Corrado Alvaro Criticism
Corrado Alvaro (1896-1956) was a prominent Italian novelist, short-story writer, journalist, essayist, playwright, and poet known for his contributions to the verismo movement, a form of literary realism akin to French Naturalism. Best recognized for his masterpiece Gente in Aspromonte (Revolt in Aspromonte), Alvaro's work often explores the stark contrasts and tensions between the affluent, urbanized North and the impoverished, rural South of Italy. His narratives are marked by a deep concern for moral questions, a sensitive portrayal of the hardships facing the southern Italian underclass, and an exploration of violence as a tool for social change. Alvaro's upbringing in Calabria and education in Rome and Umbria deeply influenced his literary vision, which reflects both his personal experiences and broader socio-political themes.
Alvaro began his career in journalism, writing for major Italian newspapers and engaging in anti-Fascist activities, which led to his surveillance and eventual departure from Italy. His travel essays recount his experiences across Europe and beyond during the 1930s. After World War II, he returned to Italy, continuing his journalism work and serving as secretary of the Italian Association of Writers.
Alvaro's literary journey evolved from focusing on individual alienation, as seen in his early novel L'uomo nel labirinto, to addressing broader social and political issues affecting Italy’s lower classes. His later works, such as L'eta breve and L'uomo è forte, illustrate the impact of World War I across Italian society. Critics like Sergio Pacifici highlight Alvaro's skill in depicting the conflict between rural and urban values, particularly in Revolt in Aspromonte, where he portrays a society that respects only success and eschews compassion. His compassionate portrayal of Italy's peasants is further praised by Helene Cantarella and Alice Ellen Mayhew.
Despite some criticism of his characterizations, Alvaro's works have been celebrated for their epic, realistic depictions of the Italian poor and for his exploration of the challenges of modern civilization and the police state's impact on individual freedom, as discussed by Jerome D. Ross and Charles J. Rolo. Alvaro's literary achievements earned him significant acclaim, including the Italian Academy Prize for his body of work, underscoring his enduring impact on Italian literature.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Essays
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Corrado Alvaro
(summary)
In the following essay, Riccio praises Alvaro's works for their depictions of the human spirit.
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Nightmare Life in Death under Police State
(summary)
In the following review, Ross faults Man Is Strong for its vague characters and lack of suspense, but commends Alvaro's treatment of modern man's alienation. Nightly, in the dream state, the individual compounds his fears, guilts, and insecurity into installments of a shadowy autobiography. Corrado Alvaro makes use of this fact in his story of dictatorship's degradation of the individual. The modern police state thrives by instilling a thousand fears, ten thousand guilts, and the author has selected, as a device by which to present modern man as slave of the state, the half-world of tormented dreams.
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Fear Hath a Hundred Eyes
(summary)
Rolo was an Egyptian-born American investment broker, editor, and critic who wrote several studies on Aldous Huxley. In the following excerpt, he praises Alvaro's depiction of the fascist state in Man Is Strong for its "anguished climate of nightmare and baleful unreason."
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Cornered in Calabria
(summary)
In the following review, Cantarella praises Revolt in Aspromonte for its compassionate portrayal of the struggles of Italy's peasants.
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The Travail of an Indigent Shepherd
(summary)
In the following review, Mayhew hails Revolt in Aspromonte for its unsparing, passionate depiction of southern Italian peasant life.
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Another Look at Corrado Alvaro's L'uomo nel labirinto
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Terrizzi offers a reconsideration of L'Uomo nel labirinto in the context of Alvaro's subsequent work.
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The 'Southern' Novel
(summary)
Pacifici discusses Alvaro's adherence to the tenets of the 'verismo' school, highlighting the differences in the portrayal of the city in the works of Alvaro and Verga, particularly in relation to their characters' interactions with their native Calabria and the bureaucratic civilization of the North.
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Notes on Alvaro's Gente in Aspromonte
(summary)
In the following essay, Terrizzi examines the complex interweaving of realistic and mythic themes in Gente in Aspromonte.
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Corrado Alvaro
(summary)
- Further Reading