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| Portrait of Nino Martoglio by Antonio Gandolfo |
In 1901, inspired by the performances of Giuseppe Rizzotto, Martoglio dedicated himself to the theater and by 1903 he debuted his Compagnia Drammatica Siciliana directed by himself in the Teatro Manzoni in Milan. His work quickly gained a wide recognition after the successes of San Giuvanni Decullatu (1908), L’Aria del Continente (1910) and he collaborated with Luigi Pirandello composing ‘A Vilanza (1917) and Cappiddazzu Paga Tutto (1917). Unique for the time and even for today, Martoglio succeeded in bringing Sicilian theater to national audiences decades before radio and television. Martoglio is also remembered for his first phonograph album of 14 dialogues in sonnet form ‘O Scuru o’ Scuru (1895), inspired by the genre created by Nino Pappalardo in the late 19th century through works such as his Siciliana.
Taking on many themes of the early 20th century, he also engaged in new modern mediums such as recording recitals and poetry on phonograph records and directing films such as his 1913 Sperduti nel Buio, considered a landmark in early Italian cinema. Martoglio tragically died in 1921 after falling down an elevator shaft in the Catania hospital where his son was recovering from an illness.
Critics have likened Martoglio’s language to a fine classical blend of authentic daily local language brought to express broader universal literary themes, as was done by the Neapolitan poet Salvatore Di Giacomo, considered to be his poetic model.
Essential Bibliography
Nino Martoglio, Centona: Raccolta Completa di Poesie Siciliane con prefazione di Luigi Pirandello, Catania, Cav. Niccolò Giannotta Editore, 1948 (reprint by Editrice Giannotta, 1986)
Antonio Scuderi, The Dialect Poetry of Nino Martoglio: Sociolinguistic Issues in a Literary Context, New York, Peter Lang Publishing Gmbh, 1992
Mamma
Nino Martoglio
Mamma, mammuzza, si nun avissi a tia,
jiu ‘ntra stu munnu, mi sintissi persu;
ti vogghiu beni chiù di l’universu,
chiù di la vista e chiù di l’arma mia!
Si lu me sensu ancora nun s’ha persu,
lu vidi mamma, è pirchì pensu a tia
a tia chi si la megghiu poesia
e di la poesia lu megghiu versu!
Oggi ricurri ancora la tò festa
ed jiu , chi nun mi scordu la jurnata,
t’offru l’umili miu solitu cantu.
Tu dunami la solita vasata,
e po’ fammi durmiri ccu la testa
supra lu pettu tò amurusu e santu.
Mamma
By Nino Martoglio
Mamma, dear mamma, if I didn’t have you,
I in this world would feel lost;
I love you more than the universe,
More than sight and more than my soul!
If I haven’t lost my senses yet,
You see mamma, it is because I think of you
Of you who are the best poem
And of the poem you are the best verse!
Today is your feast day
And I, who do not forget the day,
Offer to you my usual humble song.
Give me your usual kisses,
And then let me sleep with my head
Upon your loving and saintly chest.
La ‘Atta e La Fimmina
Nino Martoglio
Ju sugnu la 'atta
chi allicca e po' 'ratta
chi ridi e ti 'ncugna
e poi azzicca l'ugna.
Tu si' lu surcittu,
scantùsu e affrittu.
Pri spassu, pri pocu,
ti fazzu lu jocu;
ma quannu su' stanca
po' stennu la vranca,
t'afferru, t'aggranciu
ti sfardu, ti manciu!
Ju sugnu la 'atta
chi allicca e po' ratta
chi ridi e ti 'ncugna
e poi azzicca l'ugna.
La fimmina sugnu,
chi amuri ti dugnu,
la donna, chi duna
di spini la cruna.
Tu si' l'omu amanti,
sinceru e custanti
Ti stennu li trizzi,
ti fazzu carizzi...;
ma fatti li cunti
po' sciunnu li punti,
ti chiudu li porti,
ti dugnu la morti.
La fimmina sugnu
chi amuri ti dugnu,
la donna chi duna
di spini la cruna.
The Cat and the Woman
Nino Martoglio
I am the cat
that licks then scratches
that smiles and approaches you
and then sticks the claw in.
You are the mouse,
fearful and afflicted.
For sport, for so little,
I make you the game;
but when I’m tired
I extend the paw,
grab you, snatch you,
wreck you, eat you!
I am the cat
who licks then scratches
who smiles and approaches you
and then sticks the claw in.
I am the woman,
who gives you love,
the mistress, who gives
of thorns the crown.
You are the loving man,
sincere and constant
I extend my tresses to you,
I caress you...;
but accounts settled
I then undo things,
I close the door to you,
I give you death.
I am the woman
who gives you love,
the mistress who gives
of thorns the crown.
L’Omu Secunnu la Tiuria Darwiniana
Nino Martoglio
– L' omu, cumpari, àvi un naturali
sempri di costroirisi da sè...
Ju haju un libru, dittu vigetali,
ca c'è 'na spiega di zoccu è ed è...
La quale, ca c'è scrittu, tali e quali,
l'arvolo discinnenti di Nuè,
unni ca l'omu nasci di l'armali
e nni pruveni dallo Scimpanzè...
Non artro, ca la signa è quattru manu,
mentre che il sceccu è dittu: quattru peri...,
d'unni nni vinni il suo congegnu umanu...
Cunsistenti ('ddu libru sempri 'nsigna),
ca l'omu àvi du' manu ccu du' peri... ;
e quindi è menzu sceccu e menzu signa!
Man According to Darwinian Theory
Nino Martoglio
– Man, cumpari, has a nature
To always construct himself by himself...
I have a book, called natural history,
Where there is an explanation of everything whatsoever...
Which, for there it is written, just like so,
The tree descending from Noah,
Where man is born from the animals
and derives from the Chimpanzee...
None other, for the monkey is four-handed,
While the donkey is called: four-footed...,
Whence comes its human device...
It is consistent then (that there book further teaches),
That man has two hands and two feet... ;
And hence is half donkey and half monkey!
*Translation and biographical information by Cav. Charles Sant’Elia
