Pino Blasone

Italy, through a Gothic Glass

John Carter, The Entry of Prince Frederick into the Castle of Otranto: Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University; 1790

1 !"#ar $llan Poe an" the %talian &othi' ( )tranto, *ro+ ,ora'e Walpole to -aria Corti . $ /o+an %tinerary, in the 0i'torian $#e 1 - Edgar Allan Poe and the Italian Gothic Romantic, or "Romish"? ,ere, the literary "e*inition 1%talian &othi'1 will be e+ploye" with a "o2ble +eanin#3 $'t2ally, we 'an 'onsi"er it as an %talian settin# o* stories in &othi' tales or novels, or even in *i'tional poetry3 Let 2s re+e+ber, the so 'alle" narrative #enre was alrea"y born with s2'h a pe'2liarity, in the 14th 'ent2ry British literat2re3 %t was not only a lin#2isti' para"o5 b2t, in part at least, an inversion o* +eanin# too3 Coine" in %taly "2rin#
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the /enaissan'e, the label Gotico ha" been applie" to northern !2rope, to &er+an ori#inally barbaro2s peoples, to +e"ieval '2lt2re an" to a #enre o* art "i**erent *ro+ 'lassi'al 'ivili6ation or 'lassi'isti' art, *lo2rishe" espe'ially in %taly3 Lon# a*ter the Protestant /e*or+ation, "2rin# the late a#e o* !nli#hten+ent an" in the early /o+anti' perio", the perspe'tive has 'han#e"3 7o2thern, Latin or Catholi' !2rope 8 #eneri'ally %taly an" *irstly /o+e, as see o* the 1/o+ish Ch2r'h1 8 now be#ins to be per'eive" as a lan" o* "e'a"en'e an" obs'2rantis+3 Yet, at the sa+e ti+e, it #ains the 'har+ o* -e"iterranean lan"s'apes, o* an'ient r2ins an" ol" b2il"in#s, where pri+itive passions are *ree to a't o2t o* the stri't 'ontrol by the reason, both in a positive an" in a ne#ative way3 -ore these pla'es #et e5oti', ob9e'ts o* wish *or *ew privile#e" 1%talian to2rs1, +ore 1the %talian1 be'o+es a stereotype o* the other, tho2#h insi"e an !2ropean or Western 'onte5t3 7o, 'onte+pt an" nostal#ia #o ar+ in ar+3 :o won"er, th2s, at the ol"est &othi' novels set in %taly, as The Castle of Otranto by ,ora'e Walpole, A Sicilian Romance an" The Mysteries of Udolpho or The Italian by $nn W3 /a"'li**e ;an" so on with +any others, in'l2"in# the histori'al novel alper!a by -ary 7helley<3 !arly, s2'h a literary *ashion sprea"s in &er+any3 =re"eri'h 7'hiller>s novel The Ghost"Seer, or The Apparitionist, is set in 0eni'e3 !3 ?3 $3 ,o**+ann>s novel The #e$il%s Eli&ir an" tale Princess 'ram(illa are set in /o+e3 ?he tale The Mar(le Stat)e, by Joseph von !i'hen"or**, at L2''a333 Later, notorio2sly, we have also a literary 1$+eri'an &othi'13 :athaniel ,awthorne>s tale Rappacini%s #a)!hter an" The Mar(le Fa)n ;+ore than a novel, a 1ro+an'e1, a''or"in# to the a2thor< are set at Pa"2a an" in /o+e respe'tively3 )n the sa+e line, so+e tales by !"#ar $llan Poe are set in %taly: The Assi!nation 8 at *irst p2blishe", in 14.@, as The isionary 8, in 0eni'e; The O$al Portrait, in an 2n"e*ine" spot on the $pennines; probably, The Cask of Amontillado too, what we +ay in*er *ro+ several %talian na+es an" "etails strewn in the te5t3 A robe of more than glory $ bit liAe the B2asi +asAs o* 7pallan6ani an" Coppola in ,o**+ann>s tale The Sandman, in The Cask of Amontillado the 'hara'ter o* =ort2nato ;the na+e +eans 1l2'Ay1, b2t he be'o+es the 2nl2'Ay vi'ti+ in this horror story< re*le'ts the 2ntr2stworthy 'li'hC o* an %talian +e""ler, 'heat or bra##art3 ,is 1enth2sias+ is a"opte" to s2it the ti+e an" opport2nity 8 to pra'ti'e i+post2re 2pon the British an" $2strian millionaires13 %n"ee", s2'h is a bias or prete5t in the insane +in" o* -ontresor, 'ri+inal prota#onist an" story teller at on'e, pers2a"e" that 1=ew %talians have the tr2e virt2oso spirit13 Yet, whi'h was the real opinion or 'onvi'tion o* the a2thorD The Assi!nation is literarily "e"i'ate" to another 'hara'ter an" prota#onist or positive, nay i"eali6e", stereotype: Ill"fated and mysterio)s man* + (e,ildered in the (rilliancy of thine o,n ima!ination- and fallen in the flames of thine o,n yo)th* A!ain in fancy I (ehold thee* Once more thy form hath risen (efore me* + not + oh not as tho) art + in the cold $alley and shado, + ()t as tho) sho)ldst (e + s.)anderin! a,ay a life of ma!nificent meditation in that city of dim $isions- thine o,n enice + ,hich is a star + (elo$ed Elysi)m of the sea- and the ,ide ,indo,s of ,hose Palladian palaces look do,n ,ith a deep and (itter meanin!
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)pon the secrets of her silent ,aters/ 0es* I repeat it + as tho) sho)ldst (e/ There are s)rely other ,orlds than this + other tho)!hts than the tho)!hts of the m)ltit)de + other spec)lations than the spec)lations of the sophist/ 1ho then shall call thy cond)ct into .)estion2 ,ho (lame thee for thy $isionary ho)rs- or deno)nce those occ)pations as a ,astin! a,ay of life- ,hich ,ere ()t the o$erflo,in! of thine e$erlastin! ener!ies2 Un"er the label 1EarA /o+anti'is+1, Poe has been asso'iate" with U#o =os'olo3 %n the So)thern 3iterary Messen!er, Jan2ary 14.F, he reviews so+e translations *ro+ =os'olo>s poe+s an" B2otes On Sep)lchres: 1?he aspirin# so2l is *ire" to lo*ty "ee"sG By #reat +en>s +on2+ents13 %n 14.7 he writes a sonnet To 4ante 8 in'l2"e" in the 'olle'tion Poems of Manhood 8 , whi'h is 'onsonant with that To 4acinto, "e"i'ate" by =os'olo to his birth isle ;the last verse o* Poe>s poe+ is in %talian, lan#2a#e not 2nAnown by the a2thor<3 Perhaps the portrait "rawn by Poe in The Assi!nation has so+ethin# o* the noble *i#2re o* the 0enetian a"optive poet an" novelist, who ha" "ie" as an e5ile in Lon"on, s2'h as "epi'te" in a bio#raphy iss2e" in 14.H by -ary 7helley3 $nyway, rarely an %talian or the town o* 0eni'e itsel* were so ro+anti'ally 'o++en"e"3 ,ave we to "e"2'e, Poe>s 'on'ept is 'ontra"i'toryD )r, rather, is it a "iale'ti' oneD %n his poe+ The Colise)m ;14..<, we +ay *in" a si+ilar 'ontrast3 ?his ti+e, it is set in /o+e an" histori'i6e"3 ?he i+a#inary voi'e is that o* the an'ient r2ins3 By evoAin# the past, it e'hoes liAe that o* the %talian 'onte+porary 1/isor#i+ento13 =or all a "isen'hante" 'ontraposition o* tr2e spe'2lative in"ivi"2als an" 1tho2#hts o* the +2ltit2"e1, we listen to poet>s sy+pathy with this liberal an" patrioti' str2##le ;not less than in the pre'e"ent Childe 5arold%s Pil!rima!e, the poe+ by Byron<3 %n parti'2lar the last verse, 1a robe o* +ore than #lory1, has a "is'on'ertin# *or'e: 1e r)le the hearts of mi!htiest men6 + ,e r)le 1ith a despotic s,ay all !iant minds/ 1e are not desolate + ,e pallid stones7 8ot all o)r po,er is !one7 not all o)r Fame7 8ot all the ma!ic of o)r hi!h reno,n7 8ot all the ,onder that encircles )s7 8ot all the mysteries that in )s lie7 8ot all the memories that han! )ponAnd clin! aro)nd a(o)t )s no, and e$erAnd clothe )s in a ro(e of more than !lory/ %n The O$al Portrait, an e5pli'it +ention so2n"s liAe an a'Anowle"#+ent to 1the *an'y o* -rs3 /a"'li**e13 $'t2ally, Poe "evelope" not *ew ele+ents *ro+ the !n#lish writer an" *ro+ her &othi' literary *ashion, in'l2"e" so+e aversion to 1/o+ish1 obs'2rantis+3 %n his tale The Pit and the Pend)l)m, a 'on"e+nation o* ol" 'ri+es 'o++itte" by the 1,oly %nB2isition1 is transparent3 :evertheless, an" not less than ,awthorne or their 'o++on pre'2rsor Charles Bro'A"en Brown, the $+eri'an writer was aware that reli#io2s intoleran'e is a #eneral "an#er3 7till in 14.@ at Charlestown in the U3 73 $3, a Protestant *anati' +ob ha" b2rne" "own a 'onvent o* Catholi' n2ns3 $nti Catholi' ten"entio2s novels as The 8)n by -ary
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7herwoo", iss2e" in 14.. an" 'ite" by Poe hi+sel*, "i" not help +2'h in resolvin# the proble+3 $ review o* a translation *ro+ The 'etrothed 3o$ers, %talian novel by $lessan"ro -an6oni, ;in The So)thern 3iterary Messen!er, -ay 14.H< o**ers an in"ire't 'han'e to "eal with the ti'Alish +atter3 $s a 'riti', Poe looAs B2ite +ore +ilitant than an alle#e" *orer2nner o* the 1art *or art>s saAe13 Corre'tly, he starts by in"ivi"2atin# Walter 7'ott>s histori'al novel as an in*l2ent narrative pattern, in the /o+anti' realisti' *i'tion o* -an6oni3 72bseB2ently, he *o'2ses on 'on#enial &othi' liAe 'ores, in the narration o* The 'etrothed 3o$ers: the story o* the :2n o* -on6a, a "arA tale insi"e the novel; the "es'ription 1o* the horrors o* the pla#2e, as it ra#e" in -ilan in the year 1F(41; the *2nereal s'ene o* Ce'ilia>s +other an" the 1+onatti1, in the +i""le o* that pestilen'e3 Yet, the "es'en"ant *ro+ %rish i++i#rants in :orth $+eri'a "oes not o+it +aAin# a 'o+parison between politi'al realities an" e5pressin# a sharp 92"#+ent on -an6oni>s +o"ern Christian *eelin#s: 1ith the ci$il ,ars of En!land ,e are all familiar7 and o)r hearts ha$e !lo,ed- and o)r tears ha$e fallen- in contemplatin! the $irt)es and the s)fferin!s of those ,ho acted in those scenes7 ()t- if ,e may credit the traditions im(odied in this (ook- a contemporary history of the Italian Rep)(lics ,o)ld display characters yet more ,orthy of o)r admiration and o)r sympathy/ 9///: 1e mi!ht s)spect that somethin! of a ;eal for the honor of the Romish Ch)rch had min!led itself in the rich colorin! of this pict)re/ ')t Man;oni ,as as m)ch ali$e- as 3)ther himself- to the a()ses of that ch)rch/ Fantastic, nay Realistic... )* 'o2rse, the se'on" +eanin# o* a "e*inition as 1%talian &othi'1 re*ers to a writin# in*l2en'e" by &othi' *i'tion3 Certainly that is a +inority tren" in %taly, b2t it s2bsists with its own 'hara'teristi's3 &othi' in*l2en'es +ay be *o2n" in the +ain strea+ literat2re, in -an6oni hi+sel* or in the Operette Morali by &ia'o+o Leopar"i, in parti'2lar the paro"y #ialo!)e of Federico R)isch and his M)mmies3 7o, also in +inor histori'al novelists or tale writers as Eio"ata 7al266o ;a poetess too, who san# the pathos o* r2ins be*ore Poe< an" later Eo+eni'o =3 &2erra66i, who openly 'ites ,o**+ann, $rni+, Ei'Aens, Poe, even i* his opinion is very 'a2tio2s abo2t ;nor !n#lish /o+anti' poets as Wor"sworth an" Ieats ha" been +ore in"2l#ent to the &othi' +o"e<3 !3 $3 Poe>s worAs will be translate" into %talian, in 14H7 an" in 14F93 B2t the *irst tho2#h in'o+plete %talian &othi' novel +ay be 'onsi"ere" Saint Ida%s 5ermita!e ;141F<, by the ?2rinese L2"ovi'o "i Bre+e3 ,e was well a'B2ainte" with !n#lish 'onte+porary literat2re an" wrote abo2t &eor#e &3 Byron3 =on" o* the novels o* terror, he personally +et -atthew &3 Lewis, a2thor o* The Monk3 Yet he was a patriot too3 7o+e 'ivil or politi'al en#a#e+ent is transparent in his pro"2'tion, so that it was 'ensore" by the a2thorities o* the $2strian #overn+ent in Lo+bar"y3 ?he 'onte+porary a2thor o* The ampire, John W3 Poli"ori, was an !n#lish son o* an %talian e5patriate3 $nyhow, the *irst %talian literary +ove+ent we +ay "e*ine &othi' is the Scapi!liat)ra, so 'alle" *ro+ the title o* a novel by Cletto $rri#hi ;ana#ra+ o* Carlo /i#hetti, 14F(<3 %t *lo2rishe" in -ilan an" Pie"+ont, soon a*ter the politi'al 2ni*i'ation o* %taly3 ?hese 1"ishevelle" ones1 were bohe+ian writers, poets an" artists, 2n"e'eive" by the
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partial 'o+pro+ise whi'h ha" +a"e possible an in"epen"ent %talian 7tate3 Prevalently their e5pression was 9oine" with "e+o'rati' or pro#ressive i"eas, with a so'ial 'riti'is+ o* the bo2r#eois way o* li*e, with so+e pessi+is+ too3 ,yperboli'ally, they were a#ainst that -an6oni so appre'iate" by Poe3 %n"ee" they inherite" +ore than petty ele+ents *ro+ %talian writers an" poets o* the /o+anti' a#e as =os'olo, Leopar"i an" -an6oni3 $ *antasti' style, they "ee+e", 'o2l" be a better +irror o* their reality than realis+ itsel*, tho2#h or thanAs to a "e*or+in# e**e't3 ?hey sear'he" abroa" *or *resh so2r'es o* inspiration, s2'h as 0i'tor ,2#o, ?hCophile &a2tier, ,einri'h ,eine, Jean Pa2l, !3 ?3 $3 ,o**+ann, above all !3 $3 Poe reval2e" an" translate" by Charles Ba2"elaire in =ran'e3 Yet this resear'h is +arAe" with a resi"2al sh2nnin# s2pernat2ral, +a'abre or e5oti', e5'esses3 $t the best, theirs +ay be re#ar"e" as a psy'holo#i'al &othi', ai+in# to a realis+ o* the 'ons'ien'e an" a sy+bolis+ o* the 2n'ons'io2s3 $*ter Cletto $rri#hi, the +ain e5ponents o* the Scapi!liat)ra were %#inio U3 ?ar'hetti, the Boito brothers, !+ilio Pra#a, Carlo Eossi, &iovanni Ca+erana3 =ew o* the+ "ie" s2i'i"al or al'oholi', *or their ma)dit way o* li*e3 )thers rea'he" *2rther e5perien'es3 ?hey in*l2en'e" a realisti' prose as well as a Ee'a"ent verse3 %n :aples, we will have *an'i*2l stories by -atil"e 7erao an" 7alvatore Ei &ia'o+o; in -ilan, "arA novels by !+ilio Ee -ar'hi; in =loren'e, pop2lar novels by Carolina %nverni6io3 %n 7i'ily we will +eet with o''asional &othi' *i'tion writers, as &iovanni 0er#a with The Stories of Tre;;a%s Castle an" L2i#i Cap2ana with his noir tales3 Poe>s in*l2en'es pl2s a sense o* li*e abs2r"ity still perva"e 3a (o)ti.)e del mistero, tales by Eino B266ati ;19F4<3 The Worm and the !tter"ly $+on# the Scapi!liati, both Ca+illo Boito an" ?ar'hetti are also Anown *or later +ovies "rawn *ro+ their respe'tive worAs Senso6 8e, ain Stories ;144.< an" Fosca ;14F9<3 7et in 0ienna by the *or+er, the story A 'ody ;147F< so2n"s liAe written by the pen o* Poe hi+sel*; at on'e, it "eals with a 'ontrast between bo"y an" 'orps, art an" s'ien'e3 ?he latter 8 whose a""itional na+e U#o was an ho+a#e to U#o =os'olo 8 has "eserve" the appellative 1%talian !3 $3 Poe1, *or the har" '2t o* his Fantastic Tales an" a stri'ter a"hesion to the &othi' tra"ition3 Perennial tension between !ros an" ?hanatos is an inner topi' in the +a9or novel Fosca3 %ss2e" in 1479 in the posth2+o2s 'olle'tion #is<ecta, his poe+ Memento #ives 2s a 1ra"io#raphi'1 i+pression o* visionary realis+: If I kiss these yo)r scented lipsoh- my dear !irl- I cannot i!nore the pale sk)ll hidden )nderneath/ 1hen I hold yo)r fair (ody ti!ht then I cannot for!et- my dear !irlthe skeleton ,hich hides here inside/ So ha)nted (y s)ch a horri(le $ision,here$er I to)ch- kiss or lay my handfeel cold (ones of the dead stickin! o)t/

%* Poe an" ,o**+ann are the +ain re*erents in the pro"2'tion o* ?ar'hetti, tra'es o* Poe>s +o"el are even easier to be "ete'te" in the worAs o* $rri#o Boito, *2t2re librettist o* the 'o+poser &i2seppe 0er"i3 Pe'2liarly in a paro"i' poe+ or weir" *ar'e, =in! Orso ;14FH<, an analo#y with 3i!eia by Poe is evi"ent3 :ay an obsessin# re*rain in Boito>s *able, the restless +ar'h o* an horri" wor+, looAs liAe a #rotesB2e 'ontin2ation o* the sa" son# 'entral in Poe>s tale, whi'h has as hero the sa+e 1ConB2eror Wor+13 Yet here the 'ontrast is neither between love an" "eath, nor between bea2ty an" 'orr2ption3 %t is between the 'r2el power o* a tyrant an" his ine5orable en" an" p2nish+ent3 7o, a 1"e+o'rati'1 $anitas $anitat)m t2rns ba'A the tra#e"y into a sar'asti' play3 %n"ee", s2'h an a+bi#2o2s i+a#e o* the wor+ re'2rs not only in Poe an" Boito, b2t in !+ilio Pra#a>s verse too, so as 'olle'te" in the vol2+e Penom(re ;1Pen2+brae1, 14F@<3 %t is liAe an esoteri' sy+bol, whi'h #rows +i#ratin# *ro+ an a2thor to another an" varyin# its own sy+bolis+3 J2st in Pra#a>s poe+ Spes )nica, we +ay "is'over that this *ilthy #r2b +i#ht t2rn into a pale 'hrysalis; an" this 'hrysalis, as it is *oreseeable, into a bri#ht b2tter*ly3 !ven +ore than in any aestheti' or +etaphysi'al sense, the +etaphor 'an be reliably interprete" as a politi'al all2sion or a so'ial protest ;a't2ally in 1474 Carlo Eossi will write a 1"ishevelle"1 2topia, the short novel The 5appy Colony, whose va#2e anar'hi' i+print will be later "isavowe" by the a2thor hi+sel*<: O)r la, and shape and !eni)s is chan!in! o$er the cent)ries6 no, as ma!nanimo)s !iantsother times as ,ood p)ppets/ I myself ha$e (een an an!elearly ,ill (e a sleepin! ,orm<)st only a prey to the nothin!none ()t a !)y ,ho ,as ra$in!/ 0et eno)!h of the spite* May(e this o)r a!e is like a chrysalis7 the seat of tyrants is cr)m(lin! and their masks are droppin!/ At last may(e at the hori;on the !reat da,n is flickerin!early o)t of this deep pond a ()tterfly !oin! to (e (orn/ The #ther and the Alien %n the narrative o* $3 Boito, an ethi' an" politi'al ba'A#ro2n" is 'on*ir+e" by the realisti' tale The 'lack 'ishop ;14F7<3 ?his is the story o* a +2r"er *or hi""en ra'e pre92"i'es3 %t is set in 7wit6erlan", at last in :ew YorA, +ostly aro2n" a 'hess boar"3 )n one si"e, we have a white :orth $+eri'an #entle+an3 )n the opposite one is not sittin# an a2to+aton, as Mael;el%s Chess"Player in the so title" B2asi tale by !3 $3 Poe3 ?he anta#onist an" *ate" vi'ti+ is a ri'h, !n#lish speaAin#, bla'A entreprene2r: +ore si+ilar to 7haAespeare>s )thello in"ee", than to an e5 slave s2'h as he is ;a't2ally, Boito will t2rn the
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"ra+a Othello into the libretto *or a *a+o2s 0er"i>s opera<3 %rrational *ear an" 'ivili6e" reason play this *atal #a+e, +ovin# their bla'A or white pawns3 Between Boito an" Poe, another analo#y is worth bein# noti'e"3 %n both The 'lack 'ishop an" The Cask of Amontillado, the vi'ti+s are Aille" by their s2''ess itsel*, whi'h #ives rise to so'ial envy an" #r2"#e, as well as by '2lt2ral stereotypes or worse pre92"i'es3 ?hese 'o++on pla'es an" hostile *eelin#s are always in peril to t2rn into insane a**e'tions3 We +i#ht pres2+e, s2'h tra#i' event2alities were "i**2se" espe'ially in the past3 $t present, that is in o2r 'ivili6e" 'o2ntries an" enli#htene" ti+es, they are li+ite" to +orbi" in"ivi"2alities or "islo'ate" elsewhere3 B2t !3 $3 Poe see+s to have been s'epti'al abo2t ;so lon# be*ore Psycho or American Gothic by /obert Blo'h333<3 $t the be#innin# o* The Pit and the Pend)l)m, a Latin epi#raph is reporte"3 %t re+in"s o* the sla2#hters "2rin# the perio" o* the ?error in the =ren'h /evol2tion, to whi'h the prota#onist o* the story has to be in"ire'tly #rate*2l *or his salvation ;he was res'2e" by :apoleoni' inva"ers in 7pain, *ro+ the 'l2t'hes o* the 1,oly %nB2isition1<3 ?he sense o* the +at'hin# is B2ite 'lear: ti+es an" *or+s looA 'han#e" *or the better; yet, early, new i"eolo#i'al aberrations s2bstit2te" reli#io2s ones as prete5ts *or ol" errors an" horrors3 7o+e histori'al pessi+is+ linAs Poe with the Scapi!liati3 =inally, we 'an "raw a +oral *ro+ the &othi' literat2re3 What 8 nay, who 8 is the 1&othi'1D =or the an'ient /o+ans, a &oth was a 'onte+ne" "an#ero2s barbarian3 %n $nn /a"'li**e>s provo'ation, his s2pply is a 1/o+ish1, passionate b2t obs'2rantist %talian3 =or $rri#o Boito, a bla'A se'on" 1)thello13 =or the *ar si#hte" Poe, he +i#ht be a 1?2rA1 ; sic< a2to+aton3 $s to Carolina %nverni6io, the title itsel* o* her novel 5ate (y an Ara( ,oman ;191(< is eloB2ent3 /ather than a va+pire, &ole+ or =ranAenstein>s 1'reat2re1, o*ten he is an h2+an bein#3 !ven +ore than with the 2n'anny, we "eal with a pro9e'tion o* the other an" an e5or'is+ o* the alien, "eep inter*erin# insi"e o2r selves3 Let 2s 'on'l2"e with *ew verses *ro+ #)alism, a poe+ by $3 Boito ;14F.<: I am li!ht and shade- an!elic ()tterfly and filthy ,orm too/ I am a fallen cher)( damned to roam a(o)t this ,orldor an ascendin! demon ,ho strains his ,in!s to reach a far hea$en/ 9///: Indeed ,e are frail creat)res()t ,ith an all"po,erf)l !ift/ Or ,e are that hom)nc)l)sfor!ed (y a mad alchemist/ May(e a dark !od made )sand he mi&ed m)d ,ith fire <)st to play an idle !ame/ $elected i%liogra&hy
7

$noliA, /2th Biensto'A, an" ,owar", Eo2#las L3 ;e"ite" by<3 The Gothic Other6 Racial and Social Constr)ctions in the 3iterary Ima!ination , Je**erson, :3 C3: -'=arlan", (00@3 Blasone, P3 ;e"ite" by<3 Polemiche letterarie nel secolo dei 3)mi6 'aretti- 'ettinelliGo;;i, =iren6e: Ponte alle &ra6ie, 199( ;an antholo#y o* Pre /o+anti' literary 'riti'is+, in the %talian 14th 'ent2ry<3 Boito, $rri#o3 Opere, e"ite" by -ario Lava#etto, -ilan: &ar6anti, 19793 Boito, $rri#o3 Opere letterarie, e"ite" by $n#ela %"a 0illa, -ilan: !"i6ioni )ttoJ:ove'ento, (0013 Boito, Ca+illo3 Senso- Storielle ane, e"ite" by /a**aella Berta66oli, -ilan: &ar6anti, 19903 Boito, Ca+illo3 Senso >and Other Stories?, intro"2'e" by /o"eri'A Conway -orris an" translate" by Christine Eono2#her, :ew YorA: ,ippo'rene BooAs, 1999 ;the novella Senso was the s2b9e't o* an %talian *il+i' a"aptation with the sa+e title, by L2'hino 0is'onti in 19H@<3 Castle, ?erry3 The Spectrali;ation of the Other in @The Mysteries of Udolpho@ , in The 8e, Ei!hteenth Cent)ry6 Theory- Politics- En!lish 3iterat)re , e"ite" by =eli'ity :2ssba2+ an" La2ra Brown, Lon"on: -eth2en, 1947; pp3 (.1 (H.3 Eel Prin'ipe, Eavi"3 Re(ellion- #eath and Aesthetics in Italy6 The #emons of Scapi!liat)ra, -a"ison: =arlei#h Ei'Ainson University Press, 199F3 =erraris, $n#iola3 3)do$ico di 'reme/ 3e a$$ent)re dell%)topia, =iren6e: )ls'hAi, 19413 =in6i, &ilberto ;e"ite" by<3 Racconti neri della scapi!liat)ra, an antholo#y o* tales, -ilan: $3 -on"a"ori, 19403 &hi"etti, !nri'o ;e"ite" by<3 8ott)rno italiano, an antholo#y o* tales, /o+e: !"itori /i2niti, 194@3 Ja'Ason, Eavi" Ielly3 Poe and the So)thern 3iterary Messen!er- :ew YorA: ,asAell ,o2se, reprint in 19703 -2lvey /oberts, -arie ;e"ite" by<3 The 5and(ook to Gothic 3iterat)re, :ew YorA: :ew YorA University Press, 19943 -elani, Costan6a3 Effetto Poe/ Infl)ssi dello scrittore americano s)lla letterat)ra italiana, =loren'e: =iren6e University Press, (00F3 )>&ra"y, Eeir"re3 Pia$e- 'oito- Pirandello6 From Romantic Realism to Modernism, LewistonJ:ew YorA: ?he !"win -ellen Press, (0003 )>&ra"y, Eeir"re3 #eformity and #)alism6 Arri!o 'oito and the Crisis of Italian Romanticism, in C)lt)ral Memory6 Essays on E)ropean 3iterat)re and 5istory- e"ite" by !"ri' Cal"i'ott an" $nne =2'hs, BernJ=ranA*2rt: Peter Lan#, (00.; pp3 (77 (913 Poe, !"#ar $llan3 The Collected 1orks of Ed!ar Allan Poe , e"ite" by ?ho+as )llive -abbott; Ca+bri"#e, -assa'h2setts: ?he BelAnap Press o* ,arvar" University Press, 19743 Poe, !"#ar $llan3 The Collected 1ritin!s of Ed!ar Allan Poe, e"ite" by B2rton /3 Pollin, Boston: ?wayne P2blishers, 19413 Pra#a, !+ilio3 Poesie/ Ta$olo;;a- Penom(re- Fia(e e le!!ende- Trasparen;e, 'olle'tions o* poe+s e"ite" by -ario Petr2''iani, Bari: Later6a, 19F93 /ei+, /i''ar"o ;e"ite" by<3 #a )no spira!lio/ Racconti neri e fantastici dell%Ottocento italiano, an antholo#y o* tales, /o+e: :ewton Co+pton, 199(3
4

?ar'hetti, %#inio U#o3 Fantastic Tales, e"ite" an" translate" by Lawren'e 0en2ti, 7an =ran'is'o: -er'2ry ,o2se, 199(3 ?ar'hetti, %#inio U#o3 Passion6 A 8o$el, e"ite" an" translate" by Lawren'e 0en2ti, 7an =ran'is'o: -er'2ry ,o2se, 199@ ;ori#inally p2blishe" as Fosca- the novel was the s2b9e't o* an %talian *il+i' a"aptation with the title Passione d%amore, by !ttore 7'ola in 1941<3 ?ar'hetti, %#inio U#o3 T)tte le opere, e"ite" by !nri'o &hi"etti, Bolo#na: Cappelli, 19F73 Internet Re"erences Blasone, P3 3%io- l%altro- l%alieno ;1?he !#o, the )ther, the $lien1<, in #elos Science Fiction, at the Web a""ress http:JJwww3inter'o+3p2blinet3itJ(000Jalieno13ht+ Eel Prin'ipe, Eavi"3 Scalpels and Paint 'r)shes6 Art- #eath- and @#ecadence@ in Camillo 'oito- U!o Tarchetti- and SCAPIG3IATURA, in Romance 3an!)a!es Ann)al- at the Web a""ress http:JJtell3*ll3p2r"2e3e"2J/L$ $r'hiveJ199@J%talian ht+lJEelPrin'ipe,Eavi"3ht+ &a2"en6i, Cosetta3 1omen and Colonial Propa!anda in Italy6 Carolina In$erni;io%s @Odio di Ara(a@, in Romance 3an!)a!es Ann)al- at the Web a""ress http:JJtell3*ll3p2r"2e3e"2J/L$ $r'hiveJ1994Jitalian ht+lJ&a2"en6i,K(0Cosetta3ht+ ' - #tranto, "rom (orace Wal&ole to )aria *orti The *astle, the +!ngeons, the Passage 72rely, e5oti'is+ was an i+portant in#re"ient in the &othi' narrative, sin'e the birth o* this literary #enre3 Consi"erin# the early &othi' novels, it +ay be noti'e" all o* the+ were by British a2thors; *ew are set in !n#lan", as The Old En!lish 'aron by Clara /eeve ;1777<3 72'h an e5oti'is+ +a"e the settin# o* the stories not only *orei#n or stran#e, b2t pre*erably e5tre+e too3 $s to The 5istory of Caliph athek- an Ara(ian Tale- from an Unp)(lished Man)script, by Willia+ ?ho+as Be'A*or" ;174F 1747<, the s2btitle itsel* s2##ests it is a pertinent e5a+ple3 %n"ee" the *irst &othi' novel, The Castle of Otranto by ,ora'e Walpole, is set in %taly; an %talian settin# will prevail in the s2bseB2ent pro"2'tions by &othi' novelists3 =ro+ a te+poral viewpoint, the ter+ 1&othi'1 will lose +ost o* its ori#inal re*eren'e to an appro5i+ate -i""le $#es3 %n"ee", in the &othi' art a tension 2pwar" to the li#ht ha" been pre"o+inant, while the new &othi' pre*ers the "es'ent "own into the "arAness3 %n parti'2lar, here let 2s won"er how an" why )tranto3 ?his so2thern an" -e"iterranean 'ity is not only e5tre+e as to %taly, looAin# eastwar"3 =or a lon# an" tro2ble" perio" it was also a bor"er pla'e o* the whole Christian area an" o* the !2ropean 'ivili6ation, where so+e o* its pe'2liarities 'o2l" be per'eive" in a stron#er, even 'ontra"i'tory way3 %t was liAe an 1Ulti+a ?h2le1, tho2#h set not in a *ab2lo2s :orth b2t in the "eep 7o2th an" in *ront o* a pervasive )rient3 $t present, s2'h an ol" 1Eoor o* )rient1
9

is B2ite "i**erent *ro+ that evoAe" by Walpole as a ba'A#ro2n" o* his story3 %t is a ni'e s+all seaport an" a +ass to2ris+ attra'tive 'entre3 :evertheless, as at the "ays o* Walpole as still to"ay, a visit to )tranto +i#ht be s2##estive in or"er to better 2n"erstan" in whi'h tra2+ati' way +o"ern !2rope was born an" tooA its *irst steps3 $ well Anown pre'e"ent is the settin# o* W3 7haAespeare>s "ra+as in so+e %talian towns3 1?hat #reat +aster o* nat2re, 7haAespeare, was the +o"el % 'opie"1: so Walpole, in the *orewor" to the se'on" e"ition o* The Castle of Otranto3 Yet rather let 2s thinA o* 5amlet, 'ite" by Walpole hi+sel* an" set in !lsinore3 %t is a sy++etri'al settin#, as *ar northern it was, as re#ar"s +e"ieval !2rope3 7till to"ay he who wo2l" visit that pa'i*i' Eanish 'ity, an" the Ironbor# Castle where 7haAespeare>s tra#e"y taAes pla'e, +aybe 'o2l" better approve o* s2'h a parallelis+3 )n their opposite e5tre+es, both )tranto an" ,elsin#Lr *a'e a strait or a 'anal, whi'h was a bo2n"ary o* !2ropean Christen"o+ "2rin# a perio"3 Both o* the+ were theatre o* plots an" war vi'issit2"es, in the "arA a#es an" later3 LiAe other yo2n# !n#lish #entle+en o* his ti+e, in 17.9 ,ora'e Walpole went on a &ran" ?o2r over !2rope, to#ether with the poet ?ho+as &ray3 ,e visite" =ran'e an" %taly, yet "oes not see+ to have p2she" *2rther "own than :aples, be*ore in 17@1 politi'al tasAs 'alle" hi+ ba'A ho+e3 %n 17F@, Walpole iss2es his *a+o2s ?he Castle o* )tranto, a 7tory3 %n the se'on" e"ition o* 17FH the s2btitle t2rns into $ &othi' 7tory, #ivin# an o**i'ial start to the so 'alle" literary #enre an" *ashion3 ?he novel is set in the -i""le $#es, aro2n" the perio" o* the 'r2sa"es3 ?he ori#inal +an2s'ript is presente" as written in %talian by 1)n2phrio -2ralto, Canon o* the Ch2r'h o* 7t3 :i'holas at )tranto1 an" printe" in 1H(9 at :aples, '2rrently translate" into !n#lish by one Willia+ -arshal3 $lrea"y in the se'on" e"ition o* the +o"ern 1ro+an'e1, the initials si#nin# an a''o+panyin# sonnet reveal its real a2thorship3 =ar later La"y !li6abeth Craven sent Walpole a "rawin# o* )tranto>s Castle, she ha" visite" "2rin# a 9o2rney3 %n a reply, (7 :ove+ber 174F, the a2thor a"+its he ha" 92st only i+a#ine" the settin# *or his novel ;elsewhere, he "e'lare" the whole ori#inate" by a "rea+, in his :eo &othi' resi"en'e at 7trawberry ,ill<: 1% #ive yo2r la"yship a +illion o* thanAs *or the "rawin#, whi'h was really a very val2able #i*t to +e3 % "i" not even Anow that there was a Castle o* )tranto3 When the story was *inishe", % looAe" into the +ap o* the Ain#"o+ o* :aples *or a well so2n"in# na+e, an" that o* )tranto was very sonoro2s3 :ay, b2t the "rawin# is so satis*a'tory, that there are two s+all win"ows, one over another, an" looAin# into the 'o2ntry, that s2it e5a'tly to the s+all 'ha+bers *ro+ one o* whi'h -atil"a hear" the yo2n# peasant sin#in# beneath her3 J2"#e how wel'o+e this +2st be to the a2thor; an" then'e 92"#e, -a"a+, how +2'h yo2 +2st have obli#e" hi+13 )* 'o2rse, the 2nl2'Ay -atil"a above +entione" is one o* the +ain *e+ale 'hara'ters in the novel3 -oreover, we have not to taAe too serio2sly that +aster o* *i'tion Walpole was, when assertin# he ha" 1not even Anow that there was a Castle o* )tranto13 )n'e +ore s2'h an assertion so2n"s liAe ai+in# to "is'on'ert the rea"er, this ti+e in an epistolary literary *or+, rather than to re*le't any banal reality3 $'t2ally, even i* really Walpole never rea'he" the 1sonoro2s1 na+e" )tranto, so+e "es'riptive "etails s2##est he ha" well "o'2+ente" hi+sel* abo2t3 %n part at least, a re'ent ar'haeolo#y 'on*ir+s this opinion3 /estoration worAs have "is'overe" :or+an, By6antine, even /o+an str2't2res 2n"er the /enaissan'e perio" 'astle3 7o i+portant in the plot o* the story, the "2n#eons a't2ally e5ist3
10

$"9oinin# the walls, a s2bterranean passa#e lea"s o2t to the 'o2ntry, in the "ire'tion o* the r2ine" $bbey 7t3 :i'holas o* Casole, an an'ient 'entre o* hi#h st2"ies333 Yet the "issi+2latin# opinion *ostere" by Walpole hi+sel*, that o* an a2thor +ainly relyin# on his sensitiveness, has been so lon# i+pressive as to have in*l2en'e" the literary 'riti'is+3 %n his essay S)pernat)ral 5orror in 3iterat)re, still in 19.F ,owar" P3 Love'ra*t bla+e" so+e Walpole>s naMvetC as well as his 1'onvention o* hi#h so2n"in# *orei#n na+es, +ostly %talian13 Probably the $n#lo $+eri'an weir" tales writer 2n"erval2e" Walpole>s sense o* h2+o2r, that is a paro"y o* stri't histori'is+ or o* pe"ant philolo#y, not less than his antiB2arian '2lt2re an" wi"e ra#e learnin#3 Certainly s2'h a para"o5i'al wit is share" by this o2t'o+e, winAin# in the pre*a'e by the 1translator1 to the *irst e"ition o* Walpole>s novel: 1)2r lan#2a#e *alls *ar short o* the 'har+s o* the %talian, both *or variety an" har+ony3 ?he latter is pe'2liarly e5'ellent *or si+ple narrative13 $tteste" in his Anecdotes of Paintin! in En!land ;17F( 1771< an" elsewhere, Walpole>s a"+iration o* %talian painters was not alien to his inspiration, with a pre*eren'e *or 7alvator /osa ;1F1H 1F7.< an" &iovanni Battista Piranesi ;17(0 1774<3 Piranesi>s et'hin#s, representin# *an'y "2n#eons an" /o+an r2ins, 'ontrib2te" to the artisti' rise o* a :eo'lassi' style as well as o* the &othi' /evival in &reat Britain3 =orth'o+in# /o+anti'is+ was also in*l2en'e" by /osa>s BaroB2e views an" alle#ori' paintin#s, as the 5)man Frailty 8 ori#inally in Latin, 5)mana Fra!ilitas 8 at the =it6willia+ -2se2+ in Ca+bri"#e3 ?here *ew wor"s "epi't his +elan'holy: 1Con'eption is 7in*2l; Birth, a P2nish+ent; Li*e, ,ar" Labo2r; Eeath, %nevitable13 B2t +aybe that is a sar'as+ towar"s the 1,oly %nB2isition1, whi'h ha" perse'2te" the :eapolitan painter an" poet3 Better aware or +ore e5pli'it, when a new lai' ?error ha" trie" to e'lipse the ol" reli#io2s one in !2rope, in 1799 the visionary 7panish painter =ran'is'o &oya will 'lai+: 1?he sleep o* reason pro"2'es +onsters13 The A%%ey, the *ry&t, the *a,e J2st as *or the 7'ottish novelist Walter 7'ott in his 3i$es of the 8o$elists o* 14(1, 'hapter on 5orace 1alpole, or in an intro"2'tion to The Castle of Otranto, e"ition o* 1411, there is no vali" reason to "isre#ar" what Walpole hi+sel* pro'lai+e" in a *orewor" to the se'on" e"ition o* his worA3 ?here, we 'an listen to a *orer2nner o* the /o+anti'is+: 1%t was an atte+pt to blen" the two Ain"s o* ro+an'e: the an'ient an" the +o"ern3 %n the *or+er, all was i+a#ination an" i+probability; in the latter, nat2re is always inten"e" to be, an" so+eti+es has been, 'opie" with s2''ess3 %nvention has not been wantin#; b2t the #reat reso2r'es o* *an'y have been "a++e" 2p, by a stri't a"heren'e to 'o++on li*e3 N333O ?he a2thor o* the *ollowin# pa#es tho2#ht it possible to re'on'ile the two Ain"s13 ?ho2#h sh2nnin# any *alse s2pernat2ral, the %talian /o+anti' novelist $lessan"ro -an6oni 8 who "evelope" not *ew ele+ents *ro+ W3 7'ott an" Walpole 8 will be#in 'learin# the real is not always an" ne'essarily tr2e3 )*ten, this is an hi#her or "eeper level o* what looAs real, reasonable, even obvio2s3 B2t let 2s asA a#ain, why )tranto, why %talyD %n"ee", the %taly Walpole ha" in +in" is not so +2'h a +e"ieval one3 /ather it is that o* the /enaissan'e, when the *i'tional +an2s'ript wo2l" have been written an" where o2r +o"ernity was born, be*ore +i#ratin# an" #rowin# elsewhere, beaten in its *atherlan" by a
11

reli#io2s an" '2lt2ral Co2nter /e*or+ation3 ?his histori'al 'atastrophe 'asts its sha"e ba'A as *ar as a private one, in the B2asi alle#ory narrate" by Walpole3 %n the *irst e"ition pre*a'e to his novel, the a2thor in *a't observes: 1Letters were then in the +ost *lo2rishin# state in %taly, an" 'ontrib2te" to "ispel the e+pire o* s2perstition, at that ti+e so *or'ibly atta'Ae" by the re*or+ers3 %t is not 2nliAely that an art*2l priest +i#ht en"eavo2r to t2rn their own ar+s on the innovators; an" +i#ht avail hi+sel* o* his abilities as an a2thor to 'on*ir+ the pop2la'e in their an'ient errors an" s2perstitions3 %* this was his view, he has 'ertainly a'te" with si#nal a""ress3 72'h a worA as the *ollowin# wo2l" enslave a h2n"re" v2l#ar +in"s beyon" hal* the booAs o* 'ontroversy that have been written *ro+ the "ays o* L2ther to the present ho2r13 1Catastrophe1 is a wor" re'2rrin# in Walpole>s pre*a'es, as well as 1terror13 ?ho2#h 1o*ten 'ontraste" by pity1, it was 1the a2thor>s prin'ipal en#ine13 72'h a terror is not entirely 'atharti' or #rat2ito2s, in the whole pro"2'tion o* o2r a2thor3 -o"ernity itsel* is *ate" to Aeep +ost o* its ori#inal tra2+ati' 'ontra"i'tions, "espite or be'a2se o* its rational "ress3 Walpole>s irony is a bitter one, as his lar#e epistolary shows +ore than on'e3 $ well Anown B2otation *ro+ a letter to $nne, Co2ntess o* Upper )ssory, "ate" 1F $2#2st 177F, is b2t the abstra't o* what Walpole ha" written to 7ir ,ora'e -ann on .1 Ee'e+ber 17F9: 1% have o*ten sai", an" o*tener thinA, that this worl" is a 'o+e"y to those that thinA, a tra#e"y to those that *eel 8 a sol2tion o* why Ee+o'rit2s la2#he" an" ,era'lit2s wept13 !ven +ore than &othi' or /o+anti', it is nearly a Post+o"ern tho2#htP Eislo'ation an" i++ersion are liAe a hori6ontal an" a verti'al "i+ensions, in Walpole>s narration3 Eislo'ation pro'ee"s as *ar as %taly an" )tranto, in "ire'tion o* a "eep 7o2th an" o* an e5tre+e !ast o* the ol" !2rope3 Yet it is a preparatory sta#e3 %++ersion sinAs into a +e"ieval 'astle r2le" by a tyrant, ha2nte" by #hosts, an" into its "arA "2n#eons, sear'hin# *or a s2bterranean passa#e lea"in# o2twar"3 What in the literary tra"ition is a sear'h *or the +arvello2s an" +ystery, with a view to the attain+ent o* the s2bli+e thro2#h an i+a#inary tro2ble3 ?o"ay it is easy to be interprete" in a psy'holo#i'al way, as a +etaphor o* the 2n'anny or o* the s2b'ons'io2s3 -ay it be i+a#ine" a "eeper i++ersion, as into the past an" the 2n"er#ro2n", as into o2r 'ons'ien'esD ?hat is what happens to Basilio, prota#onist o* a tale by the %talian writer an" philolo#ist -aria Corti, title" Il silen;io della sirena ;1?he 7ilen'e o* the 7iren1, in the 'olle'tion Il canto delle sirene, 1949<3 ,e is a yo2n# +an livin# at )tranto, in a perio" between that 'hosen by Walpole *or the settin# o* his novel an" the en" o* the -i""le $#es, whi'h *or the little town will 'oin'i"e with the worst tra#e"y in its history3 Basilio is 'alle" by the abbot o* 7t3 :i'holas o* Casole, to restore so+e By6antine *res'oes in a 'rypt 'lose to the $bbey an" to paint a i'on o* 7aint 7ophia, an alle#ory o* the Eivine Wis"o+3 ?his #ives hi+ a lo'al s2''ess as painter an" s'2lptor3 B2t it is not his only interest3 ,e loves the "a2#hter o* a +er'hant, a 'ontraste" relation, an" liAes #oin# by boat on the sea aro2n" )tranto, where he believes to hear the +ysterio2s voi'es o* an'ient 7irens3 )n'e these i+a#inary voi'es 'all hi+ to a partially s2b+arine passa#e, lea"in# into the obs'2re silen'e o* a pro*o2n" 'ave3 )n its walls he "is'overs so+e pri+itive paintin#s, *ar ol"er than any By6antine or &reeA one ;the site a't2ally e5ists; it has been "is'overe" only in 1970 an" na+e" Grotta dei Cer$i, *or the *i#2res o* "eer "atin# ba'A to the :eolithi' $#e<3 ?he won"er an" the 'har+ o* s2'h a "is'overy #row so obsessive to the artist, that he o*ten ret2rns to spen" his ti+e in the 'ave, a"+irin# the pi't2res an" inB2irin#
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the inti+ate "e+an" *or a new inspiration3 =inally he "ies wre'Ae" "2rin# a s2""en stor+, 'arryin# his se'ret with hi+ till the late -o"ern $#e3 )bvio2sly, there is no e5oti'is+ or "islo'ation in the narration by the %talian a2thoress3 7he hersel* live" her *irst a#e in the solar )tranto3 Yet there is a 'on'or"an'e between "es'ent into s2bterranean pla'es an" i++ersion into the past, as *ar as to +aAe s2ppose to have "is'erne" a wil", 'olle'tive or nat2ral s2bstrat2+3 %n his epistolary, Walpole ha" e+ploye" the ter+ 1wil"ness1 at least twi'e, re*errin# to his own novel ro+an'e3 Un*ort2nately neither in Walpole nor in -aria Corti s2'h a "islo'ation or i++ersion, s2'h a pres2+e" attaine" wil"ness, are ever "is9ointe" *ro+ the *eelin# o* an i+pen"in# or re'2rrent 'atastrophe3 %t is not only a +atter o* narrative s2spense, or the literary e5pe"ient o* a +arAe" 'ontrast between a bl2e solar *ra+e an" a "arA 'olo2re" pi't2re3 The *athedral and the -ittle asilica Contin2in# o2r i+a#inary to2r aro2n" )tranto, a*ter the Castle an" the r2ins o* 7t3 :i'holas> $bbey, let 2s enter the Cathe"ral in the 'entre o* the town3 We +ay in"2l#e in a"+irin# the /o+anesB2e +osai' *loor, where the i+a#es o* $le5an"er the &reat, o* Iin# $rth2r an" so +any others, 'ohabit in a ti+eless view3 ?hen, let 2s hasten to the BaroB2e 'hapel on the le*t o* the apse3 ?here, the se'ret o* the terror or the +ystery o* the 'atastrophe is Aept 2n"er transparent panes, looAin# at 2s thro2#h ei#ht h2n"re" "o2ble voi" orbits3 :either ,ora'e Walpole, nor +2'h less -aria Corti, 'o2l" be 2naware abo2t3 !ven i* the *or+er never +entione" it openly, probably this is not 'o+pletely alien to the #ro2n"s whi'h +a"e the birth o* the &othi' narrative set in )tranto3 %n an !n#lish translation, the title o* Corti>s novel 3%ora di t)tti ;19F(< has been si+ply ren"ere" as Otranto ;199.<3 !5a'tly, the ori#inal +eanin# is the *atal ho2r, whi'h nobo"y 'an es'ape3 Yet there are nat2ral ways to rea'h an" *a'e this inevitable #oal3 ?hat o* the ei#ht h2n"re" inhabitants o* )tranto, whose bones are shown in the Cathe"ral, was an 2nnat2ral one3 )*ten in the -i""le $#es the town ha" been a port, *ro+ where 'r2sa"ers ha" saile" to the 1,oly Lan"1 an" to *i#ht the %sla+i' Worl"3 %n 1@40, a ?2rA *leet 'onB2ere" )tranto an" it was o''2pie" "2rin# a while3 ?he ei#ht h2n"re" 1+artyrs1 are tol" to have been Aille", *or they re*2se" to ab92re their *aith3 -ostly a sla2#hter o* 'ivilians, anyway it has been a lon# lastin# tra2+a, not only in the +e+ory o* s2rvivors3 Corti>s i+a#ination +aAes *ew s2rvivors an" vi'ti+s narrate the be*ore, the while an" the a*ter o* that event3 ,er pity #rants voi'es to those who 'o2l" not e5press their astonish+ent an" pain, their i#nore" *ear or anony+o2s herois+, their nostal#ia o* li*e3 ?he a2thoress ha" been a witness to 'ri+es 'o++itte" by :a6i inva"ers in :orth %taly, "2rin# the 7e'on" Worl" War an" the pop2lar resistan'e a#ainst the+, this ti+e with no reli#io2s prete5t3 ,er is an o''asion o* i+pli'it re*le'tion3 ?he 'on'l2sion is pessi+isti', abo2t the linA between h2+an pro#ress an" nat2re3 $t last she B2eries: 1,ow +any years sin'e thenD J2st only the livin# 'o2nt it3 $n" has anythin# really 'han#e"D13 Walpole>s *antasti' ro+an'e an" Corti>s histori'al novel +ay +eet in s2'h a B2estion, tho2#h al+ost two hi#h 'ivili6e" 'ent2ries elapse" *ro+ the *or+er to the latter3 )ther %talian novels are spe'ially set in the Cathe"ral o* )tranto, as 8ostra Si!nora dei T)rchi by Car+elo Bene ;19FH< an" Otranto by /oberto Cotroneo ;1999<, or "eal with
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the tra#i' episo"e revisite" by -3 Corti, as 3o scri(a di Casole by /a**aele &or#oni ;(00@<3 $ *2rther short story +i#ht be written3 Let 2s en" o2r to2r in 7t3 Peter>s Basili'a, not *ar *ro+ the Cathe"ral3 %n the s+all b2il"in#, we +ay en9oy By6antine or later *res'oes, with both &reeA an" Latin ins'riptions3 $bove the apse, *ew $rab letters +ay be "is'erne", a probable re+ain"er sin'e when the ?2rAs t2rne" the 'h2r'h into a +osB2e3 )ne wor" +ay be rea", whi'h ol" restorers *or#ot or "i" not "are to erase3 %t is 1$llah1: in $rabi', 1the &o"13 Perhaps, he wo2l" be the +ost perple5e" s2rvivor333 %n"ee" this "etail re+in"s o* a s'ene +ore, "es'ribe" in Corti>s novel3 7o+e prisoners lie in the "2n#eons o* the Castle, a*ter havin# vainly trie" to rea'h a se'ret passa#e lea"in# o2t o* the walls, as a way o* es'ape3 $t "ea" o* ni#ht, they are waitin# *or a +er'iless "awn3 %nstea" o* a *a+iliar so2n" o* bells, they hear an $rabi' sin# son# *ro+ o2tsi"e an" listen to it, witho2t 2n"erstan"in# +eanin# an" sense3 ?hey 'annot Anow it is the reli#io2s 'all o* a +2e66in, an" thinA o* a 'anto o* love, won"erin# *or it a+i" the horrors o* a war3 :ot sel"o+ a terror prevailin# on the s2bli+e is "2e to +en>s ina"eB2a'y, s2'h that it +ay bree" "isill2sion: 1% piB2e +ysel* on no philosophy b2t what a lon# 2se an" Anowle"#e o* the worl" ha" #iven +e 8 the philosophy o* in"i**eren'e to +ost persons an" events1 ;,3 Walpole, Letter to the -iss Berrys, 10 )'tober 1790<3 $ last note +ay 'on'ern *e+ale *i#2res, in the worAs here reviewe" or +entione"3 =ro+ Walpole>s heroines to 7aint 7ophia o* -aria Corti an" to the #rotesB2e O)r 3ady of the T)rks by Car+elo Bene, they are patheti' 'hara'ters or reli#io2s abstra'tions, both By6antine an" Catholi', +ainly 'on'eive" by +as'2line +in"s3 %n Corti>s 3%ora di t)tti, the bea2ti*2l %"r2sa alone is real, nay a 1tr2e1 one3 LiAe -atil"a o* Walpole ;a +o"el o* L2'ia, in the novel The 'etrothed 3o$ers by -an6oni<, *inally she is a vi'ti+3 Yet, 92st be*ore the violent e5it, her pop2lar stren#th an" -e"iterranean splen"o2r ill2+inate the whole story, only o2tshinin# her e5e'2tioners s2nA into the "arA "epth o* history3 ?r2ly, +2r"erers have neither reli#ion or i"eolo#y, nor even nationality3 $elected i%liogra&hy Bene, Car+elo3 8ostra Si!nora dei T)rchi, -ilan: Bo+piani, (00H3 Corti, -aria3 Otranto, :ew YorA: %tali'a Press, 199.; intro"2'e" an" translate" by Jessie Bri#ht *ro+ 3%ora di t)tti, -ilan: Bo+piani, 19F( an" (00F3 Corti, -aria3 Il canto delle sirene, -ilan: Bo+piani, 19493 Cotroneo, /oberto3 Otranto, -ilan: $3 -on"a"ori, 19993 &or#oni, /a**aele3 3o Scri(a di CAsole/ Il se!reto di Otranto , :ar"Q ;Le''e<: Besa !"itri'e, (00@3 -an6oni, $lessan"ro3 3etter on Romanticism, in PM3A ;1P2bli'ations o* the -o"ern Lan#2a#e $sso'iation o* $+eri'a1, Balti+ore, U373$3< 0ol3 119, :o3 (, -ar'h (00@, pp3 (99 .1F; intro"2'e" an" translate" by Joseph L266i *ro+ 3ettera s)l romanticismo ;14(. an" 1470<3 -assara, &i2seppe3 II teatro della mente/ Sa!!io s) 5orace 1alpole, Bari: $"riati'a, 194@3 Pra6, -ario3 %ntro"2'tion to Il castello di Otranto, %talian translation o* The Castle of Otranto by ,ora'e Walpole, -ilan: /i66oli, 19443
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7'ott, Walter3 %ntro"2'tion to The Castle of Otranto by ,ora'e Walpole, in 1alpole6 The Critical 5erita!e, e"ite" by Peter 7abor, Lon"on: /o2tle"#e an" Ie#an Pa2l, 19473 7'ott, Walter3 3i$es of Eminent 8o$elists and #ramatists ; ,onol2l2, ,awaii: University Press o* the Pa'i*i', (00(3 Walpole, ,ora'e3 The Castle of Otranto6 A Gothic Story , e"ite" by W3 73 Lewis an" intro"2'e" by !3 J3 Clery, :ew YorA: )5*or" University Press, 19943 Walpole, ,ora'e3 The 0ale Edition of 5orace 1alpole%s Correspondence , e"ite" by W3 73 Lewis Net al3O, :ew ,aven: Yale University Press, 19.. 194.; @4 vols3 Walpole, ,ora'e3 Anecdotes of Paintin! in En!land, :ew YorA: $rno Press, 19F9; @ vols3 Internet Re"erences Christensen, Lars; ,a++er $n"ersen, Carsten; )rbesen ?roest, -a"s3 Analysis of @The Castle of Otranto@, in The Gothic 8o$el, s2pervise" by Joer#en /iber Christensen, 1994, at the Web a""ress http:JJearth3s2betha3"AJReeAJ+2se2+Ja2'J+arvinJwwwJlibraryJ2niJpro9e'tsJ#othnov3ht+ Jones, Jonathan3 5ell on earth, arti'le abo2t the art e5hibition 17alvator /osa: Wil" Lan"s'ape1, in The G)ardian, (1 -ar'h (00H; at the Web a""ress http:JJarts3#2ar"ian3'o32AJ*eat2resJstoryJ0,11710,1@@(.11,003ht+l Iirs'henba2+, Blosso+ 73 /eview *or -aria Corti, Otranto, !n#lish translation o* 3%ora di t)tti, at the Web a""ress http:JJa'a"e+i'3brooAlyn3'2ny3e"2J+o"lan#J'arasiJviaJ0ia0olHS(/eviews3ht+ IoT, !rt2#r2l3 Re(irth of the Gothic in the Metropolitan 3e!ends, in Bo)rnal of Arts and Sciences, FJ(00F, Eepart+ent o* ?ranslation an" %nterpretin# 7t2"ies, =a'2lty o* $rt an" 7'ien'es, UanAaya University, $nAara, ?2rAey; at the Web a""ress http:JJ9as3'anAaya3e"23trJ9asFJ;04<!rt2#r2lIo'3p"* Walpole, ,ora'e3 1WorAs by ,ora'e Walpole, @th !arl o* )r*or"1, at Pro9e't &2tenber#, Web a""ress http:JJwww3#2tenber#3or#Ja2thorJ,ora'eVWalpole . - A Roman Itinerary, in the /ictorian Age The Forget"!l Water o" -ethe 7till to"ay in %taly, ni'e Carnivals are en9oyable at 0eni'e or 0iare##io3 %n the so 'alle" 1/o+ish1 ti+es, the +ost a+a6in# one o2#ht to have been in /o+e3 ?he +ore +ost people>s li*e was restraine" an" poor in the 2s2al 'o2rse o* the year, the +ore that short +erry season #rew wil" an" even li'entio2s3 7everal Popes are tol" to have vainly trie" to ste+ s2'h a li'en'e or to stop the e5'esses3 Probably, a prevailin# in"2l#en'e was "2e to the 'on'ept o* a winnin# sin*2l "isposition in +anAin" or rather to an 2tilitarian 'are: an event liAe that 'o2l" worA liAe a sa*ety valve, preventin# the o2tb2rst o* so'ial an" politi'al tensions, even then re'2rrent in a 'ons'io2s or 8 +ore o*ten 8 2n'ons'io2s way3 Semel in anno licet insanire, 1)n'e in the year insanity is allowe"1: no "e*inition so2n"s +ore
1H

s2itable3 %t +ay be s2rprisin# to Anow that a si+ilar Latin +a5i+ early appeare" in 7t3 $2#2stine>s #e Ci$itate #ei3 %n"ee", $2#2stine B2ote" 7ene'a who ha" in +in" a &reeA poet3 )*ten *orei#n artists an" +en o* letters *elt 'har+e", so+eti+es a bit "is#2ste", by s2'h an e5traor"inary spe'ta'le3 /e*errin# to the Carneval o* the 1744, in his Italienische Reise ;1%talian Jo2rney1< the &er+an writer an" poet Johann Wol*#an# von &oethe annotate" the /o+an Carnival was 1not a *estival #iven *or people; rather, one the people #ive the+selves13 ?he #overn+ent was not 'har#e" or involve" in or#ani6in# it3 :or was the happenin# e+bellishe" with *ireworAs, ill2+inations an" pro'essions, liAe the reli#io2s *estivals3 $t a #iven si#nal, anyone 'o2l" a't as +a" an" *oolish as he liAe"3 J2st only the s2'h as brawls an" stabbin# was *orbi""en3 =or a while, "i**eren'es a+on# so'ial 'lasses see+e" to be re+ove" or 2pset3 $t least, a #eneral #oo" h2+o2r was +aAin# 2p *or the "i**2se insolen'e an" li'en'e3 &oethe 'on'l2"es: 17ee the Carnival in /o+e, to lose all wish ever to see it a#ain13 B2t, he a""s, li*e itsel* looAs liAe a /o+an Carnival: 1Yo2 'o2l" not 'o+prehen" it all at on'e, nor 'an wholly en9oy it, *2ll o* "an#ers as it is13 -ore in"2l#ent, even enth2siasti', is an a''o2nt o* a /o+an Carnival in 14@0, by the !n#lish novelist Charles Ei'Aens in his Pict)res from Italy3 ,e "es'ribes a para"e o* *estive 'arria#es, liAe &oethe ha" "one with the ra'e o* ri"er less horses, alon# Corso 7treet3 $lso Ei'Aens *eels +ainly "rawn to the people, be'o+in# the a't2al prota#onists, o2t o* the sha"e o* history where they were 2s2ally ne#le'te"3 $n" a *2lly /o+anti' sensitiveness pro+pts hi+ with psy'holo#i'al 'o++ents, even &oethe ha" been 2nable to +aAe, so+e *i*ty years be*ore3 ?ellin# abo2t the 'ost2+es o* the +asAs, he writes: 1every wil", B2aint, bol", shy, pettish, +a"'ap *an'y ha" its ill2stration in a "ress; an" every *an'y was as "ea" *or#otten by its owner, in the t2+2lt o* +erri+ent, as i* the three ol" aB2e"2'ts that still re+ain entire ha" bro2#ht Lethe into /o+e, 2pon their st2r"y ar'hes, that +ornin#13 $s to s2'h a s2""en +eta+orphosis, an open B2estion +i#ht be whether an" how *ar the +ythi'al water o* the in*ernal river +aAes *or#et, or rather sp2rs 2s to "is'over, who really we are3 :o won"er that %talian Carnivals were a *reB2ent 'ontrastin# ba'A#ro2n", in the tales o* terror or "arA novellas3 %n &er+any, =rie"ri'h 7'hiller>s #er Geisterseher ;1?he &host 7eer1,174F 1744< an" Prin;essin 'ram(illa by !rnst ?heo"or $+a"e2s ,o**+ann ;1Prin'ess Bra+billa1, 14(0< are set in 0eni'e an" /o+e respe'tively, both "2rin# the 'arnival ti+e3 ?he &host 7eer is a typi'al /o+anti' in"ivi"2ality o*ten 1stran#er to the worl" abo2t hi+1, 1wrappe" in his own visionary i"eas1 an" able to walA in solit2"e 1in the +i"st o* a t2+2lt2o2s 'row"13 B2t the at+osphere o* the Carnival +aAes hi+ "isen'hante" abo2t3 :ot sel"o+, an 2n'ons'io2s reality +ay be "i**erent, even har"er than a '2rrent an" e5pe'te" one3 $n" the s2bli+e isolation o* the /o+anti' hero +ay Aeep hi+ o2t o* the others, b2t 'annot avoi" the +asAs e+er#in# *ro+ the 2n'anny3 ,o**+ann>s novella has as s2btitle 1$ Capri'e in the style o* Ja'B2es Callot13 %t starts with an ho+a#e to the =ren'h en#raver an" to Carlo &o66i, 0enetian a2thor o* theatri'al *ables3 $nother so2r'e o* inspiration is &oethe>s report o* the Carnival3 7everal /o+an sites re'2r in the narration, as the Corso, :avona 7B2are, Pia66a "i 7pa#na an" the 1Ca**W &re'o1, then a 'os+opolitan +eetin# point o* intelle't2als an" parti'2larly o* &er+an artists3 %n"ee", the settin# is a bit +ore than a prete5t *or narratin# a #rotesB2e *ar'e, whi'h is a "e*or+in# +irror o* the so'iety an" '2lt2re in a perio" o* transition3 Besi"es a 'apri'e, Princess 'ram(illa is a paro"y o* /o+anti' philosophy an" o* its sear'h *or an i"eal sel*
1F

insi"e the +an3 )n the other han" =lein 4aches- !enannt 4inno(er, a pre'e"ent tale by ,o**+ann, ha" been a satire o* the enli#htene" absol2tis+3 ?2rnin# over an i"ealisti' view, *or the a2thor the worl" itsel* is a show o* +asAs, where the irrational an" the real are 'onver#in#3 An Emerging Identity, "rom a Grotes0!e *ontrariety Spalatro- from the notes of Fra Giacomo ;14@.< is by the %rish writer Joseph 7heri"an Le =an23 %n the story, +ostly set at /o+e, a narrative "evi'e re+in"s o* that e+ploye" by 7'hiller in The Ghost"Seer3 Let 2s listen to the prota#onist: 1% rose towar"s evenin# N333O an" wan"ere" *orth to breathe the *resh air 2pon the Corso3 %t was the Carnival 8 the streets were thron#e" with +asAs, 92##lers, itinerant #a+esters with their vario2s apparat2s *or 'heatin# the in'a2tio2s; +o2ntebanAs an" e+piri's hol"in# *orth 2pon their 'ra6y sta#es; noble la"ies in ri'h attire walAin# with their hi#h born prote'tors, an" sho2l"ere" an" 9ostle" by 'o2ntry+en an" be##ars 8 all +in#le" 2p in the *antasti' +a6es o* a bewil"erin# an" #or#eo2s "rea+3 Captivate" by the never en"in# variety o* the s'ene be*ore +e, ho2r a*ter ho2r *lew by; an" when at len#th the s2n went "own, an" twili#ht was s2''ee"e" by the wan splen"o2r o* the +oon, % still was sa2nterin# a+on# the #ay an" i"le thron#, whose #ro2ps 'rosse" an" *litte" be*ore +y eyes in s2'h ri'h an" #rotesB2e 'ontrariety13 $ll o* a s2""en this 7palatro, an 1ill2strio2s ban"it1 o* the 17 th 'ent2ry, o''2rs to be approa'he" by a +ysterio2s +asA, both a "evilish ,arleB2in an" a 7atani' +onA, who will presa#e an" "eter+ine his ill *ate3 !ven +ore than o* "iaboli' possession, what we are #oin# to rea" is a 'ase o* "isso'iation o* the personality: 1% *elt *or'e" to i+itate3 %nto these hi"eo2s #ri+a'es he threw, at ti+es, e5pressions o* "e+onia' passion so *ear*2lly intense, that hell itsel* 'o2l" not have e5'ee"e" the+: these too, % was *or'e" to *ollow, an" the "rea"*2l passions the+selves possesse" +e in s2''ession, while all the ti+e, in"epen"ently o* these +ali#nant inspirations, there re+aine" within +e, as it were looAin# on, a terri*ie" sel* 'ons'io2sness3 N333O !very wor" he spoAe, % spoAe 8 every +ove+ent he +a"e, % +a"e too3 -y +otions all 'orrespon"e" with his, with the si+2ltaneo2sness an" a''2ra'y with whi'h sha"ow *ollows s2bstan'e; % *elt as i* +y i"entity was +er#in# into his13 Spalatro is the story o* an inel2'table pre"estination, that not even a s2pernat2ral bea2ty 'an help to 'han#e3 $''or"in# to an an'ient &nosti' tra"ition, even in the worst evil there is a sparA o* #oo"3 ?oo o*ten, it is i+potent to 'o+e o2t or to prevail3 $ striAin# 'hara'ter is a "ea" alive *air la"y, who s2rvives her own li*e by "rinAin# h2+an bloo"3 %n an e5traor"inary way, this B2asi va+pire wo+an #rows piti*2l on 7palatro3 B2t she "oes not s2''ee" in preservin# his so2l, res'2in# hi+ *ro+ the perspe'tive o* an everlastin# "a+nation3 :or +ay the love, ret2rne" by 7palatro hi+sel*, worA s2'h a +ira'le3 ?he ,arleB2in, the +onA, the yo2n# looAin# la"y an" a blasphe+e sor'erer see+ to be all +asAs o* his lost sel*3 =inally he will be arreste" an" e5e'2te" in 0eni'e, "2rin# another Carnival, what evi"ently is a re'2rrin# 'ir'2+stan'e in his ba" *ort2ne3 The Cask of Amontillado was written in 14@F by the $+eri'an writer !"#ar $llan Poe3 ?his tale is liAely set in %taly 8 or, perhaps, in =ran'e 8 in a perio" that *ew 'l2es "ate between the 14th an" the 19th 'ent2ry3 ?he apparently 'as2al en'o2nter between the +2r"erer an" the vi'ti+ happens 1one evenin# "2rin# the s2pre+e +a"ness o* the 'arnival season13
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Both o* the+ wear "i**erent +asAs3 ?hese *oresha"ow their *orth'o+in# roles, whi'h so+ewhat invert their perse'2tory relation in the 2s2al li*e3 ?he e5pression 1s2pre+e +a"ness o* the 'arnival1 re'alls the "es'riptions o* the /o+an ones, even i* the a"9e'tive 1s2pre+e1 here so2n"s liAe a sinister a""ition3 72'h a +a"ness +ay also hint at the reven#e*2l +ono+ania o* the +2r"erer3 %n'apa'ity to *or#et is his own insanity, that even a +asA 'an b2t 'on*ir+, nay 'ontrib2tin# to t2rn the 1#rotesB2e 'ontrariety1 o* the Carnival into a tra#e"y3 ?here is no worst +a"ness than in'apa'ity to a''ept insanity itsel*, at least on'e in the year3 LiAely, the +ost eB2ilibrate" "es'ription o* the /o+an Carnival +ay be *o2n" in the later novel The Mar(le Fa)n, by the $n#lo $+eri'an :athaniel ,awthorne3 ,e is aware that s2'h an event was a s2rvivin# tra"ition, near the s2nset o* a whole worl" with its val2es an" *a2lts3 7o, his a''o2nt "oes not la'A a "eal o* +elan'holy: 1%t was 'arnival ti+e3 ?he +erri+ent o* this *a+o2s *estival was in *2ll pro#ress; an" the stately aven2e o* the Corso was people" with h2n"re"s o* *antasti' shapes, so+e o* whi'h probably represente" the +irth o* an'ient ti+es, s2rvivin# thro2#h all +anner o* 'ala+ity, ever sin'e the "ays o* the /o+an !+pire3 =or a *ew a*ternoons o* early sprin#, this +o2l"y #ayety strays into the s2nshine; all the re+ain"er o* the year, it see+s to be sh2t 2p in the 'ata'o+bs or so+e other sep2l'hral storeho2se o* the past13 Yet the a2thor is also tho2#ht*2l o* a 'ontra"i'tion, 'on'ernin# the "o+ain o* arts an" o* poeti'al inspiration: 1there is reason to s2spe't that a people are wanin# to "e'ay an" r2in the +o+ent that their li*e be'o+es *as'inatin# either in the poet>s i+a#ination or the painter>s eye13 A Fancy o" Religio!s *on,ersion ?he /o+e sAet'he" here above is an ol" one, as et'he" in the views by &iovanni Battista Piranesi an" Bartolo+eo Pinelli, or evoAe" in the sonnets by the verna'2lar poet &i2seppe &ioa''hino Belli3 $s s2'h, it e5ists no +ore3 Yet we 'an "ete't its tra'es3 %+a#ine to have walAe" the Corso *ro+ Pia66a "el Popolo to 0eni'e 7B2are3 ?hen t2rn le*twar" 2p to 0ia :a6ionale, a street b2ilt a*ter the national 2ni*i'ation o* %taly, "2rin# the late 0i'torian a#e3 :ow, #o a #oo" way an" t2rn a#ain, this ti+e to the ri#ht3 7o, yo2 will rea'h the basili'a 7t3 -aria -a##iore3 ?ho2#h its b2il"in# is *ar +ore an'ient, espe'ially the interiors o* this 'h2r'h retain an at+osphere o* the BaroB2e art3 %* the ori#inal &othi' lon#e" *or s2nli#ht, +ostly the BaroB2e style shrinAs *ro+ it3 %* the +o"ern &othi' *i'tion liAes to provoAe a sense o* terror, the BaroB2e hi#hly ai+e" to the +arvello2s3 %n"ee", there is +ore a**inity between the *or+er an" the latter, than between the *or+er an" the +e"ieval &othi' art itsel*3 ?o#ether with the !n#lish novelist Willia+ ,arrison $insworth, in A 8i!ht in Rome ;14HF<, we 'an enter the basili'a in 14.0, 1"2rin# the 'elebration o* the anniversary o* the ,oly $ss2+ption13 $#ain as in ,o**+ann>s worAs, we have a *irst 'o+parison with 1the sAet'hes o* Callot13 $n" so on, with an a''2rate "es'ription: 1%t was a #lorio2s si#ht to one 2na''2sto+e" to the i+posin# reli#io2s 'ere+onials o* the /o+ish 'h2r'h, to witness all the po+p an" splen"o2r "isplaye" at this hi#h sole+nity3 N333O 72b"2e" by the o"o2rs, the +2si', an" the spe'ta'le, % sanA into a state o* "rea+y enth2sias+, "2rin# a 'ontin2an'e o* whi'h % al+ost *an'ie" +ysel* a 'onvert to the *aith o* /o+e, an" s2rren"ere" +ysel*
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2nre*le'tin#ly to an a"+iration o* its errors13 !ven +ore than *or a reli#io2s one, it so2n"s liAe 2neasiness *or a 'onversion o* one>s sel*, o2t o* his 'ontrol3 LiAe the Carnival in Le =an2>s Spalatro or in Poe>s The Cask of Amontillado ;an" with so+e rese+blan'e to the prolo#2e o* The Italian, novel by $nn /a"'li**e<, the i+pressive at+osphere worAs as a 1s2+pt2o2s *ra+eworA1 an" intro"2'tion to a "arA story o* passions as s2perstition, 9ealo2sy, ven#ean'e3 =2rther+ore, it "eals with a *ew 'hara'ters 'o+in# *ro+ the "eep so2th o* %taly an" with 1their hot Calabrian bloo"1, or even 1their wil" an" pi't2resB2e #arb13 Eespite the splen"i" settin#, so+e e5'ess o* arti*i'e an" *olAlore +aAes this tale nearly a stereotype3 B2t it is interestin# noti'in# how 'onventional in#re"ients are 'losely 'onne'te" with a Catholi' tra"ition3 What is an ol" Protestant topi', whi'h in s2'h a writer as ,enry Ja+es will evolve into a se'2larist 'riti'is+3 We have to wait *or abo2t twenty years, 'han#in# the 'o2rse o* events3 ?he +ain event re#ar"in# %taly was the a''o+plish+ent o* the so 'alle" 1/isor#i+ento1, a*ter a lon# patrioti' liberation str2##le3 ?hat was the 2ni*i'ation o* the nation, an" o* the +ost part o* the 'o2ntry, 2n"er the liberal +onar'hy o* the Pie"+ontese 7avoia3 $t last, in 1470, /o+e was 'onB2ere" too3 %t be'a+e the 'apital o* the new 7tate3 !n#lish writin# intelle't2als or si+ply rea"in# people ha" lar#ely sy+pathi6e" with %talian patriots3 ?he national ins2rre'tional +ove+ent in !2rope ha" been the politi'al si"e o* a +at2re /o+anti'is+3 Both in %taly an" all over the 'ontinental !2rope, now a "o2ble "an#er was on one han" a "isill2sion o* the "e+o'rati' e5pe'tations, on the other one a "e#eneration o* the national *eelin#s into ethno'entri' nationalis+s3 $+i" all that, not wron#ly the 'onservative Catholi'is+ looAe" liAe a #reat "e*eate" *or'e o* the past3 ?he 'entre o* the te+poral power o* the Popes ha" been /o+e3 What abo2t the spirit2al oneD 72'h a B2estion is transparent in Ja+es> 'onsi"erations, whi'h will be B2ote" here below3 $t the sa+e ti+e, the +ost worrie" abo2t possible violations o* an e5ternal appearan'e o* the town was =er"inan" &re#orovi2s3 ,e was a historian, a2thor o* the Romische Ta!e(Ccher, translate" into !n#lish as The Roman Bo)rnals of F/ Gre!oro$i)sDEFG"HI3 $ '2rio2s 'lai+ by hi+ +ay be *o2n" in an arti'le iss2e" in 147F, 5istorical 8otes on the Ri$er Ti(er3 ?here, the &er+an s'holar pole+i6es abo2t &i2seppe &aribal"i by reportin# the opinion o* an %talian +athe+ati'ian an" en#ineer, =ran'es'o Brios'hi: 1%t wo2l" be really in'o+prehensible to "eal with /o+e, as i* it was any new town o* the Latin $+eri'a13 ?ho2#h e5presse" in an in"eli'ate +anner, in this 'ase we have an apparent para"o53 $ te'hni'ian was +ore sensitive to the "e+an"s o* aestheti's, than a *a+o2s patriot3 )bvio2sly &aribal"i, a realisti' /o+anti' hero, is s2ppose" then better 'on'erne" with the +aterial wel*are o* /o+an people3 The Play o" a Pro1ecting Imagination %n his travel a''o2nt A Roman 5oliday ;147.< ,enry Ja+es, the :orth $+eri'an a2thor o* The T)rn of the Scre,, observes: 1%t taAes no #reat attention to let it 'o+e to yo2 that the a2thority o* %talian Catholi'is+ has lapse" not a little in these "ays; not less also perhaps than to *eel that, as they stan", these "eserte" te+ples were the *r2it o* a so'iety leavene" thro2#h an" thro2#h by e''lesiasti'al +anners, an" that they *or+e" *or a#es the 'onstant ba'A#ro2n" o* the h2+an "ra+a3 ?hey are, as one +ay say, the ch)rchiest 'h2r'hes in !2rope 8 the *2llest o* #athere" +e+ories, o* the e5perien'e o* their o**i'e3
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?here>s not a *i#2re one has rea" o* in ol" worl" annals that isn>t to be i+a#ine" on proper o''asion Aneelin# be*ore the la+p "e'Ae" Con*ession beneath the altar o* 7anta -aria -a##iore3 )ne sees a*ter all, however, even a+on# the +ost palpable realities, very +2'h what the play o* one>s i+a#ination pro9e'ts there; an" % present +y re+arAs si+ply as a re+in"er that one>s 'onstant e5'2rsions into these pla'es are not the least interestin# episo"es o* one>s walAs in /o+e13 7o+eone +i#ht won"er why 7t3 -aria -a##iore instea" o* 7t3 Peter>s, 7t3 John>s, 7t3 Pa2l>s or 7anta Cro'e3 ?he last na+e is an abstra't reli#io2s sy+bolis+3 ?he other +ain basili'as are "e"i'ate" to +ale saints3 7anta -aria -a##iore is the 1+a9or1 te+ple "evote" to the +other o* a &o" +a"e +an3 $ vir#inal +other an" a h2+an &o" are tho2#ht*2l para"o5es o* the whole Christianity, o* its credo .)ia a(s)rd)m *or all that an" above all, in'l2"e" so+e abs2r"ity o* the li*e itsel*3 7t3 -aria -a##iore is a 'rossin# point o* s2'h "o#+as an" +ysteries3 %t re*le'ts the inti+ate nostal#ia o* a *e+ale per'eption o* "ivinity ;1the i"ea o* "ivine Wo+anhoo"1: so ,awthorne, in The Mar(le Fa)n<3 $ sear'h *or a *e+ale s2pernat2ral 'o2l" start *ro+ there, with no "isrespe't*2l intention to reli#io2s belie*s b2t a +ere attention to 1what the play o* one>s i+a#ination pro9e'ts13 By the way, we +ay play on a "o2ble +eanin# o* s2'h a pro9e'tin# i+a#ination3 %n *a't, a pro9e'tion o* an inner sel* o2twar" +i#ht prel2"e the pro9e't o* a renewe" e#o, per*or+in# in this worl"3 Be*ore that, an i++ersion into a si+2late" 2n"erworl" +i#ht be a 'atharti' propitio2s e5perien'e3 %n or"er that it +ay happen, *irst we nee" an evo'ative lan"s'ape, a #ro2n" where the e+otional herita#e o* an an'ient li*e lies below o2r steps3 :ot so "eep that it 'annot be rea'he" by o2r i+a#ination or, even better, by o2r #a6e itsel*3 $'t2ally, +o"ernity is not only a s'ienti*i' an" te'hnolo#i'al pro#ress3 %t is a history o* e5'avation an" restoration too3 %t be#an with a hori6ontal #eo#raphi' "is'overin#, as well as with a verti'al an" 2n"er#ro2n" e5ploration3 $r'haeolo#y an" philolo#y so 'ontrib2te" to this +o"ern awareness, that we have 'alle" it also /enaissan'e3 =ro+ 7t3 -aria -a##iore to 7t3 &iovanni in Laterano, another histori'al basili'a, we +2st walA ri#ht alon# 0ia -er2lana3 When arrive", we ha" better #et on a vehi'le, *or a lon# way is be*ore 2s3 ?hat is the 1X2een o* /oa"s1, 0ia $ppia3 %n"ee" it is the new $ppia, r2nnin# parallel to the resi"2al an'ient one an" lea"in# so2thwar" o2t o* the town, at present thro2#h lar#e +o"ern B2arters3 %t was not so at the ti+es o* the $n#lo $+eri'an writer $nn Craw*or" von /abe, s'ar'ely Anown with the pse2"ony+ 0on Ee#en3 7he was a sister o* the better Anown =ran'is -arion Craw*or"3 Both o* the+ ha" a liAin# *or stories o* va+piris+3 %n parti'2lar, $nn iss2e" the tale A Mystery of the Campa!na in 14473 1Ca+pa#na1 is the level 'o2ntry aro2n" /o+e, then a *avo2rite s2b9e't *or lan"s'apists3 )2t *ro+ BaroB2e interiors or *ro+ Carnival 1*antasti' +a6es o* a bewil"erin# an" #or#eo2s "rea+1, there we 'an "es'en" into 'ata'o+bs an" hypo#ea, a hi""en labyrinth waitin# *or 2s3 +o2n into a -a%yrinth o" +ar3ness $n ar'haeolo#i'al taste ha" been intro"2'e" into $+eri'an literat2re by ,awthorne, in his last novel The Mar(le Fa)n ;14F0<3 %n're"ibly he is the sa+e one, who in 14H4 'lai+e" in his French and Italian 8ote"'ooks: 1Whatever bea2ty there +ay be in a /o+an r2in is the re+nant o* what was bea2ti*2l ori#inally; whereas an !n#lish r2in is +ore
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bea2ti*2l o*ten in its "e'ay than even it was in its pri+al stren#th3 %* we ever b2il" s2'h noble str2't2res as these /o+an ones, we 'an have 92st as #oo" r2ins, a*ter two tho2san" years, in the Unite" 7tates; b2t we never 'an have a =2rness $bbey or a Ienilworth13 What "i" he happen, a*ter thatD !vi"ently, writer>s so2l *ell a vi'ti+ to a so 12nre*le'tin#1 spell, that the initial ne#ative i+pressions were 'on'eale" or overthrown3 $'t2ally, the person who wrote the Italian 8ote"'ooks an" the later novelist +ay looA "i**erent ones3 $nyway, a transition *ro+ an !n#lish 'entre" &othi' *i'tion to an international hori6on was now 'o+plete3 ,awthorne>s novel is a 'o+pen"i2+ o* the the+es here shortly analyse"3 =or e5a+ple, the 'atharti' e**e'ts o* the Carnival in /o+e; the te+ptation o* a 'onversion to the Catholi' worship ;as *or *aith*2l Protestant 'hara'ters<; the "es'ent into /o+an 'ata'o+bs an" even a "ist2rbin# *ear o* their "arAness3 Last b2t not least, so+e 1#rotesB2e abs2r"ity1 o* li*e is stresse" by s2pernat2ral apparitions, pro9e'te" by the play o* a2thor>s i+a#ination3 ?hro2#h the vi'issit2"es o* the story, an %talian prota#onist 8 the Co2nt o* -onte Beni 8 "is'overs to be not as solar an" naively inno'ent, as he believes or is believe" to be3 ?hree $+eri'an artists playin# the other +ain roles, a +an an" two wo+en, o''2r to pass thro2#h si+ilar 'rises o* their personalities3 :ot *ew o* their opinions or possible pre92"i'es will be 2pset, in'l2"e" a pres2+ption to be *ree *ro+ bias3 Let 2s rea" how the writer is a"aptin# the /o+anti' topi' o* a 1sep2l'hral #loo+1, *or the settin# in a /o+an 'ata'o+b: 1?he +ost aw*2l i"ea 'onne'te" with the 'ata'o+bs is their inter+inable e5tent, an" the possibility o* #oin# astray into this labyrinth o* "arAness, whi'h broo"s aro2n" the little #li++er o* o2r tapers13 )2t o* the +etaphor, this o2ter +a6e is +irrorin# an inner one, where ea'h one>s i"entity an" belon#in# 'all *or bein# revise" or risA #ettin# lost3 =2rther on, a s2ppose" 17pe'tre o* the Cata'o+b1 is so "es'ribe": 1,e was 'la" in a vol2+ino2s 'loaA, that see+e" to be +a"e o* a b2**alo>s hi"e, an" a pair o* those #oat sAin bree'hes, with the hair o2twar", whi'h are still 'o++only worn by the peasants o* the /o+an Ca+pa#na3 %n this #arb, they looA liAe antiB2e 7atyrs; an", in tr2th, the 7pe'tre o* the Cata'o+b +i#ht have represente" the last s2rvivor o* that vanishe" ra'e, hi"in# hi+sel* in sep2l'hral #loo+, an" +o2rnin# over his lost li*e o* woo"s an" strea+s13 7in'e its be#innin#s, &othi' *i'tion ha" been so+ewhat 1+elo"ra+ati'13 ,awthorne hi+sel* re*ers this a"9e'tive to the e5pe"ient o* his spe'tre3 1%n tr2th1, he is the e5pe'te" villain o* the story3 Yet he will be also the vi'ti+ o* a +2r"er 'entral in the plot3 72'h a h2+o2r noir "ra#s the other 'hara'ters into a spiral o* "rea", 'onnivan'e or "epression, revealin# their re+ove" nat2res3 Un"er a s2r*a'e o* 'ivili6e" learnin#, liAe the +ythi'al 7atyrs or =a2ns ea'h o* the+ is 1:either +an nor ani+al, an" yet no +onster, b2t a bein# in who+ both ra'es +eet on *rien"ly #ro2n"13 $+bi#2o2sly b2t *ort2nately, in the narration the sy+boli' i+a#e o* a 1labyrinth o* "arAness1 is balan'e" with a bri#hter one: 1%t was the =o2ntain o* ?revi, whi'h "raws its pre'io2s water *ro+ a so2r'e *ar beyon" the walls, when'e it *lows hitherwar" thro2#h ol" s2bterranean aB2e"2'ts3 NYO %n a Cent2ry o* their wil" play, :at2re ha" a"opte" the =o2ntain o* ?revi, with all its elaborate "evi'es, *or her own13 ,awthorne>s irony is sel* irony too3 While wat'hin# the BaroB2e tri2+ph o* the *o2ntain, an $+eri'an s'2lptor 'o+es o2t with a "arin# 'o+parison3 ?he provo'ative B2estion is: 1What wo2l" be "one with this water power, N333O i* we ha" it in one o* o2r $+eri'an 'itiesD Wo2l" they e+ploy it to t2rn the +a'hinery o* a 'otton +ill, % won"erD1
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$n" this is a 9oAin# reply: 1?he #oo" people wo2l" p2ll "own those ra+pant +arble "eities, N333O an", possibly, they wo2l" #ive +e a 'o++ission to 'arve the one an" thirty ;is that the n2+berD< sister 7tates, ea'h po2rin# a silver strea+ *ro+ a separate 'an into one vast basin, whi'h sho2l" represent the #ran" reservoir o* national prosperity13 ?hat is to say, 1$rt *or art>s saAe1 is a *a+o2s b2t not so i"le +otto, as it +i#ht so2n"3 $bove all, it was an anti"ote an" warnin# a#ainst e5'esses o* the 2tilitarianis+ or si+ply o* the rhetori'3 ,awthorne wrote his 1ro+an'e1 "2rin# the $+eri'an Civil War3 ?his 'ir'2+stan'e is not to be i#nore"3 LiAely, it pro+pte" so+e a2thor>s pessi+is+ abo2t the nat2re o* +anAin"3 %n his Italian 8ote"'ooks, tellin# o* the battle o* the 1-o''oli1 *ei#ne" in the /o+an Carnival, he ha" written: 1We, in o2r bal'ony, 'arrie" on a 'ivil war a#ainst one another>s tor'hes, as is the '2sto+ o* h2+an bein#s, within even the narrowest pre'in'ts13 -an has never been 'o+pletely +an3 What is worst, his histori'al pro#ress +i#ht t2rn into an invol2tion, rather than an evol2tion towar" a *2ll reali6ation o* his tr2e h2+an 'o+ponent3 $ "isappoint+ent liAe that was share" by those, who ha" set noble hopes on early or later e**e'ts o* a politi'al renewal: ,awthorne, as to the $+eri'an /evol2tion; ,o**+ann, as re#ar"s the =ren'h one in !2rope3 :ot *ew %talians will 'lash with si+ilar "isill2sions, a*ter the 1/isor#i+ento13 We "are to a"", s2'h a wi"e 'riti'al sense leavene" the best &othi' *i'tion3 A Female Archaeological Fear )2rs is not only an itinerary thro2#h the spa'e3 :earer or *arther, it is also a literary one into the past3 What we are "riven to visit are not only ol" streets an" b2il"in#s, b2t an'ient r2ins too an" 8 o* 'o2rse 8 *or#otten sep2l'hres3 Yet let 2s pro'ee" step by step3 1-y *irst step was to taAe a lon# walA o2t o* the Porta 7an &iovanni, an" this % "i" in the early +ornin#, tra+pin# alon# stea"ily 2ntil % 'a+e to an iron #ate on the ri#ht o* the roa", with >0i#na -ar6iali> over it; an" then % walAe" strai#ht on, never stoppin# 2ntil % ha" rea'he" a little b2shy lane r2nnin# "own towar"s the Ca+pa#na to the ri#ht1: this is the start o* the a''o2nt by a witness, in A Mystery of the Campa!na by $nn Craw*or"3 Both the 1porta1 an" the #ate worA as preli+inary a''esses to the territory o* the 2n'anny3 %n"ee", the "e'isive step is 1the entran'e to so+e "is'overe" bran'h o* a 'ata'o+b13 ,ere, +o"ern ar'haeolo#y #oes han" in han" with s2pernat2ral *i'tion3 Us2ally per'eive" as a sa're" pla'e by the Christian tra"ition, in this 'ase the 'ata'o+b t2rns into a re'epta'le o* evil an" l2st*2l "epravation3 7in'e the an'ient a#e its inhabitant is 0espertilia: in Latin, 1the evenin# wo+an13 =or 'ent2ries, she looAs *orwar" to l2re rash or +elan'holy yo2th into a "is+al love3 By "rinAin# their bloo", she absorbs their li*e till they "ie3 ?he i"ea o* a va+piress was not new3 3a morte amo)re)se by ?hCophile &a2tier ;14.F< ha" been set in 0eni'e3 Carmilla by Le =an2 ;1471 < liAe" #irls better than +en3 :evertheless 0espertilia pre'e"es by ten years the +ost *a+o2s +ale va+pire, #rac)la by Bra+ 7toAer, 'ontrib2tin# to "evelop the /o+anti' &othi' into a Ee'a"ent ,orror3 $nn Craw*or" hersel* so2n"s aware o* her atte+pt, when she writes o* its 1be'o+in# psy'holo#i'ally interestin#, a*ter all13 Un*ort2nately, s2'h an 1a*ter all1 +a"e her stop writin# too early3 ?he narration o* the a2thoress, lon# live" in %taly, "oes not la'A witti'is+s abo2t national pe'2liarities, *or instan'e as to the %talian '2nnin# an" 8 at the sa+e ti+e 8 an alle#e" solar *ear o* "arAness3 %* re*erre" to literat2re, in part it is tr2e3 &othi' narrative "i"
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not *in" in %taly as +2'h *avo2r as in the $n#lophone or &er+an 'o2ntries, both by the p2bli' an" by the writers, with so+e re+arAable e5'eptions3 ?he +ale prota#onist, -ar'ello 7o2vestre, has =ren'h an" %talian parents3 ?his +i5 'o2l" #ive hi+ a to2'h o* attra'tive e''entri'ity, *or the 'onte+porary $n#lophone rea"ers3 $bove all he is a 'o+poser by pro*ession an" an a+ate2r s'2lptor, parti'2larly sensitive an" v2lnerable to an appeal o* the o''2lt, in an a#e o* pre"o+inant Positivis+ ;$nn>s *ather hi+sel* was an artist, ?ho+as Craw*or", a2thor o* i+portant pie'es o* s'2lpt2re in the U3 73 $3<3 %n ret2rn, the se"2'tive 0espertilia stan"s o2t o* a *2nny ba'A#ro2n" o* 1lean !n#lish +isses1 an" 1+a" !n#lish to2rists13 We have to a"", $nn>s brother =ran'is -arion was less +il" than her, as to %talian *a2lts3 %n his tale For the 'lood is the 3ife ;190H<, we *in" another type o* va+pire wo+an3 7he is not a la"y b2t a pop2lar one, e5pression o* a 1"e+o'rati'1 va+piris+: 1a wil", #oo" looAin# 'reat2re 'alle" Cristina, who was +ore liAe a #ipsy than any #irl % ever saw abo2t here13 ?he story is set in 7o2th %taly, on the 'oast between L2'ania an" Calabria3 $n opinion there reporte" is B2ite "i**erent *ro+ those o* $nn here above: 1%t is won"er*2l what a nat2ral 'har+ there is abo2t +2r"er an" s2""en "eath in a ro+anti' 'o2ntry liAe this3 Eee"s that wo2l" be si+ply br2tal an" "is#2stin# anywhere else be'o+e "ra+ati' an" +ysterio2s be'a2se this is %taly13 Un*ort2nately, also in this opinion there is so+ethin# tr2e3 Yet, let 2s rea" *2rther on: 1this is not a very ro+anti' 'o2ntry13 Probably, s2'h is the proble+3 %taly was a *reB2ent settin# *or stories3 B2t it was a /o+anti' pro9e'tion an" s2peri+position too3 $t the sa+e ti+e, o*ten an e5ternal #a6e 'an better noti'e aspe'ts that one *ro+ insi"e "oes not3 LooAin# ba'Awar" an" *orwar", insi"e an" o2tsi"e, these are +ove+ents o* a "yna+i' sel*, in"ivi"2al or 'olle'tive it +ay be3 $n" a para"o5 is that it 'annot "o the s2'h by itsel* alone3 $*ter all, literat2re is a privile#e" +irror3 ?he Craw*or" brothers looA liAe havin# 2se" the the+e o* a *e+ale va+piris+, also *or e5pressin# the i+pressions o* their %talian e5perien'es3 ,owever, 92st as so+e %talian writers o* his ti+es, in other tales or novels =ran'is -arion trie" a 10eristi'1 approa'h, *itter *or a 'o+ple5 reality liAe that3 $'t2ally, there is +ore than a 'oin'i"en'e between hi+ an" s2'h writers as espe'ially L2i#i Cap2ana an" &iovanni 0er#a3 Wal3ing Girls and Racing (orses LiAely the 'hara'ter o* 0espertilia was inspire" by so+e *i#2res o* the &reeA tra#i' heroine $l'estis, "epi'te" on the walls o* hypo#ea or in the +osai' *loors o* 'e+eteries aro2n" /o+e3 ?he a2thoress all2"es to one o* these representations, s'2lpt2re" on the sar'opha#2s o* the va+piress3 B2t $l'estis was a positive sy+bol o* the hope in a res2rre'tion, or o* the wish o* a re#eneration a*ter the e5perien'e o* "eath3 %n or"er to +eet a si+ilar alle#ory, we have to travel alon# the 0ia $ppia as *ar as :aples an" *2rther on3 ?hat is to rea'h the e5'avations o* Po+peii, not witho2t havin# visite" the 0ati'an -2se2+ in /o+e be*ore3 ?here, we 'an a"+ire a +arble relie* representin# a yo2n# wo+an sin#2larly walAin#, step by step3 ?his "etail has bro2#ht her the Latin na+e Gradi$a, whi'h is the title o* a novel by the &er+an writer Wilhel+ ,3 Jensen ;190.<3 &ra"iva is a Ain" o* new &alatea or a 1+arble wo+an1, 92st to re2se an i+a#e e+ploye" by ,awthorne in his The Mar(le Fa)n3
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Eespite a liAeness to Arria Marcella, novel iss2e" by &a2tier in 14H(, the plot is ori#inal eno2#h3 ?he s2btitle is Ein pompe<anisches PhantasiestCck, 1$ Po+peian =an'y13 %n *a't, the *irst so2r'e o* inspiration is the above +entione" bas relie*3 ?he story, even the "rea+s o* the prota#onist are set in the &reeA /o+an 'ity, b2rie" by a vol'ani' er2ption o* 0es2vi2s in 79 $3 E3 ?he ar'haeolo#ist :orbert ,anol" "rea+s o* &ra"iva, while es'apin# *ro+ that 'atastrophe3 ,e #ets a*rai" that she "i" not s2''ee" in s2rvivin#, nay pro'ee"in# towar"s an aw*2l en"3 Eespite his e**orts to resist 1irrational i+p2lses1, s2'h an abs2r" an5iety #rows so +orbi" as to p2sh hi+ to the e5'avations o* Po+peii, in sear'h o* an i+probable answer3 $t last this arrives, in a transversal way an" a trans*i#2re" *or+3 ?he belove" sha"ow o* &ra"iva +aAes way *or a live wo+an3 ,er na+e is Zoe Bert#an#3 %n &reeA, Zoe +eans 1li*e13 %n &er+an, Bert#an# is al+ost an eB2ivalent o* 1#ra"iva13 ?hanAs also to a play on wor"s, this ti+e !ros prevaile" over ?hanatos, a#ainst the sense o* an i+pen"in# "eath3 7o rare in the tales o* terror, this happy en" 'on'2rre" in +aAin# o* &ra"iva ;1the #irl who steps alon#1 or, si+ply, 1she who a"van'es1< the inspirin# -2se o* the 72rrealis+3 Let 2s thinA o* so+e paintin#s by 7alva"or Eal[, or in parti'2lar Metamorphosis of Gradi$a by $n"rC -asson3 Be*ore the+, 7i#+2n" =re2" ha" analy6e" the novel in a s2btle essay, #el)sion and #ream in Bensen%s Gradi$a ;1907<3 Where "oes the 1re"iviva1 #irl walA *ro+D 72rely, she #ets o2t *ro+ the 2n'ons'io2s, rather than *ro+ the past or the "eath3 ?he B2estion where she #oes see+s to +atter even +ore3 :o "o2bt, she 'rosses the lan" o* +eta+orphosis3 LiAe *or the prota#onist o* Jensen>s worA, that is not only any 'han#e within one>s sel*3 %t is a 'onversion o* his worl" view3 $t least, :orbert ,anol" was l2'Aier than the +elo"ra+ati' -ar'ello, lover an" vi'ti+ o* 0espertilia3 %n a psy'hoanalyti' way, the +eri"ian &ra"iva an" the no't2rnal 0espertilia are alle#ories liAe !ros an" ?hanatos, the 1irrational i+p2lses1 "ealin# with love an" "eath3 ?ho2#h 'on*li'tin# one another, +aybe they are not as in'o+patible as they looA3 /ather, a :iet6s'hean 'on'ept2al 'ontrast between Eionysian an" $pollonian ele+ents see+s to be appropriate3 $''or"in# to Jensen, a #oo" *eelin# o* li*e "epen"s on a ri#ht +i5in# both o* the+3 =inally, let 2s ret2rn to the Carnival an" rea" the &er+an 'o+poser =anny -en"elssohn, sister o* the *a+o2s =eli53 %n a lon# letter ;=ebr2ary, (H 8 -ar'h, 1@, 14@0<, she writes to her +other: 1Yo2 wo2l" Anow +e no +ore, so a+2se" a+i" this noise3 %t 'annot be 'o+pare" with the sea lo2", nor with howlin# wil" beasts3 %t is only the "in o* the /o+an Corso13 )n'e in the year it 'rosse" the lan" o* +eta+orphosis, r2n by ri"er less horses3 %n 147@ an 2nbri"le" horse ran over a boy 'rossin# the street, an" he "ie"3 ?he royal *a+ily ha" atten"e" the s'ene3 0i'tor !++an2el %% abolishe" the ra'e3 $*ter that, the so ta+e" Carnival went to *a"e3 $ short 10i'torian a#e1 ha" be#2n in %taly too3 $ lai' Ain# s2''ee"e" where the Popes ha" *aile"3 %n"ee", he ha" no intention to p2t an en" to the event3 ,is "e'ision was +er'i*2l an" reasonable3 Yet he "i" not val2e the ri"er less horses represente" the spirit o* it, liAely +ore than +asAs or a"orne" 'arria#es3 -oreover, the ra'e was the last livin# tra'e o* an an'ient /o+e3 7in'e then, travellers an" to2rists 'o2l" only visit i+portant +on2+ents an" +2se2+s3 $ rhetori'al re'eption o* the 'lassi'is+ prevaile", s2'h as in the 10ittoriano1 in 0eni'e 7B2are3 =inishe" in 1911, the +on2+ent was the i+itation o* an e5h2+e" past, an" an ho+a#e to s2'h +en "e*ine" by 7'hiller 8 a bit 2n#enero2sly 8 as 1eB2ally 'o2ra#eo2s to 'o+bat an a'Anowle"#e" pre92"i'e or to "ie *or a new one13
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$elected i%liogra&hy Craw*or", $nn ;alias 0on Ee#en, $nne<3 A Mystery of the Campa!na, in Uncanny Tales, an antholo#y in'l2"in# also For the 'lood is the 3ife by =ran'is -3 Craw*or", an" intro"2'e" by /i'har" Ealby; Carlton, :orth YorAshire, U3I3: ?artar2s Press, 19993 Ei'Aens, Charles3 Pict)res from Italy, e"ite" by Iate =lint, Lon"on an" :ew YorA: Pen#2in BooAs, 19943 &oethe, Johann Wol*#an# von3 Italian Bo)rney ;1%talienis'he /eise1<, e"ite" by ?ho+as P3 7aine an" Je**rey L3 7a++ons, translate" by /obert /3 ,eitner, Prin'eton: Prin'eton University Press, 1949 an" 199@3 &re#orovi2s, =er"inan"3 The Roman Bo)rnals of Ferdinand Gre!oro$i)s- DEFG"DEHI, translate" by $nnie an" &2stav2s ,a+ilton *ro+ Romische Ta!e(Ccher ;e"ite" by =rie"ri'h $ltha2s, 7t2tt#art, 149(<, Lon"on: &3 Bell \ 7ons, 19073 &re#orovi2s, =er"inan"3 8oti;ie storiche s)l fi)me Te$ere ;147F<, in Passe!!iate romane, translate" *ro+ &er+an into %talian by %nes Ba"ino Chiriotti, /o+e: !"i6ioni "ell>)belis'o, 19403 ,awthorne, :athaniel3 The Mar(le Fa)n- or The Romance of Monte 'eni; /o'Aville, -arylan", U373$3: Wil"si"e Press, (0073 ,o**+ann, !rnst ?heo"or $+a"e2s3 Princess 'ram(illa ;1Prin6essin Bra+billa1<, in The Golden Pot and Other Tales, translate" by /it'hie /obertson, :ew YorA: )5*or" University Press, (0003 ,o2ston, &ail ?2rley3 From #ickens to @#rac)la@6 Gothic- Economics- and ictorian Fiction, Ca+bri"#e an" :ew YorA: Ca+bri"#e University Press, (00H3 Ja+es, ,enry3 A Roman 5oliday, in Italian 5o)rs; -'Lean, 0ir#inia, U373$3: %n"yP2blish3'o+, (0073 Jensen, Wilhel+3 Gradi$a, an" =re2", 7i#+2n"3 #el)sion and #ream in 1ilhelm Bensen%s Gradi$a ;( BooAs in 1 0ol2+e<, translate" by ,elen -3 Eowney *ro+ Gradi$a6 Ein pompeianisches PhantasiestCck an" #er 1ahn )nd die TraCme in 1/ Bensens @Gradi$a@, Los $n#eles: 72n an" -oon Press, 199(3 Le =an2, Joseph 7heri"an3 Spalatro- from the notes of Fra Giacomo, in Spalatro6 T,o Italian Tales, e"ite" by -iles 7triblin#; -o2ntain $sh, -i" &la+or#an, U3I3: 7arob Press, (0013 -elani, 7an"ro3 3%eclissi del cons)eto/ An!eli- demoni e $ampiri nell%imma!inario $ittoriano; :aples, %taly: Li#2ori, 199F3 -en"elssohn, =anny3 Italienisches Ta!e()ch, e"ite" by !va Weissweiler, =ranA*2rt a+ -ain: 7o'iet]ts 0erla#, 194(3 -i#hall, /obert3 A Geo!raphy of ictorian Gothic Fiction6 Mappin! 5istory%s 8i!htmares, :ew YorA: )5*or" University Press, (00.3 -ilton, /3 7tern3 Conte&ts For 5a,thorne6 @The Mar(le Fa)n@ and the Politics of Openness and Clos)re in American 3iterat)re, Urbana: University o* %llinois Press, 19913 Poe, !"#ar $llan3 The Cask of Amontillado, in The Collected 1orks of Ed!ar Allan Poe, e"ite" by ?ho+as )llive -abbott; Ca+bri"#e, -assa'h2setts, U373$3: ?he BelAnap Press o* ,arvar" University Press, 19743
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Pra6, -ario3 The 5ero in Eclipse in ictorian Fiction, Lon"on an" :ew YorA: )5*or" University Press, 19HF e 19F93 ?ranslate" by $n#2s Eavi"son, *ro+ 3a crisi dell%eroe nel roman;o $ittoriano; =loren'e, %taly: 7ansoni, 19H(3 Internet Re"erences $insworth, Willia+ ,arrison, A 8i!ht in Rome, at ?he Literary &othi', Web a""ress http:JJwww3lit#othi'3'o+J?e5tsJni#htSinSro+e3ht+l Craw*or", $nn3 A Mystery of the Campa!na, at ,orror-asters, Web a""ress http:JJwww3horror+asters3'o+J?e5tJa0HHH3p"* Craw*or", =ran'is -arion3 For the 'lood is the 3ife, at ?he Literary &othi', Web a""ress http:JJwww3lit#othi'3'o+J?e5tsJbloo"SisStheSli*e3ht+l Ei'Aens, Charles3 Pict)res from Italy, e5'erpts at ?he /o+e $rt Lover, Web a""ress http:JJwww3ro+eartlover3itJEi'Aens3ht+l ,awthorne, :athaniel3 The Mar(le Fa)n- or The Romance of Monte 'eni, ?he Pennsylvania 7tate University, (00.; a Penn 7tate !le'troni' Classi's 7eries P2bli'ation, at the Web a""resses www(3hn3ps23e"2J*a'2ltyJ9+anisJhawthornJ-arble =a2n 13p"* an" www(3hn3ps23e"2J*a'2ltyJ9+anisJhawthornJ-arble =a2n (3p"* ,awthorne, :athaniel3 Passa!es from the French and Italian 8ote"'ooks of 8athaniel 5a,thorne ;e"ite" by 7ophia ,awthorne an" with an intro"2'tion by &eor#e Parsons Lathrop, Boston: ,o2#hton, -i**lin an" Co+pany, 144.<, at the Web a""ress http:JJwww3el"rit'hpress3or#JnhJp**inb3ht+l Ja+es, ,enry3 A Roman 5oliday, in Italian 5o)rs, at )nline Literat2re, Web $""ress http:JJwww3online literat2re3'o+JhenryS9a+esJitalian ho2rsJ9 Le =an2, Joseph 7heri"an3 Spalatro- from the notes of Fra Giacomo, at ?he Literary &othi', Web a""resses http:JJwww3lit#othi'3'o+J?e5tsJspalatro3ht+l an" http:JJwww3lit#othi'3'o+J?e5tsJspalatro(3ht+l Poe, !"#ar $llan3 The Cask of Amontillado, at Pa#e by Pa#e BooAs, Web a""ress http:JJwww3pa#ebypa#ebooAs3'o+J!"#arS$llanSPoeJ?heSCasASo*S$+ontilla"oJ 7'hiller, =rie"ri'h3 The Ghost"Seer- or the Apparitionist- and Sport of #estiny ;1Eer &eisterseher1<, at Pro9e't &2tenber#, Web a""ress http:JJwww3#2tenber#3or#J*ilesJF741JF741 hJF741 h3ht+ *o&yright &ino%lasone4yahoo.com '556 7the cha&ters concerning Edgar A. Poe ha,e %een iss!ed in the A!stralian 1o!rnal Calenture ..1, +ecem%er '5568

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