Goffredo Parise Sillabari
Goffredo Parise (1929-1986) was an Italian writer and journalist, known for his novels, short stories, and reportages. He is considered one of the most original and innovative voices of the 20th century Italian literature. His masterpiece is Sillabari, a collection of short stories that explore the essential human feelings in a poetic and minimalist style.
Goffredo Parise Sillabari
The origin of Sillabari
According to Parise, the idea of Sillabari came to him one day in the late 1960s, when he saw a child holding a primer in his hand. He approached him and read: "The grass is green". He was struck by the simplicity and clarity of that sentence, in contrast with the complex and obscure words that were often used in the political and cultural debates of those years. He felt the need to return to the basics of life and poetry, to express the universal sentiments that everyone can relate to. He decided to write a series of short stories, each dedicated to a different feeling, arranged in alphabetical order like a dictionary. He called them Sillabari, from the Italian word for primer (sillabario).
The structure and style of Sillabari
Sillabari consists of two parts, each containing 13 stories. The first part, published in 1972, covers the feelings from A (Amore, Love) to F (Famiglia, Family). The second part, published in 1980, covers the feelings from F (Felicità , Happiness) to S (Solitudine, Solitude). The stories are very short, ranging from one to five pages, and often end with an unexpected twist or a paradoxical statement. They are written in a simple and direct language, sometimes colloquial or dialectal, with frequent use of metaphors and symbols. Parise draws inspiration from his personal experiences, his travels around the world, his observations of nature and society, and his literary influences (such as Hemingway, Kafka, Chekhov, and Montale). He creates vivid and realistic characters and situations, but also leaves room for ambiguity and mystery. He does not offer moral judgments or definitive answers, but rather invites the reader to reflect on the meaning and value of human emotions.
The themes and messages of Sillabari
Sillabari is a book that explores the complexity and diversity of human feelings, both positive and negative. Parise does not idealize or sentimentalize them, but rather shows their contradictions and difficulties. He portrays love as a source of joy and pain, happiness as a fleeting and fragile state, family as a bond and a burden, solitude as a choice and a fate. He also deals with other feelings such as fear, anger, envy, pity, pride, shame, guilt, nostalgia, curiosity, boredom, etc. He reveals how they affect our relationships with ourselves and others, how they shape our identity and our destiny. He suggests that feelings are not fixed or stable, but rather changeable and unpredictable. They can be influenced by external factors (such as time, place, culture) or internal ones (such as memory, imagination, dreams). They can also be expressed or repressed, communicated or hidden. Parise challenges the reader to question his or her own feelings, to recognize their beauty and their danger.
The reception and legacy of Sillabari
Sillabari was well received by critics and readers alike when it was first published. It won several literary awards (such as the Premio Viareggio in 1973) and was translated into many languages (such as English, French, German, Spanish, etc.). It is considered one of the most original and influential works of modern Italian literature. Many writers have acknowledged its influence on their own style and themes (such as Antonio Tabucchi, Alessandro Baricco, Sandro Veronesi, etc.). It has also inspired adaptations in other media (such as cinema, theatre, music, etc.). It is still widely read and appreciated today by new generations of readers who find in it a timeless and universal expression of human feelings.
References:
: Solitudes, translated by Isabel Quigly, with an afterword by Natalia Ginzburg, New York: New Directions, 1982.
: Sillabes, translated by Jean-NoÃl Schifano, Paris: Gallimard, 1984.
: Silben, translated by Maja Pflug, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp, 1985.
: SÃlabas, translated by Carlos Manzano, Barcelona: Tusquets, 1986.
: "Goffredo Parise e il suo sillabario", in Il filo dell'orizzonte, Milan: Feltrinelli, 1986.
: "Sillabari", in Barnum 2. Altre cronache dal Grande Show, Milan: Feltrinelli, 1995.
: "Sillabari", in Caos calmo, Milan: Bompiani, 2005.
: L'odore del sangue (The Scent of Blood), directed by Mario Martone, 2004.
: Sillabari, directed by Giorgio Ferrara, 2007.
: Sillabari, composed by Luca Francesconi, 2010.
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