Cesare Pavese nei sudi rapporti con la letteratura americana
Date
2014-10-16
Authors
Balzan, Rosa Anna Maria
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Abstract
Cesare Pavese has been studied in many critical essays, as a prose
writer and a poet, as well as a critic of American Literature.
In all the critical studies, Pavese has been presented as one of
the leading figures of 20th century Italian Literature and the various
critics have, up till now, underlined, more or less emphatically the
fact that American Literature has deeply influenced Pavese and, through
him, contemporary Italian Literature.
Pavese has been studied in his relationship with American Literature
chiefly by three groups of critics. One group, after making a
superficial survey of his works, has drawn the conclusion, without
any real proof, that American Literature has influenced Pavese.
Another group has said that Pavese is a completely original writer,
whilst declaring, at the same time, that he was definitely influence'
by American Literature, thus inevitably falling in several and eeri
contradictions. Vet another group has made false and unfounded
accusations and has come to the conclusion that Pavese has been
influenced not only By the American authors he studied, but also by
their American critics.
The aim of the present research work is to clarify the ambiguous
judgments and to dispel the false accusations made against Pavese.
The present work shows through a carerul reading of ell translations,
essays, prefaces, articles that Pavese wrote an American Literature,
through a close examination of Italian criticism and of the major
American critical works, that Pavese was neither influenced by
American authors nor by American critics. The present work shows that
Pavese has been, on the contrary, a profound and original critic
of American Literature; his examination of the various linguistic
techniques, used by American authors, and their intersction, makes
Pavese the precursor of modern Struc^uriilism.
The first chapter of this dissertation Pavese and contemporary
Italian and European Literature gives a general survey of Italian
and European Literature from the end of 19th century, when new
literary ideas were born, to the beginning of the 20th century,
when these ideas gave their first results; it continues with an
examination of the period between Wars and it concluded with the
second post-war period. The second chapter Pavese and the critical
studies on American Literature, discusses American cultural "landing"
in Europe; it analyses the first generation of critics of American
Literature : D.H. Lawrence S E. Cecchi; it brings to the attention
of the reader the definite change in the interpretation of American
Literature through A. Gremeci and G. Pintor; it presents the second
generation of critics of American Literature : E. Vittorlni and C.
Paveae. The third chapter Pavese'a encounter with two Romantic
writers ; Welt Whitman and Herman Melville gives a concise historical
ind-Trterer7-p8n5Faris-oF^hs~pHiiod-Tn-liihrch American Romanticism
started; it analyses Paveae's critical studies on W. Whitman and
H. Melville and it presents a brief survey of American criticism on
these authors. The fourth chapter Pavese's encounter with two
Realist writers ; Sinclair Lewis and Sherwood Anderson, gives a
concise historical and literary panorama, of the period" in which
American Realism started; it outlines American Realism : before tne
First World lilar, between liters, and after the Second World War; it
analyses Pavese's critical studies an S. Lewis and Sh. Anderson and it
presents a brief survey of American criticism on these authors. The
Conclusion examines the various ambiguous and superficial judgments
and it dispels the false accusations made against Psveae; it ends
by showing that Peveae has been an original and profound critic and
tiv.t he has not been influenced by American authors, neither in
content nor in style.
American Realism started; it outlines American Resliam : Dafore the
First World War, between Wars, end after the Second World War; it
analyses Pavese'a critical studies on 5. Lewis and 5h. Anderson and it
presentg a brief survey of American criticism on these authors. The
Conclusion examines the various ambiguous end superficial judgments
and it dispels the false accusations made against Pavese; it ends
by showing that Pavsse has been an original anti profound critic and
that he has not been influenced by American authors, neither in
content nor in style.
Description
Thesis (M.A.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Arts, 1976.