Vittorio Sereni
Vittorio Sereni was an influential Italian poet, born on July 27, 1913, in Luino, Lombardy. He graduated from the University of Milan in 1936 with a degree in literature, where he developed a deep appreciation for the works of Guido Gozzano. Sereni began his literary career in the 1930s, contributing to various journals and publishing his first book of poetry, *Frontiera*, in 1941. His experiences as a soldier and a prisoner of war during World War II deeply informed his subsequent works, particularly *Diario d'Algeria*, which explores themes of war and isolation. Over his lifetime, Sereni authored around thirty-one volumes of poetry and translated numerous significant works into Italian, establishing himself as a prominent literary figure. He was recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Viareggio Prize and the Bagutta Prize. Notably, Sereni founded the Linea Lombarda school of poetry, which aimed to bridge the gap between poetry and everyday experience. His legacy positions him as a vital contributor to 20th-century Italian literature.
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Vittorio Sereni
Poet
- Born: July 27, 1913
- Birthplace: Luino, Lombardy, Italy
- Died: February 10, 1983
- Place of death: Milan, Italy
Biography
Vittorio Sereni was born on July 27, 1913, in Luino, Lombardy, Italy, to Maria Columbi and Enrico Sereni. He moved to Milan in 1933, graduating from the University of Milan with a degree in literature in 1936. He wrote his thesis on Guido Gozzano, a poet who deeply influenced his own work. After graduating from the university, he worked as a high school teacher.
At the same time, Sereni was actively involved in the Italian literary avant-garde during the 1930’s. In 1937, he published his first poems in the periodical Il frontespizio. In 1938, he founded the review Corrente and also collaborated on the journal Campo di marte. Sereni’s first book of poetry, Frontiera, was published in 1941. Soon after, he was drafted into the army, serving first in Greece and later in Sicily. At Trapani, Italy, he was captured and from 1943 to 1945 was a prisoner of war in Algeria and Morocco. This experience served as the subject matter for his second book of poetry, Diario d’Algeria, published in 1947.
After his release from prison, Sereni began working again as a teacher. He also served as the literary critic for the newspaper Milano sera He left teaching to become the chief news director at the Pirelli tire factory. Soon after, he became the editor in chief at the Mondadori publishing house.
Sereni’s work changed with time. The early poems of Frontiera speak of the beautiful countryside of his youth. They also reveal the ambiguity and hesitation of youth. Diario d’Algeria, on the other hand, reflects the destruction and waste of war. This work reflects the anxiety and isolation of the prisoner. His third major collection, Gli strumenti umani, reveals the impotency of the poet to change society. Finally, his last important work, Stella variabile, includes meditations on death and times past. In all, Sereni published some thirty-one volumes of poetry as well as many other books and translations before his death on February 10, 1983.
In addition to publishing his own verse, Sereni translated many important poets into Italian. Indeed, he was considered one of the most important translators of his day, publishing his book Il musicante di Saint-Merry in 1981. This volume included poems by Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams, Guillaume Apollinaire, and Albert Camus.
Sereni’s work was honored with numerous literary awards. Among these was the 1956 Libera Stampa Prize, the 1965 Montefeltro Prize, and the 1972 Feltrinelli Accademia dei Lincei Prize for poetry. He also won the Viareggio Prize for Stella variabile in 1981, and the Bagutta Prize for a book of translations, also in 1981.
Although originally associated with the hermetic tradition of poetry, Sereni soon turned away from both hermeticism and solipsism. Perhaps Sereni’s greatest poetic achievement was founding the Linea Lombarda school of poetry, a group of young poets who tried to reconnect poetry with the real world. His contributions to Italian poetry make him one of the most significant writers of the twentieth century.