Cesare Pavese Criticism
The literary contributions of Cesare Pavese (1908–1950), a prominent Italian novelist, poet, and translator, highlight his departure from the ornate prose of his contemporaries to a more straightforward and naturalistic style. His works are celebrated for their profound emotional depth and the exploration of complex human relationships, resonating with readers and critics alike. Pavese's belief that the past profoundly influences personal mythology is evident in his narratives, where classical myths are reimagined to address modern existential dilemmas, as explored in The 'Once and for All' Event: Symbolic Reality in Feria d'agosto. In particular, his collection Dialoghi con Leucò (Dialogues with Leucò) exhibits timeless qualities by using mythological allusions to tackle existential themes.
Pavese's works, including his poetry collection Lavorare stanca (Hard Labor), are noted for their nuanced exploration of themes such as solitude and alienation, which are meticulously examined by critics like David William Foster and in Myth and De-Mythification of Pavese's Art. Initially underappreciated, Hard Labor is now acknowledged as a pivotal poetic work, praised in English translations by Ira Sadoff, and is lauded for its portrayal of post-World War II Italian society. The collection contrasts idyllic rural life with urban alienation, using vernacular language to portray the lives of the Piedmont's working class.
His later works became more introspective, notably in Verrà la morte e avrà i tuoi occhi, which reflects his personal disillusionments, characterized by poignant emotional depth. Pavese's exploration of love and isolation, often through his portrayal of women, is enriched by his turbulent personal relationships, as examined by Davide Lajolo. Additionally, critics like Giose Rimanelli highlight his innovative use of myth and language, which continues to be a focal point of scholarly analysis.
Although some critiques argue that his characters lack development, Pavese considered them vessels for intellectual exploration, a perspective discussed by Linda Hutcheon in "Pavese's Intellectual Rhythm." Despite such debates, Pavese's oeuvre remains a cornerstone of European literature from the 1930s to the 1950s, marked by its introspective examination of problematic relationships and pervasive melancholy, as articulated by Fabio Girelli-Carasi. His narratives feature characters often depicted as outsiders, grappling with communication failures, commitment issues, and escapism, with the countryside frequently serving as a remedy for urban alienation.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Pavese, Cesare (Poetry Criticism)
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The Woman with the Hoarse Voice
(summary)
In the excerpt below, originally published in Italian in 1960, Lajolo discusses Pavese's portrayal of women in his writings.
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Conception of Time and Language in the Poetry of Cesare Pavese
(summary)
In the following essay, Giose Rimanelli explores Cesare Pavese's poetic conception of time and language, emphasizing his mythic vision and the complex interplay between human consciousness, superstition, and the natural world, arguing that Pavese's work captures a rhythmic and elemental unity that reflects primal human experiences and the poetic embodiment of myth.
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The Poetic Vision of 'Le colline': An Introduction to Pavese's Lavorare stanca
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Foster examines Pavese's use of 'the hills' as both a poetic setting and as a basis for reality in Lavorare stanca.
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Myth and De-Mythification of Pavese's Art
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Rimanelli compares Pavese to his Italian contemporaries and discusses the use of myth in Lavorare stanca.
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A review of Hard Labor
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Sadoff lauds William Arrowsmith's English translation of Hard Labor and explores various aspects of Pavese's poetry.
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Lavorare stanca and the Evolution of Pavese's Verse in the Nineteen-Thirties
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Thompson surveys Pavese's early poetry, finding the works a means by which Pavese examined difficult periods in his life.
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The Woman with the Hoarse Voice
(summary)
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Pavese, Cesare (Short Story Criticism)
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Solitary Refinement
(summary)
In the following review, the critic depicts Summer Storm as a self-portrait of Pavese, who the reviewer describes as a man who found it difficult to love or to be happy.
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The Smile of the Gods
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Italian educator and author Biasin examines Dialogues with Leucò as an extension of Pavese himself suggesting that the theories of knowledge of self coinciding with destiny and death and the transforming of myth into destiny are the merging of Pavese's own sufferings and anxieties with mankind's. The critic also compares Pavese's literary theories and themes in his writings to the work of other scholars.
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Pavese's Intellectual Rhythm
(summary)
Below, Canadian educator and author Hutcheon studies characterization in Pavese's fiction, contending that it is consistent with his artistic aims.
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The 'Once and for All' Event: Symbolic Reality in Feria d'agosto
(summary)
In the excerpt below, Thompson discusses the events of Pavese's life during the period of World War II and their impact on his writings. Thompson also explores Pavese's theory—exemplified in Feria d'agosto—that experiences during a person's formative years determine his or her destiny and worldview.
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A review of Stories
(summary)
In the following review, Girelli-Carasi provides a favorable assessment of Stories, examining the themes and plots of the tales in the collection.
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Myth and Mortal
(summary)
In the following excerpt, American critic Birkerts asserts that Dialogues with Leucò addresses "primary existential questions" through myths in an attempt to discern universal patterns and paradigms in life.
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Solitary Refinement
(summary)
- Further Reading