i n o r differences, in later
novels. F o r the p u r p o s e of o u r discussion I will merely u n d e r l i n e the
fact that b e t w e e n all of t h e s e c h a r a c t e r s t h e r e exist v a r i o u s f o r m s of
love-hate, a t t r a c t i o n - r e p u l s i o n , master-slave relationships (as we can
see between C o n c e t t a a n d E d o a r d o , Cesira a n d T e o d o r o , A n n a a n d
F r a n c e s c o , a n d , o f c o u r s e , A n n a a n d E d o a r d o ) . M o r e o v e r , w e recognize o t h e r M o r a n t e a n m a l e c h a r a c t e r s i n T e o d o r o a n d F r a n c e s c o
w h o use alcohol a n d / o r d r u g s t o d r o w n their s o r r o w s o r t o d e s t r o y
themselves, as is t h e case with Michele in " Q u a l c u n o b u s s a alla p o r t a , "
D a v i d e Segre in La Storia,and E m a n u e l e a n d E u g e n i o in Aracoeli, all
of w h o m become h u m a n wreckage.
27
G e n e r a l l y s p e a k i n g critics h a v e rightly s e a r c h e d t h r o u g h M o r a n t e ' s
early short stories such a s " I l gioco s e g r e t o , " "Il l a d r o d i l u m i , " " L a
n o n n a , " " I l c o m p a g n o , " " L ' u o m o con gli o c c h i a l i , " " V i a dell'ang e l o , " a n d " L o scialle a n d a l u s o " ( n o w in Lo scialle andaluso, 1963) for
the first indications of m a g i c a n d fable-like a m b i e n c e s , oniric descriptions, t h e m e s , motifs, a n d c h a r a c t e r s which a r e p r o m i n e n t i n later
novels. I n 1980 E u g e n i o R a g n i b r o u g h t t o o u r a t t e n t i o n w h a t m a y b e
the earliest s h o r t story of Elsa M o r a n t e : " Q u a l c u n o b u s s a alla
porta."
If we exclude t h e fairy tales of Le bellissime avventure di
28
2 9
-58-
Cateri dalla trecciolina, o r i g i n a l l y w r i t t e n w h e n t h e a u t h o r w a s
a b o u t thirteen years old, " Q u a l c u n o bussa alla p o r t a , " published
b e t w e e n 1935 a n d 1936 in t h e j o u r n a l I Diritti della Scuola, w a s
w r i t t e n , i f n o t b e f o r e , a t least a r o u n d t h e s a m e t i m e a s " I l l a d r o d i
l u m i . " A s R a g n i h a s p o i n t e d o u t , t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h i s relatively
l o n g s h o r t s t o r y , w h i c h h a s g o n e u n n o t i c e d for s o m a n y y e a r s , lies
primarily in the a b u n d a n c e of familiar themes a n d motifs, which we
encounter in M o r a n t e ' s later works. In " Q u a l c u n o . . . " we notice
i m m e d i a t e l y t h e a u t h o r ' s special a t t e n t i o n given to a semi-magical
a m b i e n c e , t o facial c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s - t h e e y e s ( b l u e v e r s u s d a r k ) , t h e
h a i r ( b l o n d e v e r s u s d a r k ) a n d t h e s k i n t o n e (fair v e r s u s d a r k ) — t o
children a b a n d o n e d by parents, to adults with child-like characteristics, t o t h e c o n t r a s t o f s o c i a l c l a s s e s , t o s e c l u d e d p a l a c e s s u r r o u n d e d b y g a r d e n s , t o t h e s o l i t u d e o f o l d p e o p l e , a n d , last b u t n o t least,
to possessive a n d tyrannical love.
T h e m a l e c h a r a c t e r w h o s t a n d s o u t i n " Q u a l c u n o b u s s a alla
p o r t a " i s M i c h e l e W a u g ( a p r o t o t y p e o f E d o a r d o o f Menzogna e
sortilegio), t h e h a n d s o m e , t a l l , f a i r - s k i n n e d , a n d m i d d l e - a g e d m a n
w h o h a s n i g h t m a r e s a b o u t h i s y o u n g wife ( a b e a u t i f u l w o m a n o f
d a r k c o m p l e x i o n ) w h o m h e k i l l e d o u t o f j e a l o u s y s h o r t l y after t h e i r
marriage. On the other h a n d , the main female character is Lucia,
t h e little girl a d o p t e d b y M i c h e l e w h o g r o w s u p r e s p e c t i n g h e r
w e a l t h y a d o p t i v e f a t h e r b u t n o t l o v i n g h i m . S h e first falls i n l o v e
w i t h J a c k , a y o u n g a n d rich A m e r i c a n t o u r i s t , a n d s h o r t l y after
leaves h i m for F r a n c e s c o A b b a t e , a p o o r a n d s o l i t a r y m a n (he h a d
b e e n r a i s e d b y his g r a n d m o t h e r ) w h o p l a y s m u s i c s o well a s t o m a k e
L u c i a fall i n l o v e w i t h h i m . T h i s u n i q u e M o r a n t e a n s t o r y w i t h a
p a r t i a l lieto fine c o m e s t o a n e n d a s t h e a u t h o r z o o m s i n
on the
s q u a r e o f t h e t i n y village o n t h e i s l a n d , w h e r e a m i d d l e - a g e d g y p s y
w o m a n d a n c e s a n d s i n g s . T h e r e a d e r h a s n o difficulty i n r e c o g n i z i n g i n t h i s g y p s y , L u c i a ' s m o t h e r , M i r t i l l a , t h e y o u n g girl w h o a t
t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e s t o r y falls i n l o v e w i t h a m y s t e r i o u s b e a u t i f u l
s t r a n g e r (he a l s o s a n g a n d d a n c e d f o r his l i v e l y h o o d ) , a n d w h o after
b e i n g t a k e n a w a y f r o m h o m e i s s o o n after a b a n d o n e d t o g e t h e r w i t h
her child. F u r t h e r m o r e , it s h o u l d be n o t e d t h a t in Michele W a u g we
f i n d M o r a n t e ' s first t r e a t m e n t o f j e a l o u s a n d p o s s e s s i v e love o f t h e
kind which destroys people.
3 0
31
T h e o t h e r s h o r t s t o r y m o s t p e r t i n e n t t o o u r d i s c u s s i o n i s " L o scialle
a n d a l u s o , " w r i t t e n in 1951 d u r i n g t h e c o m p o s i t i o n of Arturo's Island.
This is a story of the relationship between y o u n g A n d r e a Campese a n d
his m o t h e r G i u d i t t a , a r e l a t i o n s h i p w h i c h will be r e - e c h o e d in m a n y
-59-
w a y s in Arturo's Island a n d in Aracoeli. G i u d i t t a , w h o loves d a n c i n g
a n d t h e t h e a t r e , i s left with t w o c h i l d r e n , L a u r a a n d A n d r e a , after her
h u s b a n d ' s d e a t h . W h a t distinguishes A n d r e a from his t w i n sister is his
slow g r o w t h , his beautiful b l u e eyes, his p l e a s u r e in writing p o e m s ,
a n d , p a r t i c u l a r l y , b o t h his s t r o n g a t t a c h m e n t t o his m o t h e r a n d a n
equally s t r o n g dislike for h e r d a n c i n g which, he feels, keeps h e r a w a y
from h i m . W h e n e v e r G i u d i t t a goes to w o r k , A n d r e a feels like a little
" u n h a p p y k i t t e n " a b a n d o n e d i n a b a s k e t b y his m o t h e r . A s h e g r o w s
u p , A n d r e a begins t o h a t e b o t h t h e t h e a t r e a n d G i u d i t t a . A t the e n d o f
t h e s t o r y , h o w e v e r , w e find A n d r e a leaving t h e s e m i n a r y a n d rejoining
his m o t h e r believing a t first t h a t she h a s a b a n d o n e d h e r profession i n
o r d e r t o b e o n c e a g a i n close t o h i m . U n f o r t u n a t e l y h e s o o n realizes
t h a t G i u d i t t a w a s forced t o leave t h e t h e a t r e b e c a u s e she i s t o o o l d a n d
w i t h o u t talent. A n d r e a will cherish (like a t a l i s m a n ) the " A n d a l u s i a n
s h a w l " t h a t G i u d i t t a w r a p p e d a r o u n d h i m t h e night t h a t t h e t w o were
rejoined b u t , m o r e i m p o r t a n t , he will a l s o k e e p within himself a great
disillusionment: t h e realization t h a t it is n o t for love t h a t his m o t h e r is
o n c e a g a i n n e a r h i m . G i u d i t t a ' s m e t a m o r p h o s i s , i n A n d r e a ' s eyes,
f r o m a l o v i n g m o t h e r to a selfish w o m a n , is a c h a n g e t h a t recalls
W i l h e l m ' s c h a n g e i n A r t u r o ' s eyes a s well a s A r a c o e l i ' s t r a n s f o r m a t i o n
i n E m a n u e l e ' s eyes. A n d i t s h o u l d b e a d d e d t h a t t h e a c c e n t u a t e d d a r k
S p a n i s h c o m p l e x i o n of G i u d i t t a is yet a n o t h e r distinguishable e c h o of
this m o d e l M o r a n t e a n s t o r y in Aracoeli.
3 3
34
In Arturo's Island A r t u r o G e r a c e g r o w s up like a m y t h o l o g i c a l
c h a r a c t e r in t h e idyllic setting of t h e island of P r o c i d a . H i s m o t h e r
h a d died giving b i r t h t o h i m a n d t h u s t h e little d a r k - h a i r e d b o y , fed o n
g o a t m i l k b y Silvestro, t h e h o u s e m a i d ( a s y m b o l i c c h a r a c t e r w h o , a t
t h e e n d of t h e n o v e l , r e a p p e a r s like a deus ex-machina), g r o w s up
m o s t l y a l o n e a n d free t o r o a m a r o u n d , partially u n c l o t h e d , t h r o u g h o u t t h e island. A r t u r o h a s n o f o r m a l s c h o o l i n g a n d yet, like m a n y o f
M o r a n t e ' s n a r r a t o r - p r o t a g o n i s t s , he h a s d e v e l o p e d a great p a s s i o n for
b o o k s , especially a d v e n t u r e stories. W i l h e l m G e r a c e , o n t h e o t h e r
h a n d , half G e r m a n a n d half Italian, with blue eyes a n d b l o n d hair,
s p e n d s very little t i m e on t h e island, b u t in t h e eyes of his s o n A r t u r o ,
he is like a h e r o w h o travels to exotic places for g r e a t a d v e n t u r e s . A n d
that is h o w t h e a u t h o r briefly describes t h e setting for t h e first fourteen
years in A r t u r o ' s life.
35
A r t u r o ' s p r o b l e m s b e g i n w h e n N u n z i a t e l l a , a sixteen-year-old N e o p o l i t a n girl, p r e d i c t a b l y of d a r k c o m p l e x i o n , is i n t r o d u c e d as his n e w
mother and is thus brought into the Gerace home, the notorious
" C a s a dei G u a g l i o n i , " a large r u n - d o w n e x - m o n a s t e r y w h e r e n o
- 60 -
w o m a n h a d been a l l o w e d t o e n t e r b y t h e f o r m e r o w n e r " R o m e o
l ' A m a l f i t a n o . " In a n o v e l a b o u t initiation a n d a d o l e s c e n c e , it is only
n a t u r a l t h a t t h e m a i n p r o t a g o n i s t discover love a n d sex, b u t A r t u r o ' s
initiation deals m a i n l y with his discovery of s o m e bitter t r u t h s a b o u t
himself a n d a b o u t o t h e r s very close t o h i m . T h e b o y w h o c o n s i d e r e d
w o m e n t o o ugly, w h o h a t e d his s t e p - m o t h e r , a n d w h o w a s j e a l o u s o f
his b a b y b r o t h e r b e c a u s e o f the a t t e n t i o n t h e latter received, t h a t b o y ,
w e learn, b e c o m e s the victim o f a n O e d i p a l d r a m a . I n fact, A r t u r o ' s
h a t e for N u n z i a t e l l a s o o n t u r n s to love n o t b e c a u s e she is beautiful, b u t
b e c a u s e of w h a t she r e p r e s e n t s . N u n z i a t e l l a is a " m o t h e r " w h o kisses,
caresses, a n d loves h e r child. A r t u r o , h o w e v e r , h a s n e v e r h a d kisses
a n d caresses f r o m a m o t h e r , a n d this b e c o m e s a n o b s e s s i o n for h i m a s
h e d r e a m s a n d fantasizes a b o u t kisses. After a n i n t e n d e d fake suicide
w h i c h a l m o s t p r o v e s to be fatal, A r t u r o forcefully " s t e a l s " a kiss f r o m
N u n z i a t e l l a a n d f r o m this m o m e n t o n his life c h a n g e s drastically: h e
c a n no l o n g e r face N u n z i a t e l l a ; he h a s f r e q u e n t e n c o u n t e r s with his
initiator A s s u n t a ; a n d s h o r t l y after h e discovers t h a t his idolized father
i s n o h e r o . I n s h o r t , b e t w e e n his f o u r t e e n t h a n d sixteenth b i r t h d a y , t h e
island a n d his life r a p i d l y b e c o m e like a p r i s o n f r o m w h i c h he m u s t try
to run away.
3 6
T h e m o s t t r a u m a t i c experience for A r t u r o i s n a t u r a l l y t h e disillus i o n m e n t w i t h his c h i l d h o o d idol W i l h e l m G e r a c e . H i s father, far f r o m
being an adventurous hero, proves to be a wretched individual w h o
a b a n d o n s his family for an ex-convict (for a " d a r k i e , " to m a k e it w o r s e
— t h e d e r o g a t o r y adjective b e i n g u s e d by W i l h e l m to offend A r t u r o )
w h o i n t u r n rejects his h o m o s e x u a l a t t r a c t i o n a n d w h o o p e n l y ridicules
h i m (this b e i n g basically t h e s a m e a s w h a t W i l h e l m h a d d o n e t o his
friend R o m e o ) . T h u s A r t u r o , j u s t a s W o r l d W o r l d I I b r e a k s o u t ,
leaves his " l i m b o " w i t h the bitter r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t " o u t s i d e o f l i m b o
there i s n o E l y s i u m . " A n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t e l e m e n t w h i c h s t a n d s o u t i n
this n o v e l i s t h e u n d e r l y i n g t h e m e o f m i s o g y n y f i r s t i n t r o d u c e d b y
R o m e o l ' A m a l f i t a n o a n d t h e n m o r e a c r i m o n i o u s l y e x p r e s s e d b y Wilh e l m w h o h a s suffered f r o m possessive a n d t y r a n n i c a l m o t h e r l y love i n
his c h i l d h o o d a n d f r o m a n e q u a l l y t y r a n n i c a l affection b y R o m e o
l ' A m a l f i t a n o i n later years. C o n s e q u e n t l y , w e a r e n o t s u r p r i s e d b y t h e
degree o f m i s o g y n y e x p r e s s e d b y A r t u r o t o w a r d s w o m e n i n general.
W i l h e l m h a s often lectured his s o n A r t u r o o n t h e d a n g e r s o f m o t h e r s
warning him:
37
But who's to save you from your mother? Sanctity's her vice...and
as long as she's alive she won't let you live, with that old love of
- 61 -
hers...Oh, what hell it is to be loved by someone who doesn't love
happiness, or life, or herself, but just you!(p. 124).
T h e s e s t r o n g w o r d s clearly b r i n g t o m i n d t h e t y r a n n i c a l a n d tragic love
described i n the s h o r t s t o r y " L a n o n n a " (1937), b e t w e e n a m o t h e r a n d
h e r s o n , a n d certainly a n n o u n c e M a n u e l e ' s feelings t o w a r d s his
m o t h e r A r a c o e l i . I t i s interesting t o n o t e t h a t W i l h e l m a n d M a n u e l e
a r e b o t h children of " m i x e d m a r r i a g e s " — by this I m e a n n o t only the
o b v i o u s u n i o n o f G e r m a n a n d Italian o r S p a n i s h a n d N o r t h e r n Italian
p a r e n t s , b u t also a m o r e e n c o m p a s s i n g general c o m b i n a t i o n w h i c h
includes o p p o s i t e s f r o m N o r t h a n d S o u t h a n d , m o r e specifically,
p e o p l e o f d a r k a n d fair c o m p l e x i o n . T h e a t t r a c t i o n a n d r e p u l s i o n o f
these " o p p o s i t e s " a p p e a r s o frequently i n M o r a n t e ' s writings t h a t o n e
c a n n o t h e l p b u t t h i n k t h a t t h e a u t h o r wishes t o recall h e r o w n family
s i t u a t i o n w h e r e d a r k a n d fair, N o r t h a n d S o u t h a t t r a c t e d a n d repelled
one another. Moreover, if we combine Wilhelm a n d A r t u r o , we come
even closer t o t h e basic characteristics o f M o r a n t e ' s final n a r r a t o r protagonist Manuele.
39
I n Aracoeli there a r e v a r i o u s idols t h a t f a l l , b u t t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t
o n e is n a t u r a l l y t h e beautiful, child-like S p a n i s h l a d y w h o , before
m a r i a g e , w a s s o c h a s t e a s t o believe t h a t b a b i e s c o u l d b e p r o c r e a t e d
merely by kissing. E v e n h e r n a m e is s y m b o l i c . A r a c o e l i is u n m i s t a k a bly t h e great " A l t a r o f H e a v e n " (like t h e f a m o u s C h u r c h " A r a c o e l i " i n
Rome), but her n a m e is also an echo of a m o r e notorious R o m a n
" i n s t i t u t i o n , " t h e jail " R e g i n a c o e l i . " A r a c o e l i , in fact, is first described
as if high on a p e d e s t a l , b u t later on she b e c o m e s t h e s o u r c e of
E m a n u e l e ' s " h e l l . " I n this novel, M o r a n t e u n l e a s h e s t h r o u g h h e r
" a l i b i " h e r feelings t o w a r d s p a r e n t s , especially t o w a r d s w h a t a m o t h e r
c a n be a n d w h a t a m o t h e r m a y b e c o m e , in a m a n n e r w h i c h is a g o o d
d e a l m o r e clear a n d p o i g n a n t t h a n i s t h e case i n p r e v i o u s w o r k s . T o h e r
a m o t h e r b e c o m e s b o t h a giver of life a n d a t y r a n t , an idol a n d a
m o n s t e r , a s o u r c e of love a n d hell, a c a r i n g m o t h e r a n d a w i t c h .
F a t h e r s , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , a r e frequently d e p i c t e d a s w e a k p e r s o n s ,
a n d a r e here e m b o d i e d i n E u g e n i o , t h e m a n for w h o m M a n u e l e
c a n n o t feel " p i t y , " b u t o n l y " r a n c o r a n d d i s l i k e " (p. 285). E u g e n i o i s
extremely sensitive, t h o u g h equally w e a k a n d , b e c a u s e o f his military
career, m o s t of t h e t i m e he is a w a y f r o m his family. F u r t h e r m o r e , after
he feels a b a n d o n e d by his o w n idols (by his wife A r a c o e l i a n d K i n g
V i c t o r E m a n u e l ) , a s t h e w a r c o m e s t o a n e n d , w e find E u g e n i o
d r u n k e n a n d u n r e c o g n i z a b l e in a s e m i - d e s t r o y e d a p a r t m e n t o v e r l o o k i n g the V e r a n o C e m e t e r y , w h e r e A r a c o e l i h a d b e e n b u r i e d .
39
M a n u e l e loved a n d idolized his m o t h e r ( w h e n h e felt loved b y h e r )
-62-
until h e b e g a n t o feel u n a t t r a c t i v e ( a feeling t h a t begins t h e d a y h e m u s t
w e a r eye-glasses) a n d like a d i s c a r d e d t o y in t h e h a n d s of a w o m a n
w h o , after t h e d e a t h of her obsessively desired baby-girl, c h a n g e s from
a loving a n d c a r i n g m o t h e r t o a n hysterical n y m p h o m a n i a c . A r a c o e l i
e n d s u p leaving h e r family a n d later d y i n g o f a b r a i n t u m o r . A n d s o the
child t h a t grew up with kisses a n d caresses in t h e a r m s of a lovely
m o t h e r e n d s u p despising w o m e n a n d h a t i n g his m o t h e r . After t w o
unsuccessful a t t e m p t s t o m a k e love t o w o m e n (in b o t h instances a
d i s t u r b i n g experience w i t h p r o s t i t u t e s ) , M a n u e l e t u r n s his a t t e n t i o n t o
m a l e c o m p a n i o n s ; b u t he fails even as a h o m o s e x u a l . To m a k e it
w o r s e , M a r i u c c i o yells a t h i m : " I h a v e n o n e e d for y o u r L O V E " (p.
44). M a r i u c c i o rejects a n d ridicules M a n u e l e i n the s a m e fashion t h a t
T o n i n o Stella rejected W i l h e l m G e r a c e .
N e v e r a s i n t h e s e pages h a s E l s a M o r a n t e b e e n s o g r a p h i c i n h e r
d e s c r i p t i o n s o f s e x , s o critical o f G o d ' s r o l e , s o skeptical a n d
a d a m a n t a b o u t o u r b o u r g e o i s s o c i e t y , s o c o n c e r n e d with d e a t h , s o
obsesses with t h e n a r r a t o r ' s self-image a n d his u n u s u a l m e m o r y , a n d
so s t r o n g in h e r invective a g a i n s t m o t h e r s . M a n u e l e in fact dwells at
g r e a t l e n g t h u p o n the causes o f his a n g e r t o w a r d s A r a c o e l i b l a m i n g
h e r for his a n g u i s h a n d even wishing t h a t she h a d n e v e r given h i m life:
40
41
42
It would have been better if you had aborted me...instead of
nourishing and raising me with your treacherous love, like a little
animal being raised for the slaughterhouse ...the enchanted potion
that you worked day and night into my flesh was actually this:
your false, excessive love, to which you addicted me, as if to an
incurable vice. (p. 94) (italics added)
M a n u e l e , we s h o u l d r e m e m b e r , like A r t u r o , leaves a so-called
" g a r d e n o f e d e n " t o f i n d o n l y solitude a n d d e s p a i r outside. A s h e
g r o w s u p M a n u e l e realizes t h a t his destiny w a s t o b e u n a t t r a c t i v e a n d
w i t h o u t love, j u s t as a gypsy as well as his h o r o s c o p e h a d p r e d i c t e d
w h e n he was a y o u n g child: "Your constant and definitive destiny will be
to live without love" (p. 270) ( a u t h o r ' s italics). H o w e v e r , M a n u e l e feels
that love is s u p p o s e d to be g u a r a n t e e d to all:
4 3
Isn't love a natural element of living matter? Free? Distributed
everywhere, and necessary? Isn't it, along with death, promised
from birth to all animals, including ugly ones?" (p. 270)
F o r M a n u e l e , j u s t a s for A n d r e a a n d A r t u r o , t h e w o r s t destiny i s
rejected m a t e r n a l love w h i c h , as r e i t e r a t e d in Arturo's Island, is t h e first
a n d m o s t i m p o r t a n t love: " Y o u r first love will n e v e r b e v i o l a t e d . "
44
-63-
M a t e r n a l love as well as "excessive l o v e " in g e n e r a l , h o w e v e r , were
identified by Elisa, in t h e House of Liars, to be t h e s o u r c e of h e r
personal "hell":
My mother was the first and most serious of my unhappy loves.
Thanks to her, I knew from early childhood the bitterest agonies of
the unaccepted lover. (p. 19)
Elsa M o r a n t e ' s " a l i b i s " a n d their t r a u m a t i c " l o v e s t o r i e s " focus
specifically o n t h e f o r m a t i v e years o f c h i l d h o o d a n d a d o l e s c e n c e
illustrating t h a t d u r i n g these p a r t i c u l a r l y sensitive p e r i o d s w e a r e m o s t
likely t o suffer s o m e p e r m a n e n t l y d a m a g i n g t r a u m a s f r o m sibling
rivalries, j e a l o u s i e s , lack o f a t t e n t i o n , a n d neglected love. A s D . R a v a nello also s u g g e s t s , M o r a n t e ' s w o r k seems t o p o i n t t o t h e family a s
o n e o f t h e principal causes o f a l i e n a t i o n for the individual. H e r "alib i s " clearly illustrate t h a t even before we are exploited, rejected,
neglected, o r even psychologically d e s t r o y e d i n o u r e n c o u n t e r s with
o t h e r s , w e m a y u n d e r g o s o m e o f these t r a u m a t i c experiences a t h o m e ,
with m e m b e r s o f t h e i m m e d i a t e family. A n d r e a , A n n a , Elisa, A r t u r o ,
W i l h e l m , a n d M a n u e l e all p o i n t t o this c o n c l u s i o n a s t h e y c o m e o u t o f
their c h i l d h o o d years with p s y c h o l o g i c a l scars usually o r i g i n a t i n g
f r o m t h e lack o f p a r e n t a l love a n d affection. F u r t h e r m o r e , M o r a n t e ' s
" a l i b i s " h a v e often a r o m a n t i c i z e d i d e a of love w h i c h m a y be r o o t e d in
fables, r o m a n c e s , a n d literature i n general, a n d j u s t a s often they
a p p e a r t o b e i n love with " l o v e . " A r t u r o , i n fact, while h e t h o u g h t h e
was i n love " w i t h this o r t h a t p e r s o n , " h e really d i d n o t love a n y o n e ,
a n d confesses: " I w a s t o o m u c h i n love with love: this h a s a l w a y s b e e n
m y real p a s s i o n " ( p p . 315-316).
45
T h i s " r e a l p a s s i o n " for love t h a t M o r a n t e h a s s o frequently a n d
repeatedly e m b o d i e d in h e r " a l i b i s " illustrates t h a t w h e n love is t y r a n nical, possessive, i r r a t i o n a l , b l i n d e d b y j e a l o u s y , a n d , a b o v e all, w h e n
it c a n n o t be s h a r e d b e c a u s e it is a o n e - w a y r e l a t i o n s h i p (like narcissism
o r i d o l a t r y ) , i t b e c o m e s destructive. M o r a n t e ' s " a l i b i s " love a n d h a t e
with g r e a t p a s s i o n a n d their love, as S g o r l o n suggests, is a l m o s t
m o r i b i d , for it is either " h e a v e n " or " h e l l " , with n o t h i n g in b e t w e e n .
L o v e a t t i m e s b e c o m e s p i t y a n d a t o t h e r times i t t u r n s i n t o h a t e , b u t i t
is a l w a y s a c o n s u m i n g p a s s i o n t h a t c o n t i n u e s even after t h e lover's idol
d i s a p p e a r s or dies. In M o r a n t e ' s n a r r a t i v e it is r a r e w h e n love is joyful,
peaceful, a n d reciprocally felt. C o n s e q u e n t l y , this k i n d of love p r o v e s
to be t h e origin of m i s a n t h r o p y . A n d I do n o t feel t h a t I am exaggerating i n suggesting t h a t M o r a n t e s e e m s t o b e voicing h e r o w n c h i l d h o o d
d r a m a w h e n Elisa confesses: " F u cosi c h e , sulle soglie a p p e n a d e l 46
4 7
- 64-
48
l ' a d o l o s c e n z a , p e r t r o p p o a m o r e i o d i v e n t a i misantropo" ( p . 2 0 ,
italics a d d e d ) .
B e f o r e c o n c l u d i n g , let us revisit t h e l a s t p a g e of Aracoeli w h e r e
M a n u e l e tries t o e x p l a i n w h y h e w a s c r y i n g t h e d a y h e last s a w his
f a t h e r , i m m e d i a t e l y after t h e w a r , i n t h e s q u a l i d a p a r t m e n t o v e r l o o k i n g t h e V e r a n o C e m e t a r y . M a n u e l e , a s w e recall, w a l k s o n t o t h e
s t r e e t w i t h t e a r s i n his eyes a n d for t h e first t i m e realizes t h a t h e i s
w e e p i n g b e c a u s e , a m o n g o t h e r r e a s o n s , h e loves his f a t h e r . A l m o s t
a y e a r l a t e r w h e n h e h e a r s t h e n e w s o f his f a t h e r ' s d e a t h , o n c e a g a i n ,
a s i f h e h a d b e e n s t u n g b y a n i n s e c t , h e felt t h e u r g e t o w e e p , a n d
h e r e h e s t a t e s : " C e r t a i n i n d i v i d u a l s a r e m o r e i n c l i n e d t o w e e p for
l o v e t h a n for d e a t h " ( p . 311). T h e s e a r e t h e last w o r d s o f M a n u e l e
a n d a l s o t h e last w o r d s o f E l s a M o r a n t e ' s p u b l i s h e d w o r k . T h e s e
w o r d s are, in my opinion, highly self-revealing of an a u t h o r w h o in
the l a s t t w o y e a r s o f h e r life w a s t o r m e n t e d b y h e r s i c k n e s s , h e r
s o l i t u d e , h e r d e t e s t e d o l d a g e , a s well a s b y h e r failed a t t e m p t a t
s u i c i d e w h i c h s h e j o k i n g l y r e f e r r e d t o a s h e r u n s u c c e s s f u l "selfe u t h a n a s i a . " I r o n i c a l l y A r t u r o a n d M a n u e l e a l s o failed i n t h e i r
" m i n i - s u i c i d e s " a n d M a n u e l e c l e a r l y f e a r s t h a t his " f a i l u r e " will b e
a s u b j e c t o f r i d i c u l e , a s h e s t a t e s : " m y m i n i - s u i c i d e s (all failures)
h a d b e e n , a c t u a l l y , t r a g i c o m e d i e s . . . " ( p . 68). N o n e t h e l e s s , i n t h e
l a s t d a y s o f h e r life, a s w e c a n see f r o m h e r i n t e r v i e w w i t h S c h i f a n o ,
M o r a n t e w a s still i n love w i t h " l o v e " a n d w i t h h e r " m e m o r i e s , " a n d
p e r h a p s she looked at death, not with bitterness, but rather as an
e n d t o h e r m e n t a l a n d p h y s i c a l a n g u i s h , t h a t is, a s a n e n d t o h e r
personal "hell."
4 9
To Schifano M o r a n t e emphasized the mental a n d physical eros i o n t h a t a c c o m p a n i e d h e r w r i t i n g o f Aracoeli, s a y i n g t h a t w h e n she
b e g a n t h e n o v e l , a l t h o u g h s h e w a s sixty y e a r s o l d , s h e a c t u a l l y felt
t h i r t y five; h o w e v e r , b y t h e t i m e s h e h a d f i n i s h e d t h e n o v e l , she
s u d d e n l y felt a g e d a n d e x h a u s t e d . T h e r e i s n o d o u b t t h a t t h e
i n t e n s i v e a n d o v e r w h e l m i n g e m o t i o n s e x p r e s s e d b y M a n u e l e i n his
d e s p a r a t e s e a r c h for his m o t h e r ' s r o o t s ( a n d for h i s r e t u r n t o t h e
w o m b ) a r e i n d i r e c t r e l a t i o n t o t h e e m o t i o n a l d r a i n suffered b y t h e
a u t h o r a s s h e w r o t e for t h e last t i m e t h r o u g h a n " a l i b i . " M a n u e l e ' s
a l l e g o r i c a l a n d v i s i o n a r y j o u r n e y , like all o f M o r a n t e ' s j o u r n e y s
t h r o u g h m e m o r y , is a painful self-revealing a n d self-consuming
e x p e r i e n c e . T h u s in Aracoeli we find a M o r a n t e - S h e h e r a z a d e w h o
can no longer go on n a r r a t i n g ; she has no m o r e strength in p o s t p o n i n g h e r d e a t h t h r o u g h t h e p o w e r o f " w o r d s . " I n fact t o S c h i f a n o
she explained t h a t to r e s u m e writing w o u l d certainly have been a
5 0
- 65 -
r e t u r n t o life, b u t she w a s a l s o q u i t e s u r e t h a t i t w o u l d h a v e b e e n
e x t r e m e l y difficult t o b e g i n w r i t i n g a g a i n . A n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t
a d m i s s i o n m a d e b y t h e a u t h o r i n t h i s i n t e r v i e w i s t h a t i n life s h e h a d
two fathers a n d t h a t she h a d n o i n t e n t i o n o f s p e a k i n g a b o u t either
o n e . This is yet a n o t h e r w a y to m a k e us search for her b i o g r a p h y
(for h e r " f a t h e r s , " for h e r f a m i l y d r a m a s , a n d for h e r " a m o r i
difficili") t h r o u g h h e r " a l i b i s , " i n h e r b o o k s .
5 1
To analyze M o r a n t e ' s "alibis" in her poetry a n d in her prose
does not imply an analysis of the complete "real a u t h o r . " N o n e theless, t h r o u g h her w o r k s we can certainly arrive at a very g o o d
picture of an "implied a u t h o r " w h o has constantly and consistently
focused on s o m e t r a u m a t i c experience of love, of rejection, a n d of
s o l i t u d e . I n t h e s e " a l i b i s " w e a l s o n o t i c e a n " i m p l i e d a u t h o r " (or
better, a n a u t o b i o g r a p h i c a l n a r r a t i n g subject) w h o grows m o r e and
m o r e n e u r o t i c a n d o b s e s s e d w i t h feeling u n a t t r a c t i v e , a b a n d o n e d ,
a n d not loved. As Cesare G a r b o l i has so aptly stated, in reading
E l s a M o r a n t e ' s n a r r a t i v e i t i s difficult n o t t o j u x t a p o s e , a n d
c o n f u s e , t h e a u t h o r t h a t e m e r g e s f r o m t h e w o r k w i t h t h e r e a l life
p e r s o n w h o m he k n o w s . But the " r e a l " Elsa M o r a n t e , in G a r b o l i ' s
w o r d s , r e m a i n s , like a b e a t i f u l m y s t e r y , h a r d t o d e f i n e , like t h o s e
people that " q u a n t o più s'esprimono, q u a n t o più si manifestano,
p i ù si lasciano t r a s p a r i r e , di se stesse, n o n la loro evidenza, ma il
l o r o m i s t e r o . P e r s o n e d a l facile a p p r o d o , m a d i c o n q u i s t a
impossibile."
5 2
M o r a n t e ' s "alibis," I w o u l d conclude, are certainly a p p r o a c h a b l e a n d a r e r e l a t i v e l y e a s y t o a n a l y z e , b u t t h e i r " r e a l a u t h o r " will
remain a mysterious a n d fascinating Sheherazade w h o preferred to
reveal herself t h r o u g h her " s t o r i e s , " her m y t h s , a n d her fables. Elsa
M o r a n t e h a s i n fact c h o s e n t o r e m a i n s h r o u d e d i n a veil o f f i c t i o n ,
w r a p p e d in " n a r r a t i v e lies" which a r e i n t e n d e d to reveal a n d hide at
the s a m e t i m e " u n i v e r s a l " a n d " p e r s o n a l p o e t i c t r u t h s . "
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NOTES
* The research for this article has been made possible in part by a grant from
the Canadian Federation for the Humanities using funds provided by the
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
1
Cfr. Carlo Sgorlon's psychologically perceptive monographic study: Invito
alla lettura di Elsa Morante (Milano: Mursia, 1972), p. 15. My only criticism of
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Sgorlon's interpretation of Morante's work (which for obvious reasons does
not discuss History and Aracoeli) is that at times he has read too much
"Sicilia," "feudalesimo," and "meridionalità" in Morante's treatment of
motherly love and of women in general, particularly in her short stories and in
House of Liars..
House of Liars (New York: Harcourt, Brace & Co., 1951). Translated by
Adrienne Foulke. Parenthetical references to this text come from this edition.
Elsa Morante died in a clinic in Rome on 25 November 1985.
Her anarchism is clearly manifested in Il mondo salvato dai ragazzini
(Torino: Einaudi, 1968), especially through the care-free character Pazzariello
(a favourite of Pasolini). I would add that just as La Storia should not be seen
as an anachronistic neorealistic work, 77 mondo... should similarly not be
considered as Morante's contribution to the experimental literary wave of the
late 1960s. Rather than following literary fashions, our author has constantly
and consistently followed her heart and her own whims in matters creative. In
addition to Pasolini's review, for a stimulating account of Il mondo salvato dai
ragazzini, see Gianni Venturi's Elsa Morante (Firenze: La Nuova Italia, 1977),
pp. 87-105.
I agree with Sgorlon's view that the very character of Elsa Morante
precludes her writings from socio-political engagement: "La Morante è una
scrittrice troppo soggettiva, narcisistica e istintivamente vincolata al proprio
racconto per poter essere collocata tra gli scrittori che sono mossi anzitutto
dall'istanza di sottolineare le strutture profonde di una civiltà." (Sgorlon, op.
cit., p. 26). Moreover, as we see in Aracoeli, Morante clearly reiterates this
notion through Emanuele's statement: "My nature rejects politics and history..." (New York: Random House, 1984), p. 134. All parenthetical page
references to this text come from the translation by W. Weaver.
Op. cit.
" U n a donna selvatica e scontrosa." See, Sgorlon, op. cit., p. 20.
See her reply to "Pro o contro la bomba atomica," L'Europa letteraria IV
(1965), pp. 31-42. Here Morante speaks at great length about writers and
literati.
In Nuovi argomenti 38-39 (1959), pp. 17-38.
Ibid., pp. 24-25.
See Sgorlon, op. cit., p. 18.
Cfr. La stanza separata (Milano: Mondadori, 1969), p. 63.
"The child Manuele — supertalented and subnormal, precocious and
retarded, ugly and Narcissus-like..." (Aracoeli, p. 276).
J. N. Schifano; "Parla Elsa Morante. Barbara e divina," L'espresso (2
dicembre, 1984), pp. 122-133.
Ibid., p. 125.
Alibi (Milano: Longanesi, 1958). All parenthetical page references to this
text come from this edition.
Parenthetical page references to this text come from W. Weaver's translation: Arturo's Island (London: Collins, 1962).
"All favola," "Ai personaggi," and " C a n t o per il gatto Alvaro" appear in
Menzogna e sortilegio; "L'isola di A r t u r o " was written for L'isola di Arturo.
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"L'autrice prega i lettori di perdonarle l'esiguo valore e peso di queste
pagine. Essendo infatti, lei per sua consuetudine (oltre che per sua natura e per
suo destino) scrittrice di storie in prosa, i suoi radi versi sono, in parte,
nient'altro che un'eco, se si voglia, un coro, dei suoi romanzi; e, in parte,
nient'altro che un divertimento, o gioco, al quale essa ama talvolta abbandonarsi senza troppo impegno, per semplice piacere della musica." from the
preface to Alibi, p. 9.
Morante's work illustrates very well the point that some authors —
through the process of "repetition and difference" (in Gilles Deleuze's terms)
— basically rewrite the same story over and over again. Moreover, as we can
see on the dust jacket of Lo scialle andaluso (Torino: Einaudi, 1963), our
author speaks explicitly of how autobiography is often at the centre of writing
(her writing?): "Per quanto creda di inventare, ogni narratore, pure nella
massima oggettività, non fa che scrivere sempre la sua autobiografia."
From the poem "Avventura"; Alibi, p. 51.
"Alla favola" has been translated in House of Liars as " T o The Story":
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O illusion, I draw about me
Your concealing garment
and adorn it with the golden plumage
that was mine in the great lost season
before I grew all fire
and rose a radiant phoenix.
The image of the "phoenix" returns in "Avventura," where we read: "Lungo e
incerto il viaggio fino al n i d o / di questa civetta-fenice" (Alibi, p. 52, italics
added).
This also sheds light on the author's choice of the opening epithet for
Arturo's Island, where we find Umberto Saba's verse: "If in him I see myself, I
am content." And I would like to underline that in the interview Morante says
that she wished to be a "boy" and not a " m a n " — her novels certainly testify to
this wish.
C. Garboli and D. Ravanello are two rare exceptions as they mention
Freudian and Jungian elements, particularly in Menzogna e sortilegio.
To quote Michael Caesar on Menzogna e sortilegio: "The act of narration
itself is posited as a liberation from the ghosts and traumas of childhood, a
passage into adulthood, achieved by seeing the other adult's actions and fates
in their true perspective...and refusing the childhood consolation of fantasy."
In Writers and Society in Contemporary Italy (Warwickshire: Berg Publishers
Ltd., 1986), p. 218.
Pasolini's review appears in two parts in Paragone (ottobre 1968), pp.
120-126, and (aprile 1969), pp. 136-142. The expression "nonna-bambina" is
repeated three times as Pasolini (a very close friend of the author) also makes
some interesting biographical references to Morante's myopic blue eyes, to her
anarchist views, and to her self-confinement in her apartment in Via dell'Oca.
It may be worthwhile to point out that Morante gives us another excellent
self-revealing portrait of herself in the description of Elisa: "This awkward
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creature called Elisa can seem an old maid one moment and an immature child
the next, but everything about her person suggests timidity, loneliness and
proud chastity" (House of Liars, op.cit,., p. 4).
Sgorlon suggests that Bontempelli's "realismo magico" is at the foundation of Morante's magic-like ambience. This appears to be true at least for the
early stories written in the 1930s and early 1940s. See Sgorlon, op. cit., p. 19.
I should like to express my thanks to Eugenio Ragni for providing me with
a copy of this short story which is not readily available. I should also like to
take this opportunity to recommend his excellent monographic article "Elsa
Morante," in Il Novecento, (Milano: Lucarini, 1980), pp. 767-781.
This type of relationship is undoubtedly a central (autobiographical?)
Morantean motif that reemerges in different variations (such as daughter vs.
father or son vs. mother) throughout her work.
The author's cinematographic techniques, with extensive use of flashbacks,
can be noticed in most of her narrative works and especially in Aracoeli. In her
early works we find evidence that Morante utilizes camera techniques in
focusing in and out, on both characters and places, while switching back and
forth between present and past. Angelo Pupino is among the first critics to
mention this Morantean art of treating time, as seen in Menzogna e sortilegio,
Struttura e stile della narrativa di Elsa Morante (Ravenna: Longo, 1968).
The story "La nonna," which focuses on tyrannical and possessive
motherly love, was published shortly after, in 1937.
Animal imageries, especially of cats, birds, and dogs, are numerous and
frequent in Morante's work and they provide plenty of material for a separate
study. Special attention would have to be given to imageries in which children
and little animals are combined, as is the case in La Storia.
Talismans and personal mementos (given to narrator-protagonists by
"fallen idols") are common in Morante's novels. In Menzogna e sortilegio we
find the golden ring given by Edoardo to Elisa; in Arturo's Island Nunziatella
gives Arturo her broken earring; and in Aracoeli Emanuele receives from his
mother a Spanish talisman to cast off evil spells.
Giacomo Debenedetti in his illuminating article on Arturo's Island has
suggested some interesting interpretations of mythical allusions to which
other critics have in turn referred. See Debenedetti, Saggi (1922-1966)
(Milano: Mondadori, 1982), pp. 379-396.
Familiar themes in Morante's work, which derive directly from her personal life, as it is confirmed by Marcello Morante's (Elsa's brother) autobiographical account of the Morante family. After having briefly paged through
Maledetta benedetta (Milano: Garzanti, 1986) as I was about to submit this
article for publication, I did not find very much that would be of great interest
to our discussion in this so-called diaristic documentation. In my opinion,
readers will find it much more satisfying to interpret Elsa Morante's "alibis" in
her work than to read the cursory remarks made by Marcello Morante about
Elsa, her mother, and her two fathers. The text, which literally "violates" the
secrecy that Elsa Morante kept for so many years about her private life, can be
helpful, however, in confirming the suspicion that underneath Morante's
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alibis there lies a great deal of autobiography, especially as it can be first
detected in Cesira, Anna, Elisa, Teodoro, and Francesco in House of Liars.
See the closing verses of the poem dedicated "To Remo N . " which appears
as preface and epithet to the novel:
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And you will never know the law
that I, like so many others, am learning,
— the law that has broken my heart:
outside of limbo there's no Elysium.(author's italics)
The term "limbo" can be interpreted to mean both Procida and his childhood
days, that is, both time and place in Arturo's life.
As in Menzogna e sortilegio in this last novel we also find a series of idolizing
relationships: Aracoeli idolizes her brother Manuelito, her husband Eugenio,
and her baby-girl Incarnation; Eugenio's idols are Aracoeli and King Victor
Emanuel; Aunt Ramona idolizes Mussolini; Emanuele idolizes Aracoeli and
Manuelito; and even the maid Zaira (a prejudiced social climber) has her idols:
Eugenio and the Crown Prince.
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In a most allegorical and fable-like fashion, the first of these transformations occurs in " L a n o n n a " where, as Sgorlon has rightly observed, a mother
who loved (in a morbid manner) her son, is transformed, in her appearance
and characteristics, into a witch which commits suicide and causes the death of
her two grandchildren.
I would underline that here Morante does not verge towards pornography
nor towards a Moravia-type of eroticism. If we recall the author's views on
eroticism, we can see that for Morante sex and eroticism are "natural"
elements of life and that, when needed, they should certainly be used. See
"Otto domande sull'erotismo in letteratura," in Nuovi argomenti 51-52(1961),
pp. 46-49. Nonetheless, it is an interesting coincidence that in La Storia
Morante has the frustrated Davide Segre comment that he is disillusioned with
literature and that he may start writing pornography.
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Emanuele claims that G o d on the sixth day created a Lager and then
abandoned it saying to the people;" grow and multiply in your beloved Lager,
he said...as a farewell. And since then he has retired to rest, no longer
bothering about his construction"(Aracoeli, p, 160). Needless to say, Morante
has very little admiration for abandoning "fathers" and thus it is easy to
understand her irony when Manuele speaks of his father "as a deity" (p. 173).
In his condemnation of the bourgeoisie Emanuele clearly echoes Davide
Segre of History.
Whereas for Arturo the "garden of Eden" consisted of the island and not
just of the "unkept" garden in the courtyard of the Casa dei Guaglioni, for
Emanuele we are speaking specifically of the garden that he recalls at the
childhood home at Monte Sacro and, metaphorically, also of the period of his
infant years.
A verse from the opening poem of the novel.
Donatella Ravanello, Scrittura e follia nei romanzi di Elsa Morante (Vene42
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zia: Marsilio, 1980), p. 44. Furthermore, in her "ritratto critico" of Elsa
Morante, Luigina De Stefani briefly mentions that "la famiglia è una prigione
dove si agitano, in senso centrifugo, le passioni individualistiche dei personaggi." In "Elsa Morante," Belfagor XXVI (1971), p. 296.
"L'amore nella Morante è quasi sempre un sentimento primordialmente
geloso, barbarico...L'amore è un sentimento divorante ed esclusivo che si può
dedicare ad un individuo soltanto, trasformandolo in idolo da adorare..."
Sgorlon, op. cit., p. 36.
Beginning with Edoardo's feelings towards his cousin Anna, from Menzogna e sortilegio to Aracoeli we find numerous examples in which love and pity
are indistinguishable.
In the English translation we read instead: " That is why, on the threshold
of adolescene, I became unloving, through too much love." (House of Liars, p.
10).
It is easy to understand why for an author who relived over and over again,
through her writings, childhood, adolescence, and youth in general (in short,
who relived an age associated with beauty, dreams, and illusions) would
consider old age, especially when old age is accompanied by infirmity, as the
real "hell" where all illusions, fables, romance, and any other means of
escaping reality come to an end.
Emanuele's most explicit reference to his wish to return to his mother's
womb can be seen in his desparate cry: "...Mamita, help me. As mother cats do
with their ill-born kittens, eat me again. Receive my deformity in our pitying
abyss" (p. 102).
This is confirmed by Marcello Morante in Maledetta benedetta op. cit.
Fathers, as we know, in Morante's work are hardly ever present to love their
children, and when they do not abandon their families entirely, they make very
brief appearances at home.
La stanza separata (Milano: Mondadori, 1969), p. 71.
I agree completely with D. Ravanello that " L a Morante preferisce esprimere tutto tramite l'opera, nella quale ognuno può intracciare ciò che più gli
interessa," op. cit., p. 26. And this explains my disappointment with Marcello
Morante's Maledetta benedetta.
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