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by Walter Starkie (Author)
Luigi Pirandello: A Study of Genius and Isolation offers a comprehensive exploration of the life, work, and legacy of one of Italy's most enigmatic literary figures. Written by a devoted scholar and contemporary observer, the book captures the rise of Pirandello's revolutionary approach to theater and literature against the backdrop of Italy's turbulent political and cultural transformations in the early 20th century. Born in 1867 in Agrigento, Sicily, Pirandello rejected the ornate romanticism of his contemporary Gabriele D'Annunzio, choosing instead to craft a body of work infused with stoic pessimism, intellectual rigor, and a uniquely Sicilian sensibility. His works, characterized by their innovative forms and themes, grapple with the complexities of identity, reality, and human isolation. From his early short stories to his world-renowned plays like Six Characters in Search of an Author, Pirandello pioneered a new theatrical language that challenged traditional conventions and embraced the grotesque and the surreal.
This third edition not only revisits Pirandello's intellectual and artistic evolution but also examines the broader cultural and political contexts that shaped and amplified his career. From his uneasy relationship with the Fascist government to his influence on European modernism, the study delves into the duality of Pirandello's public acclaim and personal alienation. Updated with new material on his later, more introspective works and posthumous reputation, the book situates Pirandello as both a quintessentially Italian artist and a universal thinker whose contributions to drama and literature remain profoundly influential. With incisive commentary on his legacy, this edition serves as both a tribute to and a critical examination of the master dramatist whose name has become synonymous with the exploration of life's existential ambiguities. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1965.
