By Lucian
When my colleague told me that Luigi Capuana's novel, The Marquis of Roccaverdina, was being translated by Santi V. Buscemi I couldn't wait until it was published. Buscemi's earlier translation of Capuana's C'era una volta was wonderful and an excellent addition to my library.
A perfect example of the naturalist school of literature called verismo, The Marquis of Roccaverdina does not simply tell a story, but clearly projects the thoughts and emotions of its characters. Written by someone who lived in this period, it allows us a special look into the past, when class relationships can appear simple but become far more complex as one studies them. The novel can be considered an expose of life and social class under the Sicilian nobility, so it surprised me that the tale is set some years after Italian Unification; indicating that, despite promises of reform, there was very little improvement in the lives of the common people. The novel is also said to be influenced by events from the author's life that occurred sometime in the late 1860s, years after the Risorgimento.
Capuana does not waste time getting our attention, the story begins with a murder.
The victim was more than a trusted subordinate of the Marquis, he was also the man who married the Marquis' former mistress on his behalf. His widow, a woman from the common class, is now coming to the Marquis for answers. This puts the Marquis in an awkward situation, both emotionally and politically, and more than anything he wants the case closed as quickly as possible. Forced to face his past, and his conflicted feelings for the woman, he makes several attempts to deal with his own guilt, but ultimately cannot.
On the surface, the novel clearly shows the unfairness of the class interaction and social expectations of the time, but a closer look will uncover deeper questions. The Marquis behaves in a manner almost stereotypical of the upper class and predictably uses his position to excuse his behavior. Did rigid social strictures force his actions? Did he have a choice? Marrying someone beneath your station was not unheard of in this period, but often came with social repercussions. One question could be: What are you willing to sacrifice to get what you want?
In the case of the Marquis, the question would be what he wanted more. Was he a victim of his society or part of the problem himself?
In addition to its literary merit, the novel is also a must read for anyone studying its author. Capuana was active in the revolutionary conspiracy against the Bourbon monarchy in Sicily, but the unflattering personal experiences that were said to inspire The Marquis of Roccaverdina occurred after they were deposed. I'm sure that any serious comparison between the novel and Capuana's own life would be intriguing and could fill a volume on its own.
