I Malavoglia
Page 30
The saying is when in Rome do as the Romans do but this piece of advice is wrong. The Italians do not want visitors acting like they do. It is their prerogative to yell and gesticulate, to jump the queue and smoke in the non-smoking compartment. They are actors in a melodrama. The visitors are not invited to join in the comedy. The English are admired for their politeness and decorum. We are expected to behave correctly and remain calm when Italians push in front of us in the queue. When the dead hand of Italian bureaucracy makes reporting a theft or registering a letter much more difficult than it ought to be for the visitor we are expected to shrug our shoulders philosophically rather than rage at all the unnecessary red tape.
Our double-parked car created a little queue as drivers had to get round us. One woman felt it so demeaning to actually have to drive round our car that she stopped behind us, while she klaxoned her horn in protest, oblivious to the fact that every other motorist had had no difficulty in driving round our car. When I had managed to get our luggage into the hotel and checked in I returned to find the woman out of her car and haranguing my wife in English.
I explained to her in Italian that there was no other way we could get our luggage out of the boot of the car and into the hotel without double parking for a few minutes. This led to a torrent of abuse, which could be summarised as go home to where you belong. The bystanders seemed quite entertained by watching an Englishman screaming abuse in Italian and an Italian woman yelling profanities in English. We left her to her rage and drove off to return our hired car. Our new friend followed us, bipping her horn as she went. Her anger had yet to abate and she overtook us, slammed on her brakes and got out of her car and we resumed our exchange of insults. The noise of the passing traffic drowned out much of our exchange of views but my new acquaintance, soon got tired of my homily, of what was wrong with her, and Italy, or perhaps she felt that had spoken enough English for one day and got back into her car and drove off.
I must admit I felt tired after yelling for Britain. I have never been shy of taking part in the melodrama of Italian life but I have always lacked the ability to shrug my shoulders as if all the yelling and gesticulating had not taken place and get on with the rest of my life unaffected. When we finally found the car hire depot it was closed, despite having been told on the phone that it did not close for lunch, and was always open. We parked outside the doors of the office and went off for a cup of coffee, which became several cups of coffee, as the staff were having a very long lunch break. The Italian inability to follow their own rules is infuriating for many visitors. My Etna-like rage calmed when the staff returned but almost erupted again when they insisted they had found some damage on the hire car, which we would have to pay for. But this is Southern Italy, a shrug of the shoulders, a smile and it was all forgotten and we left with their heartfelt wishes for our future well being.
Without a car we found Catania a pleasant place to wander round and visited the cathedral, the castle and the beautiful gardens and ancient ruins. The next day was for me the highlight of our visit, a chance to see the house where Verga was brought up, and where he returned to later in life, when he had tired of the attractions of the cities on the mainland.
Via Sant’ Anna is a quiet side street and The Giovanni Verga Museum is housed at No 8 on the second floor of what was a fine and elegant town house. The museum could not change my 100 Euro note and refused us entry. I explained as politely as I could, that I had not come all the way from England to pay homage to the author whose work had captivated me for the last thirty years, only to be denied admittance for lack of 3 Euros. I’m sure I turned an apoplectic red hue as my voice began to rise and my Etna-like fury hovered ready to sweep all before me. While the attendant went in search of his superior we embarked on our visit around the nine rooms.
What I found the most interesting were the photos Verga had taken of his family, the farmers who worked on his land and views of Verga’s land in Vizzini. Photography was in its infancy in the second half of the 19th century and a pastime for the intellectuals of the upper middle class. The Sicilian authors Capuana and De Roberto shared Verga’s passion for this new artform and went on photographic expeditions together.
The house holds all the books and the furniture owned by Verga. There are more than 2,600 volumes in the library and it was interesting to see what a well-read 19th century intellectual read. Apart from books by Italian authors of the period there were French and Russian novelist such as Dostoevsky, Dumas, Flaubert, Gorky, Maupassant, Turgenev and Zola.
As we walked round the apartment my mind wandered off to the Sicilian short stories of Verga and then inevitably I Malavoglia: a novel by an upper class Sicilian, a patrician who turned the lives of fishermen and peasants he watched from a distance, into a heroic tale of endeavour. The tragic fate of the Malavoglia family brought a tear to my eye until I remembered the modern day fishermen of Pozzillo Inferiore, with their noisy motorboats, transistor radios and screaming voices. While modern day Sicilian fishermen might have cured me of romanticising Sicilian fishermen per se, my heart, however, would always be touched by the fate of the Malavoglia family, such was the power of Verga’s art.
Eric Lane
2008
The Verga Museum in Catania.
The cathedral and the castle in Catania, both a short walk from
Verga’s home in Via Sant’Anna.
CHRONOLOGY
1840
2 September. Giovanni Verga was born in Catania, Sicily. His family were landowners and members of the minor nobility.
1848/9
Year of Revolutions in Italy.
1857
Wrote his first novel, “Amore e Patria”(unpublished).
1858
Enrols as a student of law at Catania University.
1859
Beginning of the Italian War of Independence.
1860
Insurrections in Sicily in April are followed by the arrival of Garibaldi and his volunteers who take Sicily from the Bourbons.
Verga joins the National Guard founded after the arrival of Garibaldi. He is one of the founders and the editor, of the weekly political magazine, Roma degli Italiani.
1861
The Bourbons are forced out of Naples, and Garibaldi surrenders Naples and Sicily to Victor Emanuel, the Piedmontese king. In plebiscites the people of Southern Italy vote to be part of the newly formed Italian Kingdom under Victor Emanuel.
Verga abandons his legal studies and publishes his first novel, “I Carbonari della Montagna,” at his own expense.
1863
His patriotic novel, “Sulle lagune”, is published in a magazine.
His father dies.
1864
Florence becomes the new capital of Italy, replacing Turin.
1865
Verga’s first visit to Florence. He becomes a frequent visitor and takes up permanent residence in 1869.
1866
20 July, naval battle at Lissa.
The Austrians retreat from Venice which becomes part of Italy.
His novel, “Una Peccatrice” is published.
1869
Settles in Florence, where he meets Luigi Capuana, the realist writer and theorist. Begins an affair with the 18 year old, Giselda Foljanesi.
1870
Rome is taken, and becomes the Italian capital in 1871.
1871
Zola’s “La Fortune de Rougon”, the first book in the Rougon-Macquart cycle, is published. Zola’s theories and Naturalism become increasingly important and controversial in Italy.
Verga publishes “Storia di una capinera”, which is an immediate success.
1872
Goes to live in Milan, where he spends most of the next 20 years. Frequents the literary salons of the city, making a name for himself in the capital of Italian publishing. Giselda Foljanesi marries the Catanese poet Mario Rapisardi.
1873
“Eva” is published, and is criticized for its immorality.
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1874/6
“Tigre Reale”, “Eros”, and the novella “Nedda” are published.
1877
“L’Assommoir” of Zola is published and has an overwhelming influence in Italy. Verga publishes his collected short stories, “Primavera e altri racconti.”
1878
His mother dies, to whom he was greatly attached.
1880
“Vita dei Campi” is published. Visits Giselda Foljanesi.
1881
“I Malavoglia” is published. Verga is disappointed by its lack of success. Begins an affair with countess Dina Castellazi, who is married and in her twenties. It lasts most of his life.
1883
Goes to Paris, and visits Zola at Médan. Also goes to London. Publishes “Novelle Rusticane” and the novel “Il Marito di Elena”, and “Per le Vie”. Visits Catania where he sees Giselda Foljanesi. In December Rapisardi discovers a compromising letter from Verga to his wife, and so Giselda is forced to leave and settle in Florence.
1884
The play of “Cavalleria Rusticana” is put on with great success in Turin, with Eleonora Dusa playing Santuzza.
The end of Verga’s affair with Giselda Foljanesi.
1886-7
Passes most of his time at Rome. The publication of a French translation of “I Malavoglia” is without success.
1888
Returns to live in Sicily.
1889
“Mastro-don Gesualdo” is published and is an immediate success. D’Annunzio publishes his novel, “Il Piacere”.
1890
Mascagni’s one act opera of “Cavalleria Rusticana” is put on and enjoys an overwhelming success. Verga sues Mascagni and Sonzogno for his share of the royalties.
First English translation of “I Malavoglia”.
1891
Publishes a volume of stories, “I Ricordi del capitano d’Arce”. Wins his case in the Court of Appeal, getting 143,000 lire, (which was a large sum then and put an end to the financial problems which had beset him).
1895
Goes with Capuana to visit Zola in Rome.
1896
The defeat at Adua puts an end to Italy’s colonial expansion. Verga criticizes the demonstrations against the war. Begins writing the third novel in his “I Vinti” cycle, “La Duchessa di Leyra”, but never completes it.
1898
There are riots in Milan, after the price of bread is increased, which are violently put down by the army. Verga applauds their actions as a defence of society and its institutions.
1900-3
Various of his plays are put on, but Verga’s energies turn away from his writing to managing his business interests and living quietly in Sicily.
1915
Declares himself in favour of Italian involvement in WW1, and anti-pacificism.
1920
His eightieth birthday is celebrated in Rome and Catania. In November he becomes a senator.
1922
27 January Verga dies in Catania. Mussolini comes to power.
1925/8
D. H. Lawrence translates “Mastro-don Gesualdo” and “Novelle Rusticane” into English.
1950
Eric Mosbacher’s translation of “I Malavoglia”.
1964
Raymond Rosenthal’s American translation of “I Malavoglia”.
1985
Judith Landry’s translation of “I Malavoglia”.
Title page of the first English translation of I Malavoglia in 1890.
COPYRIGHT
Published in the UK by Dedalus Limited,
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ISBN printed book 978 1 903517 63 5
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Publishing History
First published in Italy in 1881
First published by Dedalus in 1985, reprinted in 1987
New B. Format edition in 1991, reprinted in 1998
New edition with afterword and photos in 2008
First ebook edition in 2012
Translation copyright © Dedalus 1985
Introduction and afterword copyright © Eric Lane 1985/2008
Photos copyright © Marie Lane 2008
Printed in Finland by Bookwell
Typeset by RefineCatch
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