Summary
In today's lecture, we discussed the literary movement known as "La Scapigliatura," which emerged in Italy during the period shortly after the unification of Italy in 1861. This movement, which lasted until about 1876, represents a break from traditional romanticism and reflects a period of deep crisis and distrust among intellectuals. The main centers of this movement were Lombardy and Piedmont, focusing on cities like Milan, which had become symbolic of new industrial and agricultural capitalism.
Key Points from the Lecture
Context and Historical Background
- The movement known as La Scapigliatura began around the time of Italian unification in 1861.
- This period also marked the end of the Romanticism era and the Risorgimento (Italian Renaissance).
- Notable figures such as Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, and Ippolito Nievo, an important literary figure, died in 1861.
Characteristics of La Scapigliatura
- La Scapigliatura represented a rejection of national romantic traditions and bourgeois institutions.
- It was mainly a protest movement by young intellectuals who sought to break away in a polemic manner from these established norms.
- Key authors included Emilio Praga, Iginio Ugo Tarchetti, Arrigo and Camillo Boito, Luigi Gualdo, Carlo Dossi, and Carlo Righetti (under the pseudonym Cletto Arrighi).
- The movement’s name is derived from Arrighi's novel "La Scapigliatura e il 6 febbraio," which depicts the unbridled lives of six young intellectuals reminiscent of the French bohemian lifestyle.
Themes and Literary Style
- The authors of La Scapigliatura expressed aversion towards Romanticism, the Christian spirit of Alessandro Manzoni, patriotic rhetoric, and bourgeois positivist values.
- Their works often portrayed negative values such as boredom, the unknown, doubt, and the concept of fatalism.
- Scapigliati writers produced primarily prose, narratives, and novels that featured irrational and fantastical elements, serving as a precursor to genres like fantasy.
Influence and Legacy
- La Scapigliatura anticipated major literary currents like Verismo and Decadentism, which would be discussed in later lectures.
- The movement oscillated between realistic depictions and irrational visions or dream-like states.
- Influences included European authors like Charles Baudelaire and Edgar Allan Poe.
Distinction of the Fantastic Genre
- The fantastic genre, central to Scapigliati literature, involves events that disrupt the normal rules of our known world.
- It often provides a narrative hesitation where the truth is ambiguous: either the observer is mistaken, or unknown rules are at play.
Conclusion
- La Scapigliatura reflected a broader European influence and was distinctly anti-conformist, embracing the more hidden, unconscious, and irrational aspects of human nature.
- This movement was crucial for its cultural and ideological contributions to Italian literature, setting the stage for future literary developments.
The lecture provided a comprehensive overview of La Scapigliatura, highlighting its historical significance, main themes, and contributions to the literary landscape of post-unification Italy.