Women of Messina: Analysis of Major Characters
"Woman of Messina: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the intricate relationships and transformations of key figures within a narrative set against the backdrop of post-World War II Italy and the impact of the Fascist regime. The unnamed narrator reflects on the past and the societal changes brought about by historical events. Central to the story is Uncle Agrippa, a retired railroad worker who embarks on a lifelong journey in search of his daughter, Siracusa, ultimately seeking a utopian "reunion" where understanding prevails. Siracusa, who once fled during the war for a brighter future, undergoes a significant change alongside her lover, Ventura, a former Fascist officer grappling with his past. The character of Carlo the Bald, another former Fascist, represents the new governmental order and confronts the era's moral complexities regarding justice and accountability for past actions. The narrative weaves themes of personal identity, societal roles, and the yearning for reconciliation, reflecting the characters' struggles in a transforming world. This exploration invites readers to engage with the moral questions of forgiveness and renewal in the aftermath of conflict.
Women of Messina: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Elio Vittorini
First published: Le donne di Messina, 1949; revised, 1964 (English translation, 1973)
Genre: Novel
Locale: A village in Italy and various railroad cars
Plot: Social realism
Time: 1945–1946; epilogue, 1949
The narrator, who is never named. His father worked for the railroad company, but this information is the only distinctive point about the narrator. He is an ordinary Italian who mourns for the past and discusses the changes wrought by the Fascist regime and World War II.
Uncle Agrippa, Siracusa's wandering father, an older man who is retired from the railroad company. For years, he has traveled throughout Italy, searching for his daughter. After many years of journeying, however, the object of his travels is no longer finding Siracusa but what he calls “the reunion”: a perfect dimension in which human beings will understand one another without conflict. In addition, Agrippa's travels underline the subplot of the novel, which can be divided into three themes: the need for knowledge, the role of the individual in society, and the utopian “reunion.”
Ventura, also known as Ugly Mug, a former Fascist officer who lives anonymously in the village. He cannot forget the past, however, even while he is trying to adapt to the present. After Siracusa undergoes her “Teresa” transformation, Ventura is identified merely as “Teresa's husband.”
Siracusa (see-rah-KEW-zah), Ventura's lover and Uncle Agrippa's daughter. She ran away during the war to search for a better world. Siracusa knows about Ventura's past and has forgiven him. With him, she undergoes a symbolic metamorphosis, acquiring a new identity as Teresa.
Carlo the Bald, a former Fascist who is now working for the Italian government and who represents the new law. Carlo the Bald forces the addressing of the postwar moral dilemma regarding the punishment of former Fascists. His softer side is revealed when he listens sympathetically to Uncle Agrippa's tale of his search for his missing daughter while the two men are on a train together.