La presenza della plurivocita nel romanzo di Vincenzo Consolo "Nottetempo, casa per casa"

Abstract

The interpretation of Vincenzo Consolo’s novels cannot be complete without taking into account the field of culture from which the writer derives his inspiration. The Sicilian writers’ heritage, e.g. Verga’s, Pirandello’s, Sciascia’s, can be found in almost each o f Consolo’s narrations. In the sphere of references to epigones of Italian literature as well as of other contemporary literatures, Nottetempo, casa per casa is a clear example of intertextuality that includes elements o f pastiche and parody. This interdependence is illustrated by means of more or less literal quotations and citations. Such a narration, interlaced with citations from D’Annunzio, Verga, Ariosto, Manzoni, Montale, and Shakespeare as well as the Bible, is only seemingly anachronistic. In fact, it evokes memory which is kept by the Author and then, as a consequence, by the Reader. Nottetempo, casa per casa is a novel which materializes the features of postmodernist novels which are based not only on citations but also on parody and the interlacing of different codes and symbols. The stylistic and rhethoric play presented is a result of Consolo’s ideas according to which modern literature should show how to withstand the continuous degradation of culture.