You said you would try to keep the history lectures to a minimum, but I enjoy them! - it enhances the reading experience for those of us without much knowledge of 19th century Italy. With gratitude!
I’m enjoying both the book and your interesting notes. As a fellow Wolf Crawl slow reader I thought that in this week’s section the Prince reminded me a bit of Mantel’s H VIII - both self flagellating and self pitying. Everything is always someone else’s fault - especially those old, religious wives!
Italian men (especially those belonging to older generations) are still sexist today, imagine how bad it was back then. Even the most progressive thinkers, those fighting for establishing a democratic republic, were pushing for universal *male* suffrage – letting women have rights was unthinkable.
Prince Fabrizio is maybe more aware than most of the way he treats women, he does call himself a pig, but he's still actively and proudly sexist. He absolutely thinks himself better than the women in his life, and is not that interested in his daughters except for a possessive sort of pride. Also notice that while he is physically attracted to his wife, intellectually he despises her. He's very much a product of his times and culture, but still... a flawed person to say it mildly.
I need to read this part again. There's so much interesting information in the article.
During my initial reading, a question emerged: Does the novel's setting correspond to reality, or is it more metaphysical in nature? The narrative describes Fabrizio attending an audience with the king near Naples, then immediately dining at his villa near Palermo. Was such swift travel feasible during that era? Or is this a deliberate narrative choice by the author?
Yes, the encounter with Ferdinand is a flashback, as the king actually died a year before, in May 1859. The "present" of the first chapter happens in the span of 24 hours in Palermo, but you're right that time in this novel is metaphysical, flashbacks are so seamless that they get confused with reality, because to Fabrizio time is an illusion, it's cyclical and always repeating itself. He's like a sleepwalker, going restlessly from past to present.
Thank you for the clarification. While reading, I initially got confused by the scenes and mistakenly thought he had quickly visited the king in between events. The novel's pacing seems languid and unhurried, which contributed to my misunderstanding. Now I have a better grasp of how to approach the novel.
Fabrizio actually reminds me of a decadent figure. I believe he'd like to enjoy life, but the times have changed. Perhaps that's why he doesn't forbid his nephew from generally opposing him and his authority. The nephew clearly takes advantage of this situation.
I've finished Part 1 of the novel, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.
You said you would try to keep the history lectures to a minimum, but I enjoy them! - it enhances the reading experience for those of us without much knowledge of 19th century Italy. With gratitude!
Ah, I'm always afraid to be carried away, I'm always so fascinated by history. Glad you're enjoying them.
I’m enjoying both the book and your interesting notes. As a fellow Wolf Crawl slow reader I thought that in this week’s section the Prince reminded me a bit of Mantel’s H VIII - both self flagellating and self pitying. Everything is always someone else’s fault - especially those old, religious wives!
What funny is that both Henry and Fabrizio are very religious, but they twist their beliefs to suit their ends.
The joke about the little girls was particularly disgusting. Especially in light of what we now know about the abuses of clerics.
Sins heaped upon sins in order to justify sinning again. Yet a sacred rituals must be done according to its recipe. Hypocrisy abounds.
So far, only one of his daughters has been named, Concetta. Hmmm…..?
Dinner at this house sounds oppressive.
Italian men (especially those belonging to older generations) are still sexist today, imagine how bad it was back then. Even the most progressive thinkers, those fighting for establishing a democratic republic, were pushing for universal *male* suffrage – letting women have rights was unthinkable.
Prince Fabrizio is maybe more aware than most of the way he treats women, he does call himself a pig, but he's still actively and proudly sexist. He absolutely thinks himself better than the women in his life, and is not that interested in his daughters except for a possessive sort of pride. Also notice that while he is physically attracted to his wife, intellectually he despises her. He's very much a product of his times and culture, but still... a flawed person to say it mildly.
I need to read this part again. There's so much interesting information in the article.
During my initial reading, a question emerged: Does the novel's setting correspond to reality, or is it more metaphysical in nature? The narrative describes Fabrizio attending an audience with the king near Naples, then immediately dining at his villa near Palermo. Was such swift travel feasible during that era? Or is this a deliberate narrative choice by the author?
Yes, the encounter with Ferdinand is a flashback, as the king actually died a year before, in May 1859. The "present" of the first chapter happens in the span of 24 hours in Palermo, but you're right that time in this novel is metaphysical, flashbacks are so seamless that they get confused with reality, because to Fabrizio time is an illusion, it's cyclical and always repeating itself. He's like a sleepwalker, going restlessly from past to present.
Thank you for the clarification. While reading, I initially got confused by the scenes and mistakenly thought he had quickly visited the king in between events. The novel's pacing seems languid and unhurried, which contributed to my misunderstanding. Now I have a better grasp of how to approach the novel.
Fabrizio actually reminds me of a decadent figure. I believe he'd like to enjoy life, but the times have changed. Perhaps that's why he doesn't forbid his nephew from generally opposing him and his authority. The nephew clearly takes advantage of this situation.
I've finished Part 1 of the novel, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.