West European Studies

I would like to start with a brief description of the controversial author, Guiseppe di Lampedusa. As far as my reading of his life goes, Lampedusa is a descendant of an old aristocratic family. It comes to my attention that he may be the inspiration for his novel, The Leopard. He used to say to himself, if I may quote, I was a boy who liked solitude who preferred the company of things to that of people. (http en.wikipedia.orgwikiGuiseppe_Thomas_di_Lampedusa) Solitude is a far out cry for him, for even after his death people cant help but be amazed for his masterpiece The Leopard.

Lampedusa discussed many topics in the novel like politics, gender issues, geographical landscape of Sicily to name a few. But its main focus is the social class relations and how it made a change to Italy forever. As what the history told us, Italy was once a country who exercised monarchial power. Only the aristocrats, intellectuals and middle-class people matters. It wasnt until the rise of Garibaldi when the masses showed concern to the thought of unification. (Making and Remaking Italy The Cultivation of National Identity around the Risorgimento page 203) Some remained problems of the old Italy remained even after its unification. Still, Italy stayed united till the present time.

Lampedusas interpretation of Italian unification is the death of aristocracy and the rise of a new power. The story started on the grandiose life of the main protagonist Don Fabrizio Corbera. He is an aristocrat who lived at the Salina palace. People treated him with great respect. The part in the novel when they visited their estate at Donnafugata and invited the villagers to the first dinner this was the scene when he noticed how the place unchanged, but it was him who had changed. Notice that in this part social changes have been occurring little by little. Another point was when a letter from Tancredi arrived asking the prince to ask Angelicas father for her hand in marriage. This was supported by the prince for the fact that their family will continue to have a royal status in the newly form kingdom of Italy.

As the story progress, Don Fabrizio realized how his losing power to the new revolutionary government that is soon to rise. The society was rapidly changing and this meant end to a long dynasty of monarchs. On first hand, Don Fabrizio was supportive of the old regime. In reality, though, when he was asked by Chevalley to be a government representative, he declined to stay out of conflict. The marriage of Tancredi, nephew of the prince, to the beautiful Angelica also depicts a social change in the old Italy. We have to remember that Angelica was not a part of an aristocratic family. Marrying someone outside your league is a sign of societal change being made. It is a sign that the society is embracing the newly formed regime, much to the dismay of the prince at first. (You know what is happening in our country Nothing... simply an imperceptible replacement of one class for another. The middle class doesnt want to destroy us. It simply wants to take our place... and very gently. Quote from the book The Leopard) Angelica is the daughter of Don Calogero, who was a wealthy businessman who is still a part of the lower class neighbor.

Another societal change which was reflected in the novel was when the plebiscite confirmed popular support for the unified Italy. Don Fabrizio was undecided on what to mark his ballot. But he still voted yes, opposing his companion Don Ciccios vote. Don Ciccio, a son of a game keeper, voted no for he couldnt accept voting in favor of Garibaldi. With the new regime, there wouldnt be aristocrats or middle class in the society.

As this paper is coming to an end, I would like to share a line from the novel that made an impact to me. If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change. This was a line uttered by Tancredi when he was talking to the prince. This depicts the incoming societal change in Italy. The aristocrats would like to continue their status of living in the new Italy. But in order to do that, things will have to change. In connection in our life, we cannot continue living the way we used to be. There is no permanent thing on earth. In doing so, we have to make simple changes to preserved something we want stay.