La società sotto processo, ovvero Così è (se vi pare)

Abstract

The 19th-century was characterized by unshakable trust in both political and spiritual authority. However, towards the end of the century trust in all aspects of life dwindled and uncertainty became the order of the day. All across Europe one could easily observe a literature based on mistrust and relativism. From now on, Man’s beliefs and certainties were put on trial and previous convictions severely challenged. Periodicals such as Il Regno, Lacerba, and, most of all, La Voce were the first to inject a new perspective in the stagnant Italian literature. The author who wholeheartedly hurled himself against the mediocre literature was Luigi Pirandello (Nobel Prize in Literature, 1934) who continually questioned reality as perceived by the majority. This is, in fact, one of the basic themes in the play Così è (se vi pare) where the playwright derides individuals who uphold conventional beliefs, that is to say who are unable to see what lies beneath the surface. Pirandello confronts Man with himself so that he should feel the pain that would lead him to an authentic existence, even if this is extremely difficult for presumptuous individuals.