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袣芯薪褎芯褉屑懈褋褌
袟邪泻芯薪芯锌芯褋谢褍褕薪褘屑 褔械谢芯胁械泻芯屑 褏芯褔械褌 斜褘褌褜 泻邪卸写褘泄, 薪芯 械褋谢懈 谐芯褋褍写邪褉褋褌胁芯, 胁 泻芯褌芯褉芯屑 褌褘 卸懈胁械褕褜, 褟胁谢褟械褌褋褟 锌褉械褋褌褍锌薪褘屑, 褌芯 锌芯薪械胁芯谢械 芯斜芯褉邪褔懈胁邪械褌褋褟 锌褉械褋褌褍锌谢械薪懈械屑 懈 褌胁芯械 锌芯褋谢褍褕邪薪懈械. 孝邪泻芯胁邪 褑械薪邪 泻芯薪褎芯褉屑懈蟹屑邪, 泻芯褌芯褉褍褞 胁褘薪褍卸写械薪 蟹邪锌谢邪褌懈褌褜 写芯泻褌芯褉 袦邪褉褔械谢谢芯 袣谢械褉懈褔懈, 锌芯谢褍褔邪褞褖懈泄 芯褌 褎邪褕懈褋褌褋泻懈褏 胁谢邪褋褌械泄 锌褉懈泻邪蟹 芯褌锌褉邪胁懈褌褜褋褟 胁芯 肖褉邪薪褑懈褞, 褋 褌械屑, 褔褌芯斜褘 芯褉谐邪薪懈蟹芯胁邪褌褜 懈 芯褋褍褖械褋褌胁懈褌褜 谢懈泻胁懈写邪褑懈褞 懈褌邪谢褜褟薪褋泻芯谐芯 锌褉芯褎械褋褋芯褉邪-邪薪褌懈褎邪褕懈褋褌邪. 袙褘锌芯谢薪褟褟 蟹邪写邪薪懈械, 袦邪褉褔械谢谢芯 锌芯薪懈屑邪械褌 锌芯褉邪蟹懈褌械谢褜薪芯械 褋褏芯写褋褌胁芯 谐芯褋褍写邪褉褋褌胁械薪薪芯谐芯 薪邪褋懈谢懈褟 褋 褋械泻褋褍邪谢褜薪褘屑, 卸械褉褌胁芯泄 泻芯褌芯褉芯谐芯 芯薪 锌邪谢 胁 写械褌褋褌胁械.
袟薪邪屑械薪懈褌褘泄 褉芯屑邪薪, 锌芯 泻芯褌芯褉芯屑褍 褋薪褟褌 薪械 屑械薪械械 蟹薪邪屑械薪懈褌褘泄 褎懈谢褜屑 袘械褉薪邪褉写芯 袘械褉褌芯谢褍褔褔懈 "袣芯薪褎芯褉屑懈褋褌".
袟薪邪屑械薪懈褌褘泄 褉芯屑邪薪, 锌芯 泻芯褌芯褉芯屑褍 褋薪褟褌 薪械 屑械薪械械 蟹薪邪屑械薪懈褌褘泄 褎懈谢褜屑 袘械褉薪邪褉写芯 袘械褉褌芯谢褍褔褔懈 "袣芯薪褎芯褉屑懈褋褌".
336 pages, Hardcover
First published April 15, 1951
189 people are currently reading
5,413 people want to read
About the author
Alberto Moravia
470听books1,161听followersAlberto Moravia, born Alberto Pincherle, was one of the leading Italian novelists of the twentieth century whose novels explore matters of modern sexuality, social alienation, and existentialism. He was also a journalist, playwright, essayist and film critic.
Moravia was an atheist, his writing was marked by its factual, cold, precise style, often depicting the malaise of the bourgeoisie, underpinned by high social and cultural awareness. Moravia believed that writers must, if they were to represent reality, assume a moral position, a clearly conceived political, social, and philosophical attitude, but also that, ultimately, "A writer survives in spite of his beliefs".
Moravia was an atheist, his writing was marked by its factual, cold, precise style, often depicting the malaise of the bourgeoisie, underpinned by high social and cultural awareness. Moravia believed that writers must, if they were to represent reality, assume a moral position, a clearly conceived political, social, and philosophical attitude, but also that, ultimately, "A writer survives in spite of his beliefs".
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January 3, 2019
The Conformist kick started my love affair with Moravia's work, of which now I am a big fan.
I think of him as not just one of Italy's greatest writers, but one of the most undervalued writers of the 20th century. In a spare and poetic prose he relishing in the finer details of existence, whilst also brilliantly capturing the Italian landscape. In The Conformist Moravia attempts to analyze what makes a fascist by using a physiological fictive narrative. His main character here: Marcello Clarici, displays many of traits of an edgy psychopath from early in his childhood. Moravia also gives us some suggestions on how a person鈥檚 experiences and genetic history might push him toward anti-social, murderous behavior, something which would go on and shape his adulthood, and a dilemma involving his former teacher, a man named Quadri.
About to be married, and searching for normalcy in his life as a way of hiding his secret work for the fascists as Italy ramps up to the war, he agrees to take his honeymoon in Paris in order to renew his acquaintance with Quadri, of which he learns he is an anti-fascist agitator and therefore must be eliminated. Moravia takes us through Marcello鈥檚 thinking, driven by wanting to be normal, something denied of him in youth, but which Marcello has searched for all his life. He harbors no real dislike for his teacher, but his profession allows for zero sentimentally.
Moravia should also be credited with writing scenes of frank and open sexuality in the novel,
something he has done in other novels, and characters are somewhat twisted and deformed by their lives. This is more a character study in the height of fascism that it is a thriller. How does one reach such a level of deviance? Is there any such thing as redemption for someone so devoid of emotion and so bent on murder? The resolution of these conflicts in Marcello鈥檚 life makes for powerful reading, and in the end, themes of lost innocence and the confusion of normalcy with conformity take center stage.
I think of him as not just one of Italy's greatest writers, but one of the most undervalued writers of the 20th century. In a spare and poetic prose he relishing in the finer details of existence, whilst also brilliantly capturing the Italian landscape. In The Conformist Moravia attempts to analyze what makes a fascist by using a physiological fictive narrative. His main character here: Marcello Clarici, displays many of traits of an edgy psychopath from early in his childhood. Moravia also gives us some suggestions on how a person鈥檚 experiences and genetic history might push him toward anti-social, murderous behavior, something which would go on and shape his adulthood, and a dilemma involving his former teacher, a man named Quadri.
About to be married, and searching for normalcy in his life as a way of hiding his secret work for the fascists as Italy ramps up to the war, he agrees to take his honeymoon in Paris in order to renew his acquaintance with Quadri, of which he learns he is an anti-fascist agitator and therefore must be eliminated. Moravia takes us through Marcello鈥檚 thinking, driven by wanting to be normal, something denied of him in youth, but which Marcello has searched for all his life. He harbors no real dislike for his teacher, but his profession allows for zero sentimentally.
Moravia should also be credited with writing scenes of frank and open sexuality in the novel,
something he has done in other novels, and characters are somewhat twisted and deformed by their lives. This is more a character study in the height of fascism that it is a thriller. How does one reach such a level of deviance? Is there any such thing as redemption for someone so devoid of emotion and so bent on murder? The resolution of these conflicts in Marcello鈥檚 life makes for powerful reading, and in the end, themes of lost innocence and the confusion of normalcy with conformity take center stage.
July 6, 2013
A Psychological Thriller
Some of my favourite films explore how people have dealt with life under Fascism or Communism:
* Istvan Szabo鈥檚 "Mephisto" (Germany);
* Ingmar Bergman鈥檚 "The Serpent鈥檚 Egg" (Sweden);
* Bernardo Bertolucci鈥檚 "The Conformist" (Italy);
* Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck鈥檚 "The Lives of Others" (Germany).
Not only do they help understand the relationship of an individual to an authoritarian regime, but they also explore existentialist issues that became more pressing in the context of the Second World War and the post-war environment.
Bertolucci鈥檚 wonderful film was an adaptation of this book, the title of which announces Alberto Moravia鈥檚 intention to construct a novel that is at once both psychological and socio-political.
If you haven鈥檛 seen the film, I urge you to seek it out. Whether or not you get to see the film, I recommend that you read this novel.
To be honest, during the first half, I wondered whether Moravia had failed to lift his work above the ideas that formed his subject matter. (1)
However, his prose is lean, the novel is very easy to read, and ultimately it took on the feel of a psychological thriller. No wonder that it was made into a film.
Jean-Louis Trintignant in Bernardo Bertolucci's 1970 adaptation of Moravia's novel "The Conformist."
A Note about Spoilers
While I have incidentally mentioned aspects of plot more than I normally do in my reviews, I have tried to limit myself to the "set-up" of two of the major plot issues: the conformity of the Conformist and his engagement with the Non-Conformist.
I have tried to avoid any detail or implication about what follows, except to the extent that I mention the abstract nature of his own self-realisation (but not the trigger of it). (2)
The Abnormal Child
The protagonist is 30 year old Dr. Marcello Clerici, a medium ranking public servant in the pre-war Government of Mussolini's Italian Fascist Party, soon to become a one-off secret agent.
When we meet him, he is a relatively innocent 13 year old. At various times, Moravia describes him as timid, feminine, impressionable, unmethodical, imaginative, impetuous, passionate, confiding, expansive, sometimes positively exuberant.
Nevertheless, he gets into some mischief, which causes his parents鈥� housekeeper to remark:
"You begin by killing a cat and you end by killing a man."
In time, Marcello becomes "abnormal and mysteriously imbued with guilt".
In a way, his guilt derives from a first cause or an original sin. He is deprived of his innocence as a teenager, although Christian doctrine would have it that we are all born guilty.
The Conformist Adult
Marcello鈥檚 life becomes a desire, a quest for normality, for redemption, for absolution.
He has a longing to be like everybody else. To be different would be to be guilty.
By the time we meet him 17 years later, he is "perfectly sure of himself, entirely masculine in his tastes and in his general attitude, calm, methodical to a fault, almost completely lacking in imagination, cool and self-controlled, reserved, always equable in temper, lacking in vivacity if not actually gloomy, silent, a sort of benumbed, grey normality".
Having obtained a job in the Italian Government, he embraces Franco鈥檚 Civil War against the Spanish Republican Government, wanting him to win "with a profound, tenacious desire, as though such a victory would provide confirmation of the goodness and rightness of his own tastes and ideas not merely in the political field but in all others as well."
He now has the conviction that he is right. He has built "a bond, a bridge, a symbol of attachment and communion" with the middle class, the conventional, the ordinary, the common, the modest, the reassuring, the complacent.
No longer is he "a solitary, an abnormal person, a mad man, he was one of them, a brother, a fellow-citizen, a comrade".
In other words, he is a Conformist. Only, his resemblance to other men is "deliberate and imitative rather than a result of a conformity of inclination". He is a fake Conformist.
The Non-Conformist Mentor
Marcello鈥檚 conformity allows him to turn around and focus his energies on Non-Conformists. He feels repugnance for any form of corruption or decadence, and he is compelled to banish abnormality, subversion and disorder:
"The possession of the truth did not merely permit, it also imposed, action. Action was a confirmation of one鈥檚 own normality that must be provided both for oneself and for others."
Marcello鈥檚 first target is Edmondo Quadri, formerly his Professor in History and Philosophy who has become a leader of the anti-Fascist movement and is living in exile in Paris.
Quadri is gentle, affectionate and persuasive, a father figure, if not quite Christ-like, the epitome of what the Fascist Party describes as a "negative, impotent intellectual", who, after years of passive opposition, has "passed from thought to action".
So effectively we have a conflict between two men who have been called to action for different, almost mirror image, reasons.
Quadri tries to save Italy and Europe from Fascism. Marcello, placed in a position where he must bet on one horse or another, is a Conformist in one sphere, but must seem like a Judas in the other. Only History can tell who will prevail.
The Correction
To say more, to discuss the themes of the novel any more deeply, is to risk spoilers.
However, ultimately, Marcello must confront and deal with his complicity in the political crimes of the era.
He realises that, even outside the context of the War and Fascism, he is not the only guilty one. We are all guilty. None of us is innocent:
"All of us have been innocent...and we all lose our innocence, one way or another; it鈥檚 the normal thing."
In other words, he learns that, all along, he was no less innocent than anyone else. He didn鈥檛 need to aspire to normality.
Equally importantly, while he has struggled to achieve perfect normality, he discovers that the truly normal "take the utmost liberties with normality itself."
Marcello realises that normality is fallacious, "merely a mask for inverted pride and self-esteem".
He should have aimed for authenticity, to be true to himself, instead.
The Innocent
As part of Marcello鈥檚 embrace of normality, he marries Giulia and soon learns that they have had a daughter. On the night of her conception, he says:
"I have loved, I have united myself with a woman and have begotten another human being."
While fate inevitably determines the course of Marcello鈥檚 own life and career, he learns too late, but on our behalf, that our children deserve a different life, one of "liveliness, caprice, grace, lightness, clarity, freshness, adventure."
This is the positive message that illuminates the darkness at the end of the novel. And it鈥檚 not a bad message.
Footnotes:
(1) After a while, I started to keep track of some of the key abstract terms used in the novel. Ultimately, the thriller aspect of the novel took over, and they didn鈥檛 stand out as much. But here are the ones that began, strangely enough, with "c" or "a":
(2) I've placed some topics for further consideration in My Writings. They contain spoilers.
Some of my favourite films explore how people have dealt with life under Fascism or Communism:
* Istvan Szabo鈥檚 "Mephisto" (Germany);
* Ingmar Bergman鈥檚 "The Serpent鈥檚 Egg" (Sweden);
* Bernardo Bertolucci鈥檚 "The Conformist" (Italy);
* Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck鈥檚 "The Lives of Others" (Germany).
Not only do they help understand the relationship of an individual to an authoritarian regime, but they also explore existentialist issues that became more pressing in the context of the Second World War and the post-war environment.
Bertolucci鈥檚 wonderful film was an adaptation of this book, the title of which announces Alberto Moravia鈥檚 intention to construct a novel that is at once both psychological and socio-political.
If you haven鈥檛 seen the film, I urge you to seek it out. Whether or not you get to see the film, I recommend that you read this novel.
To be honest, during the first half, I wondered whether Moravia had failed to lift his work above the ideas that formed his subject matter. (1)
However, his prose is lean, the novel is very easy to read, and ultimately it took on the feel of a psychological thriller. No wonder that it was made into a film.
Jean-Louis Trintignant in Bernardo Bertolucci's 1970 adaptation of Moravia's novel "The Conformist."
A Note about Spoilers
While I have incidentally mentioned aspects of plot more than I normally do in my reviews, I have tried to limit myself to the "set-up" of two of the major plot issues: the conformity of the Conformist and his engagement with the Non-Conformist.
I have tried to avoid any detail or implication about what follows, except to the extent that I mention the abstract nature of his own self-realisation (but not the trigger of it). (2)
The Abnormal Child
The protagonist is 30 year old Dr. Marcello Clerici, a medium ranking public servant in the pre-war Government of Mussolini's Italian Fascist Party, soon to become a one-off secret agent.
When we meet him, he is a relatively innocent 13 year old. At various times, Moravia describes him as timid, feminine, impressionable, unmethodical, imaginative, impetuous, passionate, confiding, expansive, sometimes positively exuberant.
Nevertheless, he gets into some mischief, which causes his parents鈥� housekeeper to remark:
"You begin by killing a cat and you end by killing a man."
In time, Marcello becomes "abnormal and mysteriously imbued with guilt".
In a way, his guilt derives from a first cause or an original sin. He is deprived of his innocence as a teenager, although Christian doctrine would have it that we are all born guilty.
The Conformist Adult
Marcello鈥檚 life becomes a desire, a quest for normality, for redemption, for absolution.
He has a longing to be like everybody else. To be different would be to be guilty.
By the time we meet him 17 years later, he is "perfectly sure of himself, entirely masculine in his tastes and in his general attitude, calm, methodical to a fault, almost completely lacking in imagination, cool and self-controlled, reserved, always equable in temper, lacking in vivacity if not actually gloomy, silent, a sort of benumbed, grey normality".
Having obtained a job in the Italian Government, he embraces Franco鈥檚 Civil War against the Spanish Republican Government, wanting him to win "with a profound, tenacious desire, as though such a victory would provide confirmation of the goodness and rightness of his own tastes and ideas not merely in the political field but in all others as well."
He now has the conviction that he is right. He has built "a bond, a bridge, a symbol of attachment and communion" with the middle class, the conventional, the ordinary, the common, the modest, the reassuring, the complacent.
No longer is he "a solitary, an abnormal person, a mad man, he was one of them, a brother, a fellow-citizen, a comrade".
In other words, he is a Conformist. Only, his resemblance to other men is "deliberate and imitative rather than a result of a conformity of inclination". He is a fake Conformist.
The Non-Conformist Mentor
Marcello鈥檚 conformity allows him to turn around and focus his energies on Non-Conformists. He feels repugnance for any form of corruption or decadence, and he is compelled to banish abnormality, subversion and disorder:
"The possession of the truth did not merely permit, it also imposed, action. Action was a confirmation of one鈥檚 own normality that must be provided both for oneself and for others."
Marcello鈥檚 first target is Edmondo Quadri, formerly his Professor in History and Philosophy who has become a leader of the anti-Fascist movement and is living in exile in Paris.
Quadri is gentle, affectionate and persuasive, a father figure, if not quite Christ-like, the epitome of what the Fascist Party describes as a "negative, impotent intellectual", who, after years of passive opposition, has "passed from thought to action".
So effectively we have a conflict between two men who have been called to action for different, almost mirror image, reasons.
Quadri tries to save Italy and Europe from Fascism. Marcello, placed in a position where he must bet on one horse or another, is a Conformist in one sphere, but must seem like a Judas in the other. Only History can tell who will prevail.
The Correction
To say more, to discuss the themes of the novel any more deeply, is to risk spoilers.
However, ultimately, Marcello must confront and deal with his complicity in the political crimes of the era.
He realises that, even outside the context of the War and Fascism, he is not the only guilty one. We are all guilty. None of us is innocent:
"All of us have been innocent...and we all lose our innocence, one way or another; it鈥檚 the normal thing."
In other words, he learns that, all along, he was no less innocent than anyone else. He didn鈥檛 need to aspire to normality.
Equally importantly, while he has struggled to achieve perfect normality, he discovers that the truly normal "take the utmost liberties with normality itself."
Marcello realises that normality is fallacious, "merely a mask for inverted pride and self-esteem".
He should have aimed for authenticity, to be true to himself, instead.
The Innocent
As part of Marcello鈥檚 embrace of normality, he marries Giulia and soon learns that they have had a daughter. On the night of her conception, he says:
"I have loved, I have united myself with a woman and have begotten another human being."
While fate inevitably determines the course of Marcello鈥檚 own life and career, he learns too late, but on our behalf, that our children deserve a different life, one of "liveliness, caprice, grace, lightness, clarity, freshness, adventure."
This is the positive message that illuminates the darkness at the end of the novel. And it鈥檚 not a bad message.
Footnotes:
(1) After a while, I started to keep track of some of the key abstract terms used in the novel. Ultimately, the thriller aspect of the novel took over, and they didn鈥檛 stand out as much. But here are the ones that began, strangely enough, with "c" or "a":
(2) I've placed some topics for further consideration in My Writings. They contain spoilers.
August 10, 2017
鈥庁堌池з嗁� 诏乇丕賳賯丿乇貙 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘賴 賳賵毓蹖 亘賴 亘乇賳丕賲賴 賴丕蹖 賮丕卮蹖爻鬲蹖 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕 賵 賳賵毓賽 丕賮讴丕乇 賵 毓賯丕蹖丿賽 賮丕卮蹖爻鬲蹖 丕毓囟丕蹖 丌賳 倬乇丿丕禺鬲賴 丕爻鬲
鈥庁ж池з� 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 噩賵丕賳蹖 亘賴 賳丕賲賽 <賲丕乇趩賱賵 讴賱乇蹖趩蹖> 賲蹖亘丕卮丿 讴賴 丿讴鬲乇 丕爻鬲 賵 丿乇 夭賲丕賳賽 讴賵丿讴蹖 卮禺氐蹖 賯氐丿 鬲噩丕賵夭 亘賴 丕賵 乇丕 丿丕卮鬲賴 賵 賲丕乇趩賱賵 亘賴 賲乇丿 賲鬲噩丕賵夭 鬲蹖乇丕賳丿丕夭蹖 賲蹖讴賳丿 賵 丕夭 丌賳噩丕蹖蹖 讴賴 鬲丕 倬丕蹖丕賳賽 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 鬲氐賵乇 賲蹖讴賳丿 讴賴 賯鬲賱 丕賳噩丕賲 丿丕丿賴 丕爻鬲貙 賱匕丕 賴賲蹖卮賴 禺賵丿 乇丕 诏賳丕賴讴丕乇 賲蹖丿丕賳丿 賵 賱丕夭賲 亘賴 匕讴乇 丕爻鬲 讴賴 亘賴 賴蹖趩 賲匕賴亘 賵 丿蹖賳蹖 丕毓鬲賯丕丿 賳丿丕乇丿 賵 丨鬲蹖 亘乇丕蹖 丕夭丿賵丕噩 賴賲 丨丕囟乇 賳蹖爻鬲 鬲丕 亘賴 讴賱蹖爻丕 亘乇賵丿.. 賵賱蹖 賳丕賲夭丿卮 丕賵 乇丕 賲鬲賯丕毓丿 賲蹖讴賳丿 讴賴 賳賵丿 丿乇氐丿 讴爻丕賳蹖 讴賴 亘賴 讴賱蹖爻丕 賲蹖乇賵賳丿貙 丿蹖賳 乇丕 賯亘賵賱 賳丿丕乇賳丿 賵 丨鬲蹖 禺賵丿 讴卮蹖卮 賴丕 賳蹖夭 丿蹖賳 乇丕 賯亘賵賱 賳丿丕乇賳丿
鈥�... 倬丿乇卮 讴賴 丕賵 賳蹖夭 丿讴鬲乇 賲蹖亘丕卮丿貙 丿乇 鬲蹖賲丕乇爻鬲丕賳 亘爻鬲乇蹖 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲 賵 賲丕丿乇卮 鬲賳賴丕 賵 亘丕 乇丕賳賳丿賴贁 跇丕锟斤拷賳蹖 禺賵丿 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲蹖讴賳丿 賵 賲毓鬲丕丿 亘賴 賲賵乇賮蹖賳 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲... 賲丕乇趩賱賵 禺賵丿 乇丕 蹖讴 賮丕卮蹖爻鬲 賲蹖賴賳 倬乇爻鬲 賲蹖丿丕賳丿 賵 丿乇 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 賲兀賲賵乇蹖鬲 賴丕蹖卮 亘賴 丕賵 丿爻鬲賵乇 賲蹖丿賴賳丿 讴賴 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 丕爻鬲丕丿賴丕蹖 夭賲丕賳 丿丕賳卮噩賵蹖蹖 禺賵丿 讴賴 囟丿 賮丕卮蹖爻鬲 丕爻鬲 賵 丿乇 賮乇丕賳爻賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲蹖讴賳丿 乇丕 鬲乇賵乇 讴賳丿
鈥庂呚ж壁嗁勝� 亘丕 賳丕賲夭丿卮 噩賵賱蹖丕 丕夭丿賵丕噩 賲蹖讴賳丿 賵 亘乇丕蹖 賲丕賴 毓爻賱 亘賴 倬丕乇蹖爻賽 賮乇丕賳爻賴 賲蹖乇賵丿 鬲丕 亘賴 丕蹖賳 亘賴丕賳賴 亘賴 倬乇賵賮爻賵乇 賱賵讴丕 讴賵丕丿乇蹖 賳夭丿蹖讴 卮丿賴 賵 讴丕乇 鬲乇賵乇 乇丕 亘賴 爻乇丕賳噩丕賲 亘乇爻丕賳丿
鈥庁з呝懾� 丿乇 丕蹖賳 賲蹖丕賳 丕賵 毓丕卮賯賽 夭賳賽 夭蹖亘丕乇賵蹖賽 倬乇賵賮爻賵乇 蹖毓賳蹖 丌賳丕 賲蹖卮賵丿 讴賴 鬲賮丕賵鬲 爻賳蹖 夭蹖丕丿蹖 亘丕 倬乇賵賮爻賵乇 讴賵丕丿乇蹖貙 丕爻鬲丕丿賽 賲丕乇趩賱賵 丿丕乇丿
鈥庂呚ж壁嗁勝� 亘賴 禺丕胤乇賽 丌賳丕 丕夭 鬲賴 丿賱 乇丕囟蹖 亘賴 讴卮鬲賳 讴賵丕丿乇蹖 賳蹖爻鬲.. 丕賲賾丕 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 丕毓囟丕蹖 賮丕卮蹖爻鬲蹖 蹖毓賳蹖 賲丕鬲诏丕賱蹖賳賵 亘賴 倬丕乇蹖爻 乇賮鬲賴 鬲丕 趩賳丕賳趩賴 鬲乇賵乇 丕賳噩丕賲 賳卮賵丿貙 丕賵 讴丕乇 賳丕鬲賲丕賲 賲丕乇趩賱賵 乇丕 鬲賲丕賲 讴賳丿
鈥庁ㄙ囏� 丕爻鬲 禺賵丿鬲丕賳 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 乇丕 亘禺賵丕賳蹖丿 賵 丕夭 爻乇丕賳噩丕賲 丌賳 丌诏丕賴 卮賵蹖丿 賵 亘亘賳蹖丿 讴賴 丕丨夭丕亘 诏賵賳丕诏賵賳 趩诏賵賳賴 匕賴賳 賵 禺乇丿賽 丕賳爻丕賳賴丕 乇丕 賮丕爻丿 賲蹖讴賳賳丿
鈥庁� 夭蹖乇 亘乇禺蹖 丕夭 噩賲賱丕鬲賽 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 乇丕 亘賴 丕賳鬲禺丕亘 亘乇丕蹖鬲丕賳 賲蹖賳賵蹖爻賲
鈥庁堎勠屫�: 賲丕乇趩賱賵 賲賳 賱丕蹖賯賽 鬲賵 賳蹖爻鬲賲... 賲賳 亘丕讴乇賴 賳蹖爻鬲賲
鈥庂呚ж壁嗁勝�: 賲賳 亘丕 鬲賵 丕夭丿賵丕噩 讴乇丿賲貙 趩賵賳 丿賵爻鬲鬲 丿丕乇賲.. 賳賴 亘禺丕胤乇 丕蹖賳讴賴 亘丕讴乇賴 亘丕卮蹖
鈥庂呚ж壁嗁勝� 禺胤丕亘 亘賴 讴卮蹖卮: 禺丿丕賵賳丿 亘賴 丕蹖賳 禺賵亘蹖.. 賲乇蹖賲 亘賴 丕蹖賳 賲賴乇亘丕賳蹖.. 毓蹖爻蹖 亘賴 丌賳 亘禺卮賳丿诏蹖 賵 讴卮蹖卮 賲賲賱賵 丕夭 賳蹖乇賵蹖 丿乇讴.... 賴蹖趩讴丿丕賲貙 賴蹖趩 讴賵卮卮蹖 亘乇丕蹖 亘禺卮卮賽 诏賳丕賴丕賳 賲賳 賳讴乇丿賳丿... 賮賯胤 賵 賮賯胤 鬲毓噩亘 賵 丨蹖乇鬲 讴乇丿賳丿
鈥庂呝� 賳蹖丕夭蹖 亘賴 亘禺卮卮賽 丿蹖賳 賵 禺丿丕 賳丿丕乇賲... 賲賳 賲蹖禺賵丕賴賲 亘禺卮卮 亘乇丕蹖賽 賲賳 丕夭 爻賵蹖賽 丕噩鬲賲丕毓 賵 賲乇丿賲 亘丕卮丿
鈥庂呚ж壁嗁勝� 禺胤丕亘 亘賴 丕蹖鬲丕賱賵 賲賵賳鬲丕賳丕乇蹖: 丕蹖鬲丕賱賵貙 亘賴 賳馗乇鬲 蹖讴 丕賳爻丕賳賽 賳乇賲丕賱 賵 胤亘蹖毓蹖貙 趩賴 胤賵乇蹖 賴爻鬲卮責
鈥庁й屫з勝�: 蹖讴 丕賳爻丕賳 胤亘蹖毓蹖!! 亘賴 賳馗乇賽 賲賳 蹖讴 丕賳爻丕賳 胤亘蹖毓蹖 讴爻蹖 賴爻鬲卮 讴賴 爻乇卮 乇丕 亘乇丕蹖 丿蹖丿賳賽 讴賵賳賽 蹖讴 禺丕賳賲 亘趩乇禺賵賳賴..... 賲爻卅賱賴贁 丕氐賱蹖 趩乇禺賵賳丿賳賽 爻乇 賳蹖爻鬲
鈥広嗀必堎嗀嗁� 爻乇貙 倬賳噩 丕賱蹖 卮卮 丿賱蹖賱 丿丕乇賴
鈥庁ж� 倬蹖丿丕 讴乇丿賳賽 丕賳爻丕賳賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 賲孬賱賽 禺賵丿卮 賴爻鬲賳貙 賱匕鬲 賲蹖亘乇賴... 亘賴 賴賲蹖賳 禺丕胤乇 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕乇賴 亘賴 爻丕丨賱 賴丕蹖賽 卮賱賵睾 賵 夭賲蹖賳賽 賮賵鬲亘丕賱 賵 亘丕乇賴丕蹖賽 倬丕蹖蹖賳賽 卮賴乇 亘乇賴
鈥庁з堎嗁囏й屰� 讴賴 卮亘蹖賴卮 賴爻鬲賳 乇丕 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕乇賴 賵 亘賴 丕賵賳賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 亘丕賴丕卮 賮乇賯 丿丕乇賳丿 丕毓鬲賲丕丿 賳賲蹖讴賳賴
鈥庁ㄙ� 賴賲蹖賳 丿賱蹖賱 蹖讴 丕賳爻丕賳賽 胤亘蹖毓蹖貙 蹖讴 亘乇丕丿乇賽 賵丕賯毓蹖 賵 蹖讴 賴賲卮賴乇蹖 賵丕賯毓蹖 賵 蹖讴 賲蹖賴賳 倬乇爻鬲賽 賵丕賯毓蹖 賴爻鬲卮
鈥庂呚ж壁嗁勝�: 賵 蹖讴 賮丕卮蹖爻鬲賽 賵丕賯毓蹖
鈥庂呚жз勠屬嗁�: 丕夭 賳馗乇賽 賲賳貙 禺丕卅賳蹖賳 賵 蹖賴賵丿蹖 賴丕貙 賳丕賲乇丿 賴爻鬲賳... 賴賲卮賵賳 丕夭 蹖讴 賯賲丕卮賳丿
鈥庁и� 丿爻鬲賽 賲賳 亘賵丿貙 賴賲賴贁 丌賳賴丕 乇丕 夭賳丿賴 亘賴 诏賵乇 賲蹖讴乇丿賲
鈥庁й屬� 讴丕乇 賱丕夭賲賴... 亘毓丿 丕夭 丕蹖賳讴賴 亘賴 丿賳蹖丕 丕賵賲丿賳貙 亘丕蹖丿 賳丕亘賵丿 亘卮賳
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鈥庁з呟屫堌ж辟� 丕夭 禺賵丕賳丿賳賽 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 賱匕鬲 亘亘乇蹖丿
鈥�<倬蹖乇賵夭 亘丕卮蹖丿 賵 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖>
鈥庁ж池з� 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 噩賵丕賳蹖 亘賴 賳丕賲賽 <賲丕乇趩賱賵 讴賱乇蹖趩蹖> 賲蹖亘丕卮丿 讴賴 丿讴鬲乇 丕爻鬲 賵 丿乇 夭賲丕賳賽 讴賵丿讴蹖 卮禺氐蹖 賯氐丿 鬲噩丕賵夭 亘賴 丕賵 乇丕 丿丕卮鬲賴 賵 賲丕乇趩賱賵 亘賴 賲乇丿 賲鬲噩丕賵夭 鬲蹖乇丕賳丿丕夭蹖 賲蹖讴賳丿 賵 丕夭 丌賳噩丕蹖蹖 讴賴 鬲丕 倬丕蹖丕賳賽 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 鬲氐賵乇 賲蹖讴賳丿 讴賴 賯鬲賱 丕賳噩丕賲 丿丕丿賴 丕爻鬲貙 賱匕丕 賴賲蹖卮賴 禺賵丿 乇丕 诏賳丕賴讴丕乇 賲蹖丿丕賳丿 賵 賱丕夭賲 亘賴 匕讴乇 丕爻鬲 讴賴 亘賴 賴蹖趩 賲匕賴亘 賵 丿蹖賳蹖 丕毓鬲賯丕丿 賳丿丕乇丿 賵 丨鬲蹖 亘乇丕蹖 丕夭丿賵丕噩 賴賲 丨丕囟乇 賳蹖爻鬲 鬲丕 亘賴 讴賱蹖爻丕 亘乇賵丿.. 賵賱蹖 賳丕賲夭丿卮 丕賵 乇丕 賲鬲賯丕毓丿 賲蹖讴賳丿 讴賴 賳賵丿 丿乇氐丿 讴爻丕賳蹖 讴賴 亘賴 讴賱蹖爻丕 賲蹖乇賵賳丿貙 丿蹖賳 乇丕 賯亘賵賱 賳丿丕乇賳丿 賵 丨鬲蹖 禺賵丿 讴卮蹖卮 賴丕 賳蹖夭 丿蹖賳 乇丕 賯亘賵賱 賳丿丕乇賳丿
鈥�... 倬丿乇卮 讴賴 丕賵 賳蹖夭 丿讴鬲乇 賲蹖亘丕卮丿貙 丿乇 鬲蹖賲丕乇爻鬲丕賳 亘爻鬲乇蹖 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲 賵 賲丕丿乇卮 鬲賳賴丕 賵 亘丕 乇丕賳賳丿賴贁 跇丕锟斤拷賳蹖 禺賵丿 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲蹖讴賳丿 賵 賲毓鬲丕丿 亘賴 賲賵乇賮蹖賳 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲... 賲丕乇趩賱賵 禺賵丿 乇丕 蹖讴 賮丕卮蹖爻鬲 賲蹖賴賳 倬乇爻鬲 賲蹖丿丕賳丿 賵 丿乇 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 賲兀賲賵乇蹖鬲 賴丕蹖卮 亘賴 丕賵 丿爻鬲賵乇 賲蹖丿賴賳丿 讴賴 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 丕爻鬲丕丿賴丕蹖 夭賲丕賳 丿丕賳卮噩賵蹖蹖 禺賵丿 讴賴 囟丿 賮丕卮蹖爻鬲 丕爻鬲 賵 丿乇 賮乇丕賳爻賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲蹖讴賳丿 乇丕 鬲乇賵乇 讴賳丿
鈥庂呚ж壁嗁勝� 亘丕 賳丕賲夭丿卮 噩賵賱蹖丕 丕夭丿賵丕噩 賲蹖讴賳丿 賵 亘乇丕蹖 賲丕賴 毓爻賱 亘賴 倬丕乇蹖爻賽 賮乇丕賳爻賴 賲蹖乇賵丿 鬲丕 亘賴 丕蹖賳 亘賴丕賳賴 亘賴 倬乇賵賮爻賵乇 賱賵讴丕 讴賵丕丿乇蹖 賳夭丿蹖讴 卮丿賴 賵 讴丕乇 鬲乇賵乇 乇丕 亘賴 爻乇丕賳噩丕賲 亘乇爻丕賳丿
鈥庁з呝懾� 丿乇 丕蹖賳 賲蹖丕賳 丕賵 毓丕卮賯賽 夭賳賽 夭蹖亘丕乇賵蹖賽 倬乇賵賮爻賵乇 蹖毓賳蹖 丌賳丕 賲蹖卮賵丿 讴賴 鬲賮丕賵鬲 爻賳蹖 夭蹖丕丿蹖 亘丕 倬乇賵賮爻賵乇 讴賵丕丿乇蹖貙 丕爻鬲丕丿賽 賲丕乇趩賱賵 丿丕乇丿
鈥庂呚ж壁嗁勝� 亘賴 禺丕胤乇賽 丌賳丕 丕夭 鬲賴 丿賱 乇丕囟蹖 亘賴 讴卮鬲賳 讴賵丕丿乇蹖 賳蹖爻鬲.. 丕賲賾丕 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 丕毓囟丕蹖 賮丕卮蹖爻鬲蹖 蹖毓賳蹖 賲丕鬲诏丕賱蹖賳賵 亘賴 倬丕乇蹖爻 乇賮鬲賴 鬲丕 趩賳丕賳趩賴 鬲乇賵乇 丕賳噩丕賲 賳卮賵丿貙 丕賵 讴丕乇 賳丕鬲賲丕賲 賲丕乇趩賱賵 乇丕 鬲賲丕賲 讴賳丿
鈥庁ㄙ囏� 丕爻鬲 禺賵丿鬲丕賳 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 乇丕 亘禺賵丕賳蹖丿 賵 丕夭 爻乇丕賳噩丕賲 丌賳 丌诏丕賴 卮賵蹖丿 賵 亘亘賳蹖丿 讴賴 丕丨夭丕亘 诏賵賳丕诏賵賳 趩诏賵賳賴 匕賴賳 賵 禺乇丿賽 丕賳爻丕賳賴丕 乇丕 賮丕爻丿 賲蹖讴賳賳丿
鈥庁� 夭蹖乇 亘乇禺蹖 丕夭 噩賲賱丕鬲賽 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 乇丕 亘賴 丕賳鬲禺丕亘 亘乇丕蹖鬲丕賳 賲蹖賳賵蹖爻賲
鈥庁堎勠屫�: 賲丕乇趩賱賵 賲賳 賱丕蹖賯賽 鬲賵 賳蹖爻鬲賲... 賲賳 亘丕讴乇賴 賳蹖爻鬲賲
鈥庂呚ж壁嗁勝�: 賲賳 亘丕 鬲賵 丕夭丿賵丕噩 讴乇丿賲貙 趩賵賳 丿賵爻鬲鬲 丿丕乇賲.. 賳賴 亘禺丕胤乇 丕蹖賳讴賴 亘丕讴乇賴 亘丕卮蹖
鈥庂呚ж壁嗁勝� 禺胤丕亘 亘賴 讴卮蹖卮: 禺丿丕賵賳丿 亘賴 丕蹖賳 禺賵亘蹖.. 賲乇蹖賲 亘賴 丕蹖賳 賲賴乇亘丕賳蹖.. 毓蹖爻蹖 亘賴 丌賳 亘禺卮賳丿诏蹖 賵 讴卮蹖卮 賲賲賱賵 丕夭 賳蹖乇賵蹖 丿乇讴.... 賴蹖趩讴丿丕賲貙 賴蹖趩 讴賵卮卮蹖 亘乇丕蹖 亘禺卮卮賽 诏賳丕賴丕賳 賲賳 賳讴乇丿賳丿... 賮賯胤 賵 賮賯胤 鬲毓噩亘 賵 丨蹖乇鬲 讴乇丿賳丿
鈥庂呝� 賳蹖丕夭蹖 亘賴 亘禺卮卮賽 丿蹖賳 賵 禺丿丕 賳丿丕乇賲... 賲賳 賲蹖禺賵丕賴賲 亘禺卮卮 亘乇丕蹖賽 賲賳 丕夭 爻賵蹖賽 丕噩鬲賲丕毓 賵 賲乇丿賲 亘丕卮丿
鈥庂呚ж壁嗁勝� 禺胤丕亘 亘賴 丕蹖鬲丕賱賵 賲賵賳鬲丕賳丕乇蹖: 丕蹖鬲丕賱賵貙 亘賴 賳馗乇鬲 蹖讴 丕賳爻丕賳賽 賳乇賲丕賱 賵 胤亘蹖毓蹖貙 趩賴 胤賵乇蹖 賴爻鬲卮責
鈥庁й屫з勝�: 蹖讴 丕賳爻丕賳 胤亘蹖毓蹖!! 亘賴 賳馗乇賽 賲賳 蹖讴 丕賳爻丕賳 胤亘蹖毓蹖 讴爻蹖 賴爻鬲卮 讴賴 爻乇卮 乇丕 亘乇丕蹖 丿蹖丿賳賽 讴賵賳賽 蹖讴 禺丕賳賲 亘趩乇禺賵賳賴..... 賲爻卅賱賴贁 丕氐賱蹖 趩乇禺賵賳丿賳賽 爻乇 賳蹖爻鬲
鈥広嗀必堎嗀嗁� 爻乇貙 倬賳噩 丕賱蹖 卮卮 丿賱蹖賱 丿丕乇賴
鈥庁ж� 倬蹖丿丕 讴乇丿賳賽 丕賳爻丕賳賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 賲孬賱賽 禺賵丿卮 賴爻鬲賳貙 賱匕鬲 賲蹖亘乇賴... 亘賴 賴賲蹖賳 禺丕胤乇 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕乇賴 亘賴 爻丕丨賱 賴丕蹖賽 卮賱賵睾 賵 夭賲蹖賳賽 賮賵鬲亘丕賱 賵 亘丕乇賴丕蹖賽 倬丕蹖蹖賳賽 卮賴乇 亘乇賴
鈥庁з堎嗁囏й屰� 讴賴 卮亘蹖賴卮 賴爻鬲賳 乇丕 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕乇賴 賵 亘賴 丕賵賳賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 亘丕賴丕卮 賮乇賯 丿丕乇賳丿 丕毓鬲賲丕丿 賳賲蹖讴賳賴
鈥庁ㄙ� 賴賲蹖賳 丿賱蹖賱 蹖讴 丕賳爻丕賳賽 胤亘蹖毓蹖貙 蹖讴 亘乇丕丿乇賽 賵丕賯毓蹖 賵 蹖讴 賴賲卮賴乇蹖 賵丕賯毓蹖 賵 蹖讴 賲蹖賴賳 倬乇爻鬲賽 賵丕賯毓蹖 賴爻鬲卮
鈥庂呚ж壁嗁勝�: 賵 蹖讴 賮丕卮蹖爻鬲賽 賵丕賯毓蹖
鈥庂呚жз勠屬嗁�: 丕夭 賳馗乇賽 賲賳貙 禺丕卅賳蹖賳 賵 蹖賴賵丿蹖 賴丕貙 賳丕賲乇丿 賴爻鬲賳... 賴賲卮賵賳 丕夭 蹖讴 賯賲丕卮賳丿
鈥庁и� 丿爻鬲賽 賲賳 亘賵丿貙 賴賲賴贁 丌賳賴丕 乇丕 夭賳丿賴 亘賴 诏賵乇 賲蹖讴乇丿賲
鈥庁й屬� 讴丕乇 賱丕夭賲賴... 亘毓丿 丕夭 丕蹖賳讴賴 亘賴 丿賳蹖丕 丕賵賲丿賳貙 亘丕蹖丿 賳丕亘賵丿 亘卮賳
---------------------------------------------
鈥庁з呟屫堌ж辟� 丕夭 禺賵丕賳丿賳賽 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 賱匕鬲 亘亘乇蹖丿
鈥�<倬蹖乇賵夭 亘丕卮蹖丿 賵 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖>
April 5, 2023
U prologu se Mar膷elo opisuje kao tanko膰utno i 啪enskasto dete sa psihopatskim tendencijama. Spaziv拧i svoje izopa膷enosti , podstaknut traumati膷nim iskustvom, transformi拧e se, i u svojim tridesetim godinama on je potpuno druga膷iji 膷ovek. Uzoran gra膽anin, uzoran fa拧ista i uzoran mu啪. Mar膷elo po svaku cenu 啪eli da bude normalan, da bude kao ostali, a 拧ta je 鈥渘ormalno鈥� odredilo je dru拧tvo toga doba. Savr拧eni konformista, uvek pomalo setan i tek povremeno svestan da je od sopstvene prirode i pro拧losti nemogu膰e pobe膰i.
August 29, 2023
Tra la folla..
Una natura sadica che si palesa gi脿 nell'infanzia, una tendenza violenta e perversa.
Questo 猫 il vero Marcello Clerici che da bambino impara a nascondere questa inclinazione malvagia.
Un desiderio spropositato di 鈥渘ormalit脿鈥�.
Non 猫 forse nascondendosi nella massa che i mostri passano inosservati?
Lavorare negli orari stabiliti, fidanzarsi, sposarsi, fare figli e, poi, in coincidenza, di un regime fascista che non ammette opposizioni, occorre anche partecipare agli intrighi delittuosi che ci vengono proposti.
Marcello non si sottrae a nulla purch猫 agli occhi degli altri sia come gli altri, uno tra i tanti fedeli allo stato e al regime.
Un romanzo che reitera quest鈥檃nsia del protagonista tanto da farcelo odiare per la sua ipocrita falsit脿.
Marcello 猫 un prototipo che Moravia ci mostra in azione e ci d脿 l鈥檌dea di come, all鈥檌nterno di una dittatura, soggetti del genere fossero perfettamente al loro posto.
Confondersi nella massa 猫 qualcosa che pu貌 trasformarti in qualunque cosa gli altri vogliano vedere鈥�
鈥滶ra un anello di pi霉, come pens貌, nella catena di normalit脿 con la quale egli cercava di ancorarsi nelle sabbie infide della vita鈥�
Una natura sadica che si palesa gi脿 nell'infanzia, una tendenza violenta e perversa.
Questo 猫 il vero Marcello Clerici che da bambino impara a nascondere questa inclinazione malvagia.
Un desiderio spropositato di 鈥渘ormalit脿鈥�.
Non 猫 forse nascondendosi nella massa che i mostri passano inosservati?
Lavorare negli orari stabiliti, fidanzarsi, sposarsi, fare figli e, poi, in coincidenza, di un regime fascista che non ammette opposizioni, occorre anche partecipare agli intrighi delittuosi che ci vengono proposti.
Marcello non si sottrae a nulla purch猫 agli occhi degli altri sia come gli altri, uno tra i tanti fedeli allo stato e al regime.
Un romanzo che reitera quest鈥檃nsia del protagonista tanto da farcelo odiare per la sua ipocrita falsit脿.
Marcello 猫 un prototipo che Moravia ci mostra in azione e ci d脿 l鈥檌dea di come, all鈥檌nterno di una dittatura, soggetti del genere fossero perfettamente al loro posto.
Confondersi nella massa 猫 qualcosa che pu貌 trasformarti in qualunque cosa gli altri vogliano vedere鈥�
鈥滶ra un anello di pi霉, come pens貌, nella catena di normalit脿 con la quale egli cercava di ancorarsi nelle sabbie infide della vita鈥�
January 12, 2008
The obsession with normalcy was perhaps the greatest bane of the 20th century. As the world became smaller and vastly diverse people began to mix more and more, people became overly concerned with this idea of being "normal" - wearing the same clothes, living in similarly furnished homes, even smoking the same brand of cigarettes all of which bring the protagonist of this particular story a feeling of great relief that he is "normal" - that is until we see the devastation that "normal" brings about.
On the one hand, an obvious critique of fascism and the horrors that were brought about by people who just conformed and went with the party line. And on the other hand, this is a very fun read - a psycho-sexual, political thriller with amazing plot twists, turns and dramatic surprises. But there's so much more here. Moravia clearly wanted to explore just why people conform and gives us a complex, interesting character who is easy to find both repugnant and sympathetic.
I'm still reeling from the depth of ideas in this book.
On the one hand, an obvious critique of fascism and the horrors that were brought about by people who just conformed and went with the party line. And on the other hand, this is a very fun read - a psycho-sexual, political thriller with amazing plot twists, turns and dramatic surprises. But there's so much more here. Moravia clearly wanted to explore just why people conform and gives us a complex, interesting character who is easy to find both repugnant and sympathetic.
I'm still reeling from the depth of ideas in this book.
March 21, 2009
Powerful. Cold but with a glassy poetic feeling for the distances between the main character, the narrator, and the rest of the world. Tense and gripping and with an eerie stillness which really adds to the effect. Very Camus-esque, (Camusian?), very modernist, very severely seen work of art.
I'm not quite sure whether to rank it as better or worse than the movie, because Bertollucci was rather faithful to the plot, but even so they do seem to branch out in distinctly different dimensions. The endings are totally different but each one is moving and disturbing in its own way.
It's simply not true that the book is usually better than the movie. People say that, I think, so as to sound more literate and sophisticated than need be. Here, it's a toss-up, maybe (just maybe) with a slight edge to the film.
But this is definitely uncompromising and intelligently provocative and casually perverse and coolly subversive and worth any ranking of the top 100 world novels of the Century.
Italian fascism as seen through the eyes of a petit bourgeois who has a Mersault-like fascination with nothingness and tries to fill his empty suit with the cold comforts of a country which is going to the dogs. Violence, weaponry, sexual shame, are all bubbling quietly but forcefully below his placid and rather ordinary exterior. Jesus, if that's what one guy's thinking, how many more can there be?
I'm going to have to read some more Moravia in the future. Godard's 'Contempt' was boss....here we go again....
March 7, 2025
kitap boyunca marcello鈥檔un kendini toplumun 莽izdi臒i s谋n谋rlar i莽inde hapsolmu艧 bulmas谋, bizi benzer sorularla ba艧 ba艧a b谋rak谋yor. topluma uyum sa臒lama arzusu, bir莽ok insan谋n g眉nl眉k hayatta deneyimledi臒i bask谋lar谋n bir temsili gibi.
moravia, kitapta marcello鈥檔un 莽ocukluk travmalar谋n谋 derinlemesine i艧leyerek bu travmalar谋n gelecekteki se莽imlerine nas谋l y枚n verdi臒ini g枚sterir. kitab谋n sonlar谋na do臒ru marcello, i莽sel yolculu臒unda s谋radan olma arzusuyla ba艧lad谋臒谋 yolda ger莽ek benli臒iyle y眉zle艧ir, bu y眉zle艧meyle belki de onun t眉m ya艧am谋n谋 s谋radanl谋k pe艧inde ge莽irmesinin ard谋nda yatan ger莽ekli臒i de g眉n y眉z眉ne 莽谋kar. moravia bize marcello鈥檔un s谋radanl谋k ve toplumla uyum sa臒lama yolculu臒uyla her birimizin i莽indeki 莽at谋艧malar谋 bir ayna gibi yans谋t谋yor.
kitap, bir okur olarak beni de bu 'uyum sa臒lama' girdab谋na 莽ekip d眉艧眉nd眉rd眉..
moravia, kitapta marcello鈥檔un 莽ocukluk travmalar谋n谋 derinlemesine i艧leyerek bu travmalar谋n gelecekteki se莽imlerine nas谋l y枚n verdi臒ini g枚sterir. kitab谋n sonlar谋na do臒ru marcello, i莽sel yolculu臒unda s谋radan olma arzusuyla ba艧lad谋臒谋 yolda ger莽ek benli臒iyle y眉zle艧ir, bu y眉zle艧meyle belki de onun t眉m ya艧am谋n谋 s谋radanl谋k pe艧inde ge莽irmesinin ard谋nda yatan ger莽ekli臒i de g眉n y眉z眉ne 莽谋kar. moravia bize marcello鈥檔un s谋radanl谋k ve toplumla uyum sa臒lama yolculu臒uyla her birimizin i莽indeki 莽at谋艧malar谋 bir ayna gibi yans谋t谋yor.
kitap, bir okur olarak beni de bu 'uyum sa臒lama' girdab谋na 莽ekip d眉艧眉nd眉rd眉..
February 22, 2017
How do you write a review if you are left speechless?
I have no idea.
All I know is that I need another dose of Moravia before the withdrawal symptoms suck the life out of me.
I have no idea.
All I know is that I need another dose of Moravia before the withdrawal symptoms suck the life out of me.
August 16, 2020
鈥淣ormallik arzusuydu, kabul g枚ren genel bir kurala uyma hevesiydi, farkl谋 olmak su莽lu olmak anlam谋na geldi臒ine g枚re ba艧kalar谋na benzeme iste臒iydi.鈥�
脟ocuklu臒undan ba艧layan bir 艧iddete e臒ilim ve anormal e臒ilimlerini kontrol alt谋nda tutmaya 莽al谋艧an, normalli臒i bir saplant谋 haline getirmi艧 bir adam谋n hikayesi. Ancak hikaye olduk莽a farkl谋 bir bak谋艧 a莽谋s谋ndan 枚r眉l眉yor, bir noktada normal olmak, geriye kalan, basit ve son derece insani bir yere ait olma 枚zleminin insan谋 nas谋l 鈥渂ir s眉r眉ye ait olma鈥� ihtiyac谋na y枚nlendirebilece臒ine dair ilgin莽 bir yakla艧谋ma sahip. Zira bireylerin neden fa艧ist, milliyet莽i, 谋rk莽谋 ideolojilere ilgi duydu臒unun a莽谋klamas谋na alternatif bir bak谋艧 a莽谋s谋 sunuyor. Farkl谋 ve s眉r眉kleyici.
鈥�... annesinin iyilik ad谋n谋 verdi臒i 艧ey onun anormalli臒i, yani kopuklu臒u, s谋radan hayattan uzak durmas谋 m谋yd谋? 鈥楴ormal insanlar iyi de臒il.鈥� diye d眉艧眉nd眉 yine, 莽眉nk眉 normalli臒in bilin莽li olsun olmas谋n duyars谋zl谋k, aptall谋k, korkakl谋k hatta canilik gibi hepsi olumsuz 莽e艧itli su莽 ortakl谋klar谋 yoluyla daima a臒谋r bir bedeli oluyordu.鈥�
August 19, 2019
One of several brilliant novels by Moravia
The Conformist is a psychologically complex novelistic study of an Italian fascist, although not necessarily a typical fascist, done in an existential style with intense interior monologues and introspection by Alberto Moravia's protagonist, Marcello Clerici.
No doubt Moravia intended Marcello as the conformist, but ironically it is his wife Giulia who nearly always conforms to what is considered normal behavior and who harbors uncritically knee jerk beliefs and opinions formed by church and state. In fact, that is part of the reason he married her. In contrast, Marcello struggles mightily with what he considers his abnormal tendencies. As a child he killed lizards for sport as any boy might, but felt uneasy about the wanton slaughter, and so sought from a friend and his mother some indication that killing lizards was okay. Later he kills a cat, although this is mostly accidental, and as a young teenager shots a homosexual limo driver named Lino. He feels something akin to consternation for these actions, not guilt exactly, but an unease since doing such things is not what he thinks normal people do.
It is his need to be--or at least to appear--"normal" that drives Marcello to conform to society's mores and persuades him to embrace fascism. He only feels really at ease when he sees himself as part of the common herd, on the installment plan, buying ordinary furniture, living in an apartment like a thousand others, having a wife and children, reading the newspapers, going to work, etc. He is not a peasant of course, but an educated functionary in the Italian Secret Service, a man with impeccable manners who seldom says more than is absolutely necessary.
The idea that fascists in general follow the herd and adopt a superficial and uncultured world view is no doubt largely correct, but the essence of fascism is the belief in authoritarian rule, the stratification of society, intolerance of diversity, and a willingness, even an eagerness to use force and violence to obtain such ends. The psychology underlying Moravia's portrait is the idea that Marcello sees in himself the violent and selfish tendencies and so it is only natural that he should adopt a political philosophy that condones and acts out such tendencies.
Moravia treats fascism in the person of Marcello more kindly than I believe he imagined he would when he began the novel, given Moravia's hatred of the fascist movement that seduced much of Europe following the First World War. But this is the necessary consequence of being an objective novelist. In drawing a living, breathing portrait of Marcello, Moravia allows us to see him as a complex person with strengths and weaknesses who deals with the trials of life sometimes in a despicable way, and sometimes, indeed often, in a way that most of us would choose were we in his shoes. Therefore it is impossible not to identify with him to some degree. It is an artifact of Moravia's artistry that we do in fact in the end identify with Marcello and may even realize that in his situation, we too might have embraced fascism or at least tolerated it.
A secondary theme in the novel is that of unrequited love or of desire that is not returned. All of the main characters, Marcello, Lino, Giulia, Quadri and Lina love someone who does not return their love. Marcello briefly falls madly in love with Lina who is a lesbian who despises him. Lina in turn is desperately in love with Giulia who only has eyes for her husband, who does not really love her. The inability of the characters to love the one who loves them is played out partly through a disparity in personality and political belief, and partly through differing sexuality. Lino and his latter-day incarnation in an old British homosexual who drives around Paris picking up indigent young men seldom if ever find their love returned although they might temporarily quench their desire. No one in the novel experiences love both in the giving and the receiving.
Part of Marcello's unease with himself comes from his ambivalent sexuality. He cannot return the intense passion that Giulia feels for him although apparently he does manage to perform his husbandly duties adequately. Perhaps even more to the point, he seems to project a need for the "abnormal" experience. He is twice mistaken for a homosexual, and he falls in love with a homosexual of the opposite sex--thus the "Lino" and the "Lina" of his life. Marcello seems to have a blindness about invert sexuality just as he has a blindness about human morality. He is a man who does not what he thinks is right but what others think is right. He fears his natural impulses. Moravia illustrates this by occasionally having him nearly give into what he feels inside, as in the case of Lina, only to have him realize that to act from his heart is dangerous.
In the final analysis Marcello finds that "the normality that he had sought after with such tenacity for so many years...was now revealed as a purely external thing entirely made up of abnormalities" (quote from near the beginning of Chapter Nineteen).
Moravia (born Alberto Pincherle) is in my opinion one of the great novelists of the 20th century and The Conformist is representative of his best work. Incidentally this was made into a beautiful film by Bernardo Bertolucci while not entirely true to the novel, is nonetheless very much worth seeing.
--Dennis Littrell, author of the mystery novel, 鈥淭eddy and Teri鈥�
The Conformist is a psychologically complex novelistic study of an Italian fascist, although not necessarily a typical fascist, done in an existential style with intense interior monologues and introspection by Alberto Moravia's protagonist, Marcello Clerici.
No doubt Moravia intended Marcello as the conformist, but ironically it is his wife Giulia who nearly always conforms to what is considered normal behavior and who harbors uncritically knee jerk beliefs and opinions formed by church and state. In fact, that is part of the reason he married her. In contrast, Marcello struggles mightily with what he considers his abnormal tendencies. As a child he killed lizards for sport as any boy might, but felt uneasy about the wanton slaughter, and so sought from a friend and his mother some indication that killing lizards was okay. Later he kills a cat, although this is mostly accidental, and as a young teenager shots a homosexual limo driver named Lino. He feels something akin to consternation for these actions, not guilt exactly, but an unease since doing such things is not what he thinks normal people do.
It is his need to be--or at least to appear--"normal" that drives Marcello to conform to society's mores and persuades him to embrace fascism. He only feels really at ease when he sees himself as part of the common herd, on the installment plan, buying ordinary furniture, living in an apartment like a thousand others, having a wife and children, reading the newspapers, going to work, etc. He is not a peasant of course, but an educated functionary in the Italian Secret Service, a man with impeccable manners who seldom says more than is absolutely necessary.
The idea that fascists in general follow the herd and adopt a superficial and uncultured world view is no doubt largely correct, but the essence of fascism is the belief in authoritarian rule, the stratification of society, intolerance of diversity, and a willingness, even an eagerness to use force and violence to obtain such ends. The psychology underlying Moravia's portrait is the idea that Marcello sees in himself the violent and selfish tendencies and so it is only natural that he should adopt a political philosophy that condones and acts out such tendencies.
Moravia treats fascism in the person of Marcello more kindly than I believe he imagined he would when he began the novel, given Moravia's hatred of the fascist movement that seduced much of Europe following the First World War. But this is the necessary consequence of being an objective novelist. In drawing a living, breathing portrait of Marcello, Moravia allows us to see him as a complex person with strengths and weaknesses who deals with the trials of life sometimes in a despicable way, and sometimes, indeed often, in a way that most of us would choose were we in his shoes. Therefore it is impossible not to identify with him to some degree. It is an artifact of Moravia's artistry that we do in fact in the end identify with Marcello and may even realize that in his situation, we too might have embraced fascism or at least tolerated it.
A secondary theme in the novel is that of unrequited love or of desire that is not returned. All of the main characters, Marcello, Lino, Giulia, Quadri and Lina love someone who does not return their love. Marcello briefly falls madly in love with Lina who is a lesbian who despises him. Lina in turn is desperately in love with Giulia who only has eyes for her husband, who does not really love her. The inability of the characters to love the one who loves them is played out partly through a disparity in personality and political belief, and partly through differing sexuality. Lino and his latter-day incarnation in an old British homosexual who drives around Paris picking up indigent young men seldom if ever find their love returned although they might temporarily quench their desire. No one in the novel experiences love both in the giving and the receiving.
Part of Marcello's unease with himself comes from his ambivalent sexuality. He cannot return the intense passion that Giulia feels for him although apparently he does manage to perform his husbandly duties adequately. Perhaps even more to the point, he seems to project a need for the "abnormal" experience. He is twice mistaken for a homosexual, and he falls in love with a homosexual of the opposite sex--thus the "Lino" and the "Lina" of his life. Marcello seems to have a blindness about invert sexuality just as he has a blindness about human morality. He is a man who does not what he thinks is right but what others think is right. He fears his natural impulses. Moravia illustrates this by occasionally having him nearly give into what he feels inside, as in the case of Lina, only to have him realize that to act from his heart is dangerous.
In the final analysis Marcello finds that "the normality that he had sought after with such tenacity for so many years...was now revealed as a purely external thing entirely made up of abnormalities" (quote from near the beginning of Chapter Nineteen).
Moravia (born Alberto Pincherle) is in my opinion one of the great novelists of the 20th century and The Conformist is representative of his best work. Incidentally this was made into a beautiful film by Bernardo Bertolucci while not entirely true to the novel, is nonetheless very much worth seeing.
--Dennis Littrell, author of the mystery novel, 鈥淭eddy and Teri鈥�
January 28, 2019
Etkileyici bir konu, kurgu ve dile sahip bir eser.
脰zellikle insan psikolojisi yan谋 s谋ra 陌talyan siyasi d枚nemlerini de ele al谋艧谋yla kalbimi fethetti.
陌lk ba艧larda verdi臒i intibas谋 ile kitab谋n ilerleyen k谋s谋mlar谋 tamamen bamba艧ka sab谋rla ilerlemek gerekiyor.
Marcelloyu ve hikayesini seveceksiniz diyor ve tavsiye ediyorum!
脰zellikle insan psikolojisi yan谋 s谋ra 陌talyan siyasi d枚nemlerini de ele al谋艧谋yla kalbimi fethetti.
陌lk ba艧larda verdi臒i intibas谋 ile kitab谋n ilerleyen k谋s谋mlar谋 tamamen bamba艧ka sab谋rla ilerlemek gerekiyor.
Marcelloyu ve hikayesini seveceksiniz diyor ve tavsiye ediyorum!
March 16, 2008
A macabre bildungsroman of man who realizes in early childhood that life is con; a troubling portrait a l谩 Camus or Dostoeyvsky. Spare prose but a rich text filled with doublings and odd encounters all filtered through Marcello鈥檚 (the narrator and titular character) disturbed viewpoint. An enigmatic and sudden ending leaves many questions. The amount of questions and concerns this book still raises illustrates why Moravia doesn鈥檛 consider this merely an Anti-fascism book or label it with any other isms; and I agree, this is one for always.
March 23, 2022
Il 'conformista' 猫 la storia di Marcello Clerici e della sua spasmodica ricerca della pi霉 normale e comune delle vite possibili: fin da bambino, egli cerca di reprimere qualsiasi istinto, caratteristica o desiderio che possa farlo apparire come fuori dalla norma; la sua esistenza 猫 dominata dal bisogno di essere uguale agli altri, di sentirsi accettato, di conformarsi e confondersi perfettamente con gli altri.
Come sempre, Moravia si rivela un vero e proprio maestro nel rappresentare l'uomo e la societ脿 novecentesca; in particolare, 'Il conformista' si rivela anche un approfondimento dell'Italia del periodo fascista e della mentalit脿 dominante dell'epoca.
I personaggi, in perfetto stile Moravia, sono detestabili, meschini, apatici, poco risoluti: la vita sembra scorrere e loro vengono trascinati da essa.
Un romanzo che a tratti risulta anche sgradevole da leggere, ma che, allo stesso tempo, invita a profonde riflessioni su quanto la nostra societ脿 ci imponga di conformarsi ad essa e su come ciascuno di noi sia vittima del conformismo.
Come sempre, Moravia si rivela un vero e proprio maestro nel rappresentare l'uomo e la societ脿 novecentesca; in particolare, 'Il conformista' si rivela anche un approfondimento dell'Italia del periodo fascista e della mentalit脿 dominante dell'epoca.
I personaggi, in perfetto stile Moravia, sono detestabili, meschini, apatici, poco risoluti: la vita sembra scorrere e loro vengono trascinati da essa.
Un romanzo che a tratti risulta anche sgradevole da leggere, ma che, allo stesso tempo, invita a profonde riflessioni su quanto la nostra societ脿 ci imponga di conformarsi ad essa e su come ciascuno di noi sia vittima del conformismo.
June 18, 2021
An excellent work. As fresh and as engaging as it must have been when first published a lifetime ago. The detailed depiction of a character and how that person (and others) connect with society with a simpatia of ideas, of ideals, could apply to any ideologically focused culture, but here it is Italian fascism. You know it is going to end badly, and, somehow, so do those committed to the creed 鈥� they just expect too much in return for the sins of their commitment. Was it, is it not ever so?
September 3, 2023
Konformist je duboka studija lika Marcella Celericija, njegovih unutarnjih demona i o膷ajni膷kih poku拧aja da pobjegne od istih.
Nakon 拧to tragi膷ni doga膽aj odredi njegovo djetinjstvo, Marcello, krive膰i sebe, provodi svoje zrele godine bje啪e膰i od svoje prirode. Poku拧ava voditi normalan 啪ivot, prilago膽ava se okolini, ne 啪eli se isticati ni po 膷emu...
Smatra da sa sebe mo啪e isprati ljagu samo ako u膷ini ne拧to za op膰u dobrobit, za sveukupni cilj svoje ideologije. Tako se ponudi svojim nadre膽enima da po膽e u francusku i ubije antifa拧isti膷kog lidera, ina膷e svog biv拧eg profesora.
Na kraju se taj 膷in ispostavi nevrijednim, shvativ拧i da je profesorova smrt bila uzaludna i nanjela vi拧e 拧tete nego koristi. Marcello shva膰a da je nemogu膰e pobje膰i od svoje prirode te da gdje god on po拧ao, nosi sebe sa sobom...
Marcello je dosta promi拧ljen, povu膷en i hladan tip, osje膰a duboko ga膽enje prema bilo kakvom odstupanju od norme...
Ne govori puno i ne voli interakcije sa ljudima, tako puno puta kroz djelo odlu膷i ne re膰i ni拧ta na odgovor sugovornicima. Na trenutke je impulzivne naravi, ima u膷estale promjene raspolo啪enja i 啪ivi u konstantnom strahu da ga netko ne otkrije za ono 拧to zapravo jest.
Odnos sa roditeljima mu je katastrofalan 拧to nije njegova krivnja. Otac mu je potpuni lu膽ak koji par godina 啪ivi u mentalnoj ustanovi, u djetinjstvu je imao u膷estale ispade na njegovu majku, nasilne je prirode. Marcello se boji da je ludilo nasljedno i da je svoje mane pokupio upravo od njega, najve膰i strah mu je da ne zavr拧i kao on.
Majka mu je sa druge strane nje啪na, osje膰ajna, ali istro拧ena godinama provedenim u nezdravom okru啪enju, fizi膷ki oronula i mr拧ava. Marcello osije膰a ga膽enje prema njoj, a ne poma啪e to da ima u膷estale ljubavne afere.
Marcellova 啪ena, Giulia, je vrlo 啪enstvena, osje膰ajna i tradicionalna 啪ena. Ona je, me膽utim, za Marcella bila samo sredstvo kojim 膰e posti膰i ve膰i stupanj normalnosti. Nije je volio, dapa膷e bio je spreman ostaviti ve膰 na bra膷nom putovanju u Parizu. Giulia je, s druge strane obo啪avala Marcella, on je bio njen spasitelj, sve 拧to je sanjala u 啪ivotu.
Pratila bi ga u svemu 拧to u膷ini i na svaki kraj svijeta bi po拧la za njim da mora. 沤udila je za njim, 拧to on njoj nije mogao vratiti, ni pribli啪no.
Klju膷ni doga膽aj ove pri膷e je slu膷aj u Marcellovom djetinjstvu gdje je skoro bio seksualno napastovan od jednog voza膷a imena Lino. U Linovoj sobi, gdje ga je on planirao silovati, Marcello se domogao pi拧tolja i ubio ga.
Tako je bar mislio 20 godina. Od tog trenutka je neprestano bje啪ao od samog sebe, gurao svoju pro拧lost pod tepih, 啪ivio pod sjenom... Trenutak kada je Marcello susreo Lina po svr拧etku rata, donio mu je svojevrsni mir i olak拧anje. Lino je tada rekao re膷enicu koja se Marcellu urezala u pam膰enje: "svi mi gubimo na拧u nevinost, na ovaj ili onaj na膷in: to je normalnost."
Koga zanima na ovu pri膷u je snimljen i film u re啪iji Bernarda Bertoluccija i definitivno zavrije膽uje pa啪nju.
9.7/10
I.J.
Nakon 拧to tragi膷ni doga膽aj odredi njegovo djetinjstvo, Marcello, krive膰i sebe, provodi svoje zrele godine bje啪e膰i od svoje prirode. Poku拧ava voditi normalan 啪ivot, prilago膽ava se okolini, ne 啪eli se isticati ni po 膷emu...
Smatra da sa sebe mo啪e isprati ljagu samo ako u膷ini ne拧to za op膰u dobrobit, za sveukupni cilj svoje ideologije. Tako se ponudi svojim nadre膽enima da po膽e u francusku i ubije antifa拧isti膷kog lidera, ina膷e svog biv拧eg profesora.
Na kraju se taj 膷in ispostavi nevrijednim, shvativ拧i da je profesorova smrt bila uzaludna i nanjela vi拧e 拧tete nego koristi. Marcello shva膰a da je nemogu膰e pobje膰i od svoje prirode te da gdje god on po拧ao, nosi sebe sa sobom...
Marcello je dosta promi拧ljen, povu膷en i hladan tip, osje膰a duboko ga膽enje prema bilo kakvom odstupanju od norme...
Ne govori puno i ne voli interakcije sa ljudima, tako puno puta kroz djelo odlu膷i ne re膰i ni拧ta na odgovor sugovornicima. Na trenutke je impulzivne naravi, ima u膷estale promjene raspolo啪enja i 啪ivi u konstantnom strahu da ga netko ne otkrije za ono 拧to zapravo jest.
Odnos sa roditeljima mu je katastrofalan 拧to nije njegova krivnja. Otac mu je potpuni lu膽ak koji par godina 啪ivi u mentalnoj ustanovi, u djetinjstvu je imao u膷estale ispade na njegovu majku, nasilne je prirode. Marcello se boji da je ludilo nasljedno i da je svoje mane pokupio upravo od njega, najve膰i strah mu je da ne zavr拧i kao on.
Majka mu je sa druge strane nje啪na, osje膰ajna, ali istro拧ena godinama provedenim u nezdravom okru啪enju, fizi膷ki oronula i mr拧ava. Marcello osije膰a ga膽enje prema njoj, a ne poma啪e to da ima u膷estale ljubavne afere.
Marcellova 啪ena, Giulia, je vrlo 啪enstvena, osje膰ajna i tradicionalna 啪ena. Ona je, me膽utim, za Marcella bila samo sredstvo kojim 膰e posti膰i ve膰i stupanj normalnosti. Nije je volio, dapa膷e bio je spreman ostaviti ve膰 na bra膷nom putovanju u Parizu. Giulia je, s druge strane obo啪avala Marcella, on je bio njen spasitelj, sve 拧to je sanjala u 啪ivotu.
Pratila bi ga u svemu 拧to u膷ini i na svaki kraj svijeta bi po拧la za njim da mora. 沤udila je za njim, 拧to on njoj nije mogao vratiti, ni pribli啪no.
Klju膷ni doga膽aj ove pri膷e je slu膷aj u Marcellovom djetinjstvu gdje je skoro bio seksualno napastovan od jednog voza膷a imena Lino. U Linovoj sobi, gdje ga je on planirao silovati, Marcello se domogao pi拧tolja i ubio ga.
Tako je bar mislio 20 godina. Od tog trenutka je neprestano bje啪ao od samog sebe, gurao svoju pro拧lost pod tepih, 啪ivio pod sjenom... Trenutak kada je Marcello susreo Lina po svr拧etku rata, donio mu je svojevrsni mir i olak拧anje. Lino je tada rekao re膷enicu koja se Marcellu urezala u pam膰enje: "svi mi gubimo na拧u nevinost, na ovaj ili onaj na膷in: to je normalnost."
Koga zanima na ovu pri膷u je snimljen i film u re啪iji Bernarda Bertoluccija i definitivno zavrije膽uje pa啪nju.
9.7/10
I.J.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2024
Il conformista, apparentemente, 猫 pi霉 cose: la storia di un viaggio di nozze a Parigi; quella di un delitto di stato; la biografia di un uomo; la descrizione di un'epoca e di una societ脿. Ma, a ben guardare, questo romanzo 猫 soprattutto il ritratto di un personaggio e di un atteggiamento morale caratteristici del nostro tempo: il conformista e il conformismo. L'eroe del secolo passato era il ribelle, ossia l'uomo che vuole distinguersi, contrapporsi, essere diverso dagli altri; secondo Moravia, l'eroe del nostro tempo 猫 invece il conformista, ossia l'uomo che vuole confondersi, comunicare, essere uguale agli altri.
Voler essere come tutti gli altri per avere la vita perfetta. Marcello ci riesce. E' una spinta pi霉 che esterna, interna, un'idea che gli 猫 chiara gi脿 dalla prima giovinezza. Grottesco: un bambino che nella sua presunta purezza 猫 gi脿 corrotto nella mente. Una riflessione che dalle mie parti si dice ti faccia venire il mal di stomaco.
Per il resto della sua vita poi beh... Fa quello che fanno tutti. Il conformarsi 猫 una specie di inconscia ossessione, Marcello 猫 un attento osservatore che studia la massa per diventarne la cellula migliore, per omologarsi il pi霉 perfettamente possibile.
Anche l'adesione al partito fascista diventa un'azione dettata da una "moda": era il partito pi霉 in vista allora si 猫 iscritto pure lui, non totalmente consapevole dell'ideologia. Del resto... Cosa pu貌 importare di un'ideologia malata quando tutti sono infetti? Il suo compito all'interno 猫 quello della spia: cerca le anomalie del sistema e deve distruggerle. Un professore comunista a Parigi 猫 il suo obiettivo ma del resto questo professore non 猫 nemmeno la sua prima vittima...
Un romanzo dimenticato in un'epoca che ha un disperato bisogno di una letteratura di questo genere. Siamo felici solo se siamo come gli altri e il diverso va isolato perch茅 猫 portatore di un'idea infetta. Se l'idea si diffonde il pericolo 猫 che ognuno pensi con la propria testa: la nascita di una societ脿 di anarchia del pensiero. Nulla di pi霉 pericoloso.
Per Moravia il fascismo e la vicenda di Marcello sono solo un pretesto per parlare di qualcosa che 猫 tremendamente odierno e abbiamo sotto il naso (dentro il cervello) tutti i giorni.
Voler essere come tutti gli altri per avere la vita perfetta. Marcello ci riesce. E' una spinta pi霉 che esterna, interna, un'idea che gli 猫 chiara gi脿 dalla prima giovinezza. Grottesco: un bambino che nella sua presunta purezza 猫 gi脿 corrotto nella mente. Una riflessione che dalle mie parti si dice ti faccia venire il mal di stomaco.
Per il resto della sua vita poi beh... Fa quello che fanno tutti. Il conformarsi 猫 una specie di inconscia ossessione, Marcello 猫 un attento osservatore che studia la massa per diventarne la cellula migliore, per omologarsi il pi霉 perfettamente possibile.
Anche l'adesione al partito fascista diventa un'azione dettata da una "moda": era il partito pi霉 in vista allora si 猫 iscritto pure lui, non totalmente consapevole dell'ideologia. Del resto... Cosa pu貌 importare di un'ideologia malata quando tutti sono infetti? Il suo compito all'interno 猫 quello della spia: cerca le anomalie del sistema e deve distruggerle. Un professore comunista a Parigi 猫 il suo obiettivo ma del resto questo professore non 猫 nemmeno la sua prima vittima...
Un romanzo dimenticato in un'epoca che ha un disperato bisogno di una letteratura di questo genere. Siamo felici solo se siamo come gli altri e il diverso va isolato perch茅 猫 portatore di un'idea infetta. Se l'idea si diffonde il pericolo 猫 che ognuno pensi con la propria testa: la nascita di una societ脿 di anarchia del pensiero. Nulla di pi霉 pericoloso.
Per Moravia il fascismo e la vicenda di Marcello sono solo un pretesto per parlare di qualcosa che 猫 tremendamente odierno e abbiamo sotto il naso (dentro il cervello) tutti i giorni.
March 2, 2018
賳賲丕蹖卮賳丕賲賴 蹖 丿賳亘丕賱賴 乇賵 賳賲丕蹖卮賳丕賲賴 丕蹖 丕爻鬲 爻蹖丕爻蹖 讴賴 鬲賲乇讴夭 丌賳 亘蹖卮鬲乇 亘乇 乇賵蹖 賲囟賲賵賳 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 賵 乇蹖卮賴鈥屬囏й� 丕賳丨乇丕賮蹖 亘賵乇跇賵丕夭蹖 賮丕卮蹖爻賲 丕爻鬲.
丌爻蹖亘鈥屫促嗀ж驰� 賵 匕丕鬲 亘蹖賲丕乇 賮丕卮蹖爻鬲鈥屬囏� 丕夭 亘賳蹖丕賳 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 賲丕乇趩賱賵 卮乇賵毓 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 賵 丿乇賲賯丕胤毓 賲禺鬲賱賮 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕賵 賴賲 丕丿丕賲賴 賲蹖鈥屰屫жㄘ�. 丕亘鬲丿丕 賲丕 乇丕 亘丕 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 丕賮爻丕乇 诏爻蹖禺鬲賴 賵 亘蹖 丿乇 賵 倬蹖讴乇 賲丕乇趩賱賵 丌卮賳丕 賲蹖讴賳丿. 賲丕丿乇蹖 讴賴 亘賴 丕禺賱丕賯蹖丕鬲 倬丕蹖亘賳丿 賳蹖爻鬲 賵 倬丿乇蹖 卮讴賳噩賴 诏乇 讴賴 丿乇 鬲蹖賲丕乇爻鬲丕賳 亘爻鬲乇蹖 丕爻鬲. 禺賵丿 賲丕乇趩賱賵 丕毓鬲乇丕賮 賲蹖 讴賳丿 讴賴 丕夭 賴蹖噩丿賴 爻丕賱诏蹖 丕賳丨乇丕賮 丕禺賱丕賯蹖 乇丕 丌睾丕夭 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲 賵 噩丕賱亘 丕卮 丕蹖賳噩丕爻鬲 讴賴 亘賴 讴卮蹖卮 賲蹖 诏賵蹖丿 丕蹖賳 蹖讴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 丕爻鬲.
賳賲丕蹖卮賳丕賲賴 賴賲 趩賳蹖賳 亘賴 噩丕蹖诏丕賴 賲匕賴亘 丿乇 丿賳蹖丕蹖 讴孬蹖賮 賯丿乇鬲 賵 爻蹖丕爻鬲 丕卮丕乇賴 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 讴賴 丨囟賵乇蹖 鬲夭卅蹖賳蹖 賵 噩賱賵賴鈥屫й� 賲爻禺乇賴 丿乇 噩賴丕賳 丕孬乇 賲蹖鈥屰屫жㄘ�. 爻蹖丕爻鬲蹖 讴賴 丕夭 賲匕賴亘 爻賵 丕爻鬲賮丕丿賴 讴乇丿賴 鬲丕 亘乇 賲乇丿賲 鬲丕孬蹖乇 亘蹖卮鬲乇蹖 诏匕丕乇丿. 賴賲丕賳诏賵賳賴 讴 噩賵賱蹖丕 亘賴 賲丕乇趩賱賵 诏賵卮夭丿 讴乇丿賴鈥屫ㄙ堌� 讴賴: 鈥澷嗁堌� 丿乇氐丿 賲乇丿賲蹖 讴賴 亘賴 讴賱蹖爻丕 賲蹖鈥屫辟� 丕毓鬲賯丕丿 賳丿丕乇賳丿. 丨鬲蹖 禺賵丿 讴卮蹖卮鈥屬囏�"
"丿賳亘丕賱賴 乇賵" 貙 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 卮丕蹖丿 亘鬲賵丕賳 丌賳 乇丕 亘乇丿丕卮鬲 賮蹖賱爻賵賮丕賳賴 丕蹖 丕夭 噩賳丕蹖鬲 賵 賲讴丕賮丕鬲 丿丕賳爻鬲. 賲丕乇趩賱賵 亘丕 丕爻鬲丕丿卮 丿乇亘丕乇賴 賮賱爻賮賴 丕賮賱丕胤賵賳 丿乇亘丕乇賴 噩賴丕賳 诏賮鬲诏賵 賲蹖 讴賳丿 . 丕賵 賲蹖 诏賵蹖丿 丕蹖賳 丿賳蹖丕 爻丕蹖賴 丕蹖蹖 亘蹖卮 賳蹖爻鬲 賵 賲丕 丿乇賵賳 睾丕乇蹖 诏乇賮鬲丕乇蹖賲 賵 丕賳爻丕賳 丌诏丕賴 讴爻蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丕夭 丕蹖賳 睾丕乇 亘蹖乇賵賳 亘乇賵丿 賲胤丕亘賯 鬲賲孬蹖賱貙 丕爻鬲丕丿 丕夭 睾丕乇 亘蹖乇賵賳 乇賮鬲賴 丕爻鬲 丕賲丕 賲丕乇趩賱賵 賴賲趩賳丕賳 丿乇 睾丕乇 丿爻鬲 賵 倬丕賴丕蹖卮 睾賱 賵 夭賳噩蹖乇 丕爻鬲.
賲丕乇趩賱賵 賲乇丿蹖 爻爻鬲 丕乇丕丿賴 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賲蹖 禺賵丕賴丿 亘丕 丿蹖诏乇丕賳 賯丕胤蹖 卮賵丿. 丕賵 鬲氐賲蹖賲 賲蹖 诏蹖乇丿 讴賴 蹖讴 丌丿賲讴卮 賮丕卮蹖爻鬲 亘丕卮丿 賵 亘丕 蹖讴 夭賳 賲丕鬲乇蹖丕賱蹖爻鬲蹖 禺乇丿賴 亘賵乇跇賵丕 丕夭丿賵丕噩 锟斤拷賳丿 (亘賴 賯賵賱 禺賵丿 丕賵 丕蹖賳 夭賳 賮賯胤 丿乇 丕鬲丕賯 禺賵丕亘 賵 丌卮倬夭禺丕賳賴 讴丕乇卮 乇丕 禺賵亘 丕賳噩丕賲 賲蹖 丿賴丿!)貨 丕賵 丕蹖賳 讴丕乇 賴丕 乇丕 賳賴 亘賴 禺丕胤乇 鬲毓賴丿 爻蹖丕爻蹖 賵 賳賴 亘賴 禺丕胤乇 卮賴賵鬲 丕賳噩丕賲 賲蹖 丿賴丿 亘賱讴賴 亘賴 丕蹖賳 丿賱蹖賱 讴賴 (馗丕賴乇丕賸) 蹖讴 乇丕夭 卮乇賲 丌賵乇 乇丕 倬蹖卮 禺賵丿 倬賳賴丕賳 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲. 丿賱蹖賱 丕蹖賳讴賴 丕夭 乇賵蹖 丕爻鬲蹖氐丕賱 丿乇 賮讴乇 丿賳亘丕賱賴 乇賵蹖 丕爻鬲 丕蹖賳 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賲蹖 賮賴賲丿 亘丕 丿蹖诏乇丕賳 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕爻鬲 賵賱蹖 賴乇诏夭 鬲賮丕賵鬲 禺賵丿 乇丕 賳賲蹖 倬匕蹖乇丿.
賲賵乇丕賵蹖丕 爻亘讴 乇賵丕蹖鬲鈥屭臂� 禺丕氐 禺賵丿卮 乇丕 丿丕乇丿. 乇賲丕賳鈥屬囏� 賵 丿丕爻鬲丕賳鈥屬囏й� 亘賱賳丿 丕賵 賴賲賵丕乇賴 亘丕 乇賵蹖讴乇丿蹖 鬲乇丕跇蹖讴 賳賵卮鬲賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堎嗀�.
June 1, 2019
La ricerca della normalit脿 che fin dall'infanzia ossessiona Marcello, il protagonista di questo romanzo, lo porta a compiere scelte umane e politiche indifendibili, oggi, ma non cos矛 difficili da immaginare se si considera il momento storico in cui le vicende sono ambientate, il ventennio fascista.
Eppure la grandezza del libro sta nel fatto che mette a nudo un tipo umano senza tempo: colui il quale si sente sbagliato ma, invece di migliorare o accettarsi, rinuncia a ragionare con la sua testa o ad agire in base a quello che sente davvero per rifugiarsi nella consuetudine, nella morale comune e, nel caso di Marcello, nel regime.
脠 una storia triste, deprimente, che prosciuga per quanto 猫 diretta nel mostrare lo squallore delle vite dei personaggi, tutti a loro modo detestabili.
La scena finale, fortemente simbolica, forse 猫 un po' esagerata, ma 猫 l'unico appunto che mi viene da fare a un romanzo che mi ha colpito tantissimo.
Eppure la grandezza del libro sta nel fatto che mette a nudo un tipo umano senza tempo: colui il quale si sente sbagliato ma, invece di migliorare o accettarsi, rinuncia a ragionare con la sua testa o ad agire in base a quello che sente davvero per rifugiarsi nella consuetudine, nella morale comune e, nel caso di Marcello, nel regime.
脠 una storia triste, deprimente, che prosciuga per quanto 猫 diretta nel mostrare lo squallore delle vite dei personaggi, tutti a loro modo detestabili.
La scena finale, fortemente simbolica, forse 猫 un po' esagerata, ma 猫 l'unico appunto che mi viene da fare a un romanzo che mi ha colpito tantissimo.
January 14, 2008
I read this for Kimley's film group, and it's one fantastic can't put down novel. Which is typical Alberto Moravia when you come to think of it.
In a nutshell I think the book is about the psychological make-up of a typical Fascist. Italian style of course! On one level it's a story about a Govt. official who wants to be normal, whatever that means. I think he realizes that 'normal' is quite ab-normal. But of course he's too late in learning that lesson. Nevertheless a remarkable book, which will turn my head around when I go to sleep tonight. Lots of incredible parts and scenes in this novel. I want to give this novel six stars!
In a nutshell I think the book is about the psychological make-up of a typical Fascist. Italian style of course! On one level it's a story about a Govt. official who wants to be normal, whatever that means. I think he realizes that 'normal' is quite ab-normal. But of course he's too late in learning that lesson. Nevertheless a remarkable book, which will turn my head around when I go to sleep tonight. Lots of incredible parts and scenes in this novel. I want to give this novel six stars!
April 25, 2024
Replicando lo stile di Wu Ming nella fascetta di Altai - Una boiata, proprio come Q (Libero) - per Il conformista proporrei una selezione dei giudizi ricevuti in tempi in cui la critica era viva e frequentata da intellettuali di prestigio: Infelice e macchinoso per Sanguineti, Sbagliato per Parise, Il peggiore scritto da Moravia per Del Buono.
Tra i suoi imperdibili.
[84/100]
Tra i suoi imperdibili.
[84/100]
March 30, 2020
鈥淚n questo mondo balenante e oscuro, simile ad un crepuscolo tempestoso, queste figure ambigue di uomini donne e di donne uomini che si incrociavano raddoppiando e mescolando la loro ambiguit脿, sembravano alludere ad un significato anch鈥檈sso ambiguo, legato, tuttavia, come gli pareva, al suo destino e alla comprovata impossibilit脿 di uscirne鈥�
December 30, 2021
Ultima lettura dell鈥檃nno, non poteva che capitarmi qualcosa di cos矛 particolare. Buono cos矛, dai.
Doverosa premessa: la mia conoscenza dei classici italiani e degli autori pi霉 importanti dal dopoguerra in poi 猫 decisamente scarsa. Vuoi per le scelte fatte dai miei professori negli anni del liceo, vuoi per inclinazione personale, non mi sono mai interessata pi霉 di tanto ad approfondire. Ma il bello dei gruppi di lettura sta in questo, no?
饾悎饾惀 饾悳饾惃饾惂饾悷饾惃饾惈饾惁饾悽饾惉饾惌饾悮 猫 innanzitutto un romanzo che mostra tutti gli anni che ha. Pubblicato nel 1951, 猫 immerso in una atmosfera antica, che sa dell鈥橧talia tra la guerra e la sua fine: 猫 un mondo rarefatto, ovattato, costruito su estremi opposti, dove le persone si muovono nel tentativo di non fare rumore 鈥� quasi fosse un quadro del realismo magico. Marcello 猫 l鈥檜omo che stride all鈥檌nterno di un mondo simile, si sente diverso a causa di un avvenimento che l鈥檋a segnato da bambino e della sua famiglia; cerca quindi in tutti i modi la normalit脿 che vede, invece, in tutti gli altri tramite un lavoro al ministero e un matrimonio con una donna che non ama pi霉 di tanto, ma che 猫 cos矛 semplice da risultare perfetta. L鈥檌ngresso nella societ脿 fascista, tuttavia, richiede un prezzo molto pi霉 alto: andare a Parigi e compiere un delitto di stato, individuando un vecchio professore che lavora per la resistenza.
Il ritmo del romanzo segue l鈥檃tmosfera rarefatta degli ambienti descritti. Lento, si concentra sull鈥檌nfanzia di Marcello, la sua missione a Parigi e un inaspettato epilogo 鈥� almeno per me, per quanto a posteriori mi renda conto che non avrebbe potuto finire in nessun altro modo. Moravia non si fa problemi a soffermarsi su momenti narrativi che, nell鈥檕ttica di una letteratura pi霉 contemporanea, sarebbero depennati senza piet脿 da qualsiasi romanzo a favore dell鈥檃zione parigina, quali la confessione prima del matrimonio o il viaggio in treno; tuttavia, ci貌 permette di capire ancora pi霉 a fondo la scissione di Marcello e il suo desiderio di diventare normale. 脠 qualcosa di fortissimo, e Moravia scava a lungo nella psiche del suo protagonista per descriverne l鈥檃scesa e discesa in quella che, oltretutto, mi 猫 parsa come una fortissima critica della societ脿 fascista.
Lo stile, infine, 猫 meraviglioso: elegante, perfetto per aiutare il lettore a calarsi nel mondo di Marcello. Per quanto abbia fatto fatica a entrare, soprattutto nelle prime e alienanti pagine, permette una costruzione perfetta della storia.
C鈥櫭� comunque qualcosa che non mi ha convinta del tutto, questo bisogna dirlo. Ho ritrovato infatti quel vecchio (e orrido) gusto per gli innamoramenti improvvisi, con personaggi che dopo cinque minuti di conoscenza dichiarano un amore eterno che a me lascia sempre molto perplessa. Capisco che Marcello, per sua natura, sia volubile 鈥� il desiderio di normalit脿 lo rende tale 鈥�, tuttavia che si dichiari pazzamente innamorato di Lina immediatamente mi ha fatto cascare le braccia; poi la storia, per fortuna, si sviluppa in modo molto differente, ma il naso si 猫 storto lo stesso.
Nel complesso una lettura apprezzata, che mi ha lasciato la curiosit脿 di approfondire con altre opere di Moravia.
3/5 猸�
Doverosa premessa: la mia conoscenza dei classici italiani e degli autori pi霉 importanti dal dopoguerra in poi 猫 decisamente scarsa. Vuoi per le scelte fatte dai miei professori negli anni del liceo, vuoi per inclinazione personale, non mi sono mai interessata pi霉 di tanto ad approfondire. Ma il bello dei gruppi di lettura sta in questo, no?
饾悎饾惀 饾悳饾惃饾惂饾悷饾惃饾惈饾惁饾悽饾惉饾惌饾悮 猫 innanzitutto un romanzo che mostra tutti gli anni che ha. Pubblicato nel 1951, 猫 immerso in una atmosfera antica, che sa dell鈥橧talia tra la guerra e la sua fine: 猫 un mondo rarefatto, ovattato, costruito su estremi opposti, dove le persone si muovono nel tentativo di non fare rumore 鈥� quasi fosse un quadro del realismo magico. Marcello 猫 l鈥檜omo che stride all鈥檌nterno di un mondo simile, si sente diverso a causa di un avvenimento che l鈥檋a segnato da bambino e della sua famiglia; cerca quindi in tutti i modi la normalit脿 che vede, invece, in tutti gli altri tramite un lavoro al ministero e un matrimonio con una donna che non ama pi霉 di tanto, ma che 猫 cos矛 semplice da risultare perfetta. L鈥檌ngresso nella societ脿 fascista, tuttavia, richiede un prezzo molto pi霉 alto: andare a Parigi e compiere un delitto di stato, individuando un vecchio professore che lavora per la resistenza.
Il ritmo del romanzo segue l鈥檃tmosfera rarefatta degli ambienti descritti. Lento, si concentra sull鈥檌nfanzia di Marcello, la sua missione a Parigi e un inaspettato epilogo 鈥� almeno per me, per quanto a posteriori mi renda conto che non avrebbe potuto finire in nessun altro modo. Moravia non si fa problemi a soffermarsi su momenti narrativi che, nell鈥檕ttica di una letteratura pi霉 contemporanea, sarebbero depennati senza piet脿 da qualsiasi romanzo a favore dell鈥檃zione parigina, quali la confessione prima del matrimonio o il viaggio in treno; tuttavia, ci貌 permette di capire ancora pi霉 a fondo la scissione di Marcello e il suo desiderio di diventare normale. 脠 qualcosa di fortissimo, e Moravia scava a lungo nella psiche del suo protagonista per descriverne l鈥檃scesa e discesa in quella che, oltretutto, mi 猫 parsa come una fortissima critica della societ脿 fascista.
Lo stile, infine, 猫 meraviglioso: elegante, perfetto per aiutare il lettore a calarsi nel mondo di Marcello. Per quanto abbia fatto fatica a entrare, soprattutto nelle prime e alienanti pagine, permette una costruzione perfetta della storia.
C鈥櫭� comunque qualcosa che non mi ha convinta del tutto, questo bisogna dirlo. Ho ritrovato infatti quel vecchio (e orrido) gusto per gli innamoramenti improvvisi, con personaggi che dopo cinque minuti di conoscenza dichiarano un amore eterno che a me lascia sempre molto perplessa. Capisco che Marcello, per sua natura, sia volubile 鈥� il desiderio di normalit脿 lo rende tale 鈥�, tuttavia che si dichiari pazzamente innamorato di Lina immediatamente mi ha fatto cascare le braccia; poi la storia, per fortuna, si sviluppa in modo molto differente, ma il naso si 猫 storto lo stesso.
Nel complesso una lettura apprezzata, che mi ha lasciato la curiosit脿 di approfondire con altre opere di Moravia.
3/5 猸�
June 8, 2022
As a young boy, Marcello feels different, to the extent that it concerns him. Before he has a chance to properly analyse any of these feelings, he has a traumatic experience which will define him for the rest of his life. He comes to the conclusion that the only method for dealing with his confused state is to fit in and be normal. As an adult he explores what it means to be normal, does everything he can to look, sound, and behave in ways that, he believes, will ensure he is convincing. But of course, it's an act. And one which has conflated 'being normal' with merely 'conforming.' As such, in a society where fascism is the norm, he understandably becomes a fascist. He dresses smart, speaks with a measured assurance, marries a nice girl, and does his duty.
The plot revolves around Marcello, now working for the secret police, using his honeymoon as an excuse to visit Paris so that he can point out an old university professor to his colleague Orlando; Orlando's mission of course is assassination. But when he meets the professor's wife, he is overcome with not just attraction to her but, in his words, genuine love for her.
As with 'Boredom' and 'Contempt,' I was absolutely captivated by the writing. There's just something immensely engaging about it. I probably enjoyed this less than those two for two reasons: 1) it was a third person narration and though very good, it lacked the personal worldview of the protagonist which I loved in Boredom and Contempt; and 2) the sudden moment of overwhelming attraction (which he describes as love) that Marcello has for Anna. This comes out of nowhere (as does Anna's lesbian affection for Marcello's wife). It all felt slightly over-the-top despite the theme which might justify it (namely Marcello's inability to adapt and cope with ethical dilemmas that contradict his supposed grasp of normality). That aside, the book was enormously entertaining.
The ending was bitter sweet. His encounter with the ghost of Lino (vague and disturbing) producing the most captivating theory of the book: that loss of innocence is the only true normality. But (rather curiously) as with Boredom and Contempt, there is a incident in a car which seemed excessive. But it's a small complaint.
The plot revolves around Marcello, now working for the secret police, using his honeymoon as an excuse to visit Paris so that he can point out an old university professor to his colleague Orlando; Orlando's mission of course is assassination. But when he meets the professor's wife, he is overcome with not just attraction to her but, in his words, genuine love for her.
As with 'Boredom' and 'Contempt,' I was absolutely captivated by the writing. There's just something immensely engaging about it. I probably enjoyed this less than those two for two reasons: 1) it was a third person narration and though very good, it lacked the personal worldview of the protagonist which I loved in Boredom and Contempt; and 2) the sudden moment of overwhelming attraction (which he describes as love) that Marcello has for Anna. This comes out of nowhere (as does Anna's lesbian affection for Marcello's wife). It all felt slightly over-the-top despite the theme which might justify it (namely Marcello's inability to adapt and cope with ethical dilemmas that contradict his supposed grasp of normality). That aside, the book was enormously entertaining.
The ending was bitter sweet. His encounter with the ghost of Lino (vague and disturbing) producing the most captivating theory of the book: that loss of innocence is the only true normality. But (rather curiously) as with Boredom and Contempt, there is a incident in a car which seemed excessive. But it's a small complaint.
August 11, 2012
Questo 猫 il terzo libro che ho letto di Moravia (dopo La vita 猫 gioco e La ciociara) e quello che mi 猫 piaciuto di pi霉. Gli altri li avevo trovato per caso, ma un mio amico mi aveva detto que Il conformista 猫 il migliori di Moravia, quindi ho deciso di comprarlo. Sebbene Moravia forse non sia un maestro della sottilezza in quanto alle sue idee (il romanzo 猫, secondo me, pieno di spiegazioni superflue), ha una certa arte di scegliere i detagli precisi e le immagini giuste. A differenza di La ciociara, libro che mi 猫 sembrato forse un po' essaggerato nella sfilza di scene violente e tristi, Il conformista mi pare un libro molto equilibrato, veramente ben fatto. Non ti stanchi di leggerlo, ma ha anche una profondit脿 猫 una bellezza che a volte ti sorprendono. Un libro veramente bello.
Another book on my list of Italian classics to read, recommended by a friend who lists Moravia as one of the best Italian authors of the 20th century. The Conformist is a book that it relatively simple and quick to read, but with a certain profundity and even beauty despite the decidedly ugly things that take place. Moravia is, as usual, a bit heavy-handed on the explanations in order to drive his point home, but in the end the book comes off as very well put together. Moravia has a way of writing scenes that stick with you for a long time, as I am sure will be the case with this. Overall, I would highly recommend this book.
Another book on my list of Italian classics to read, recommended by a friend who lists Moravia as one of the best Italian authors of the 20th century. The Conformist is a book that it relatively simple and quick to read, but with a certain profundity and even beauty despite the decidedly ugly things that take place. Moravia is, as usual, a bit heavy-handed on the explanations in order to drive his point home, but in the end the book comes off as very well put together. Moravia has a way of writing scenes that stick with you for a long time, as I am sure will be the case with this. Overall, I would highly recommend this book.
January 2, 2019
A strange strange book about the deep roots of conformity and how it meshes with authoritarian politics under a Fascist regime.
January 15, 2022
El antih茅roe de esta novela es Marcello Clerici, una historia basada en la historia de un complot de los primos de Moravia, Carlo y. Nello Rosselli, que eran antifascistas y los cuales fueron asesinados en Francia por los fascistas. Es el retrato de un personaje, que no escapa al fiel retrato de un individuo contempor谩neo ligado a ser conformista y vivir en el conformismo. Y esto no escapa a lo indicado por Moravia, el hombre quiere confundirse, ser igual a todos.
Una historia, que al igual que La campesina y La Romana, se desarrolla en el fascismo de Italia. Narrada en tercera persona y dividida en tres partes: la primera narra la infancia del ni帽o Marcello, que ser谩 la base de iniciaci贸n de lo que ser谩 su vida futura, un momento en el que su existencia estar谩 marcada por un hecho que trastornar谩 toda su vida. De clase media, con una familia disfuncional, con un padre que le pega a su madre, mientras que su madre tiene un amante. Siendo 煤nico hijo, fue tirado a la suerte, porque sus padres no se ocupaban. Es una etapa bien marcada por la experiencia que da la vida, pues en una ocasi贸n asesina a un hombre, que se cre铆a, y esto ser谩 el sello que lo har谩 vivir toda su vida con el deseo de redimirse.
De aqu铆 en adelante el texto se centrar谩 en su vida futura, ya de adulto se hace un buen fascista, empleado estatal, y porque no decirle un hombre de familia. En esta etapa se le asigna un trabajo, el infiltrarse en la organizaci贸n antifascista en Francia, la cual estaba siendo dirigida por un ex profesor suyo, Quadri. El pretexto para infiltrarse vino acompa帽ado por la luna de miel con su joven esposa Giulia, de la cual al principio no estaba convencido, porque el apostaba aun a la normalidad. En esta estad铆a conoce a Lina la joven esposa de Quadri, de quien cree que se esta enamorando, aunque en la novela, quien se enamora Lina es de la joven esposa Giulia. Esta relaci贸n entre Lina y Marcello destapa es el verdadero motivo de Marcello en Paris, de lo cual Lina se dio cuenta, ser visto como un esp铆a.
Lino, ese hombre que en su ni帽ez crey贸 haberlo matado, reaparece al final con el fin de hacerle entender que tarde o temprana todos pierden la inocencia de una forma u otra, que eso es normal. Toda su vida estuvo marcada por la b煤squeda de la normalidad. Es el emblema del h茅roe contempor谩neo, como bien dijo Moravia, un tipo que quiere ser confundido, aunque suene contradictoria, apuesta a ser igual a todos, porque se siente diferente desde su ni帽ez y teme al juicio de los dem谩s. Cuanto m谩s intenta conformarse, m谩s intenta ser normal, pero as铆 se vuelve m谩s dif铆cil todo para 茅l. Cerrando este escrito hay un filme dirigido por Bernardo Bertolucci de 1970 que se la recomiendo ver por si no deseas leer el libro al menos tenga tu impresi贸n.
Una historia, que al igual que La campesina y La Romana, se desarrolla en el fascismo de Italia. Narrada en tercera persona y dividida en tres partes: la primera narra la infancia del ni帽o Marcello, que ser谩 la base de iniciaci贸n de lo que ser谩 su vida futura, un momento en el que su existencia estar谩 marcada por un hecho que trastornar谩 toda su vida. De clase media, con una familia disfuncional, con un padre que le pega a su madre, mientras que su madre tiene un amante. Siendo 煤nico hijo, fue tirado a la suerte, porque sus padres no se ocupaban. Es una etapa bien marcada por la experiencia que da la vida, pues en una ocasi贸n asesina a un hombre, que se cre铆a, y esto ser谩 el sello que lo har谩 vivir toda su vida con el deseo de redimirse.
De aqu铆 en adelante el texto se centrar谩 en su vida futura, ya de adulto se hace un buen fascista, empleado estatal, y porque no decirle un hombre de familia. En esta etapa se le asigna un trabajo, el infiltrarse en la organizaci贸n antifascista en Francia, la cual estaba siendo dirigida por un ex profesor suyo, Quadri. El pretexto para infiltrarse vino acompa帽ado por la luna de miel con su joven esposa Giulia, de la cual al principio no estaba convencido, porque el apostaba aun a la normalidad. En esta estad铆a conoce a Lina la joven esposa de Quadri, de quien cree que se esta enamorando, aunque en la novela, quien se enamora Lina es de la joven esposa Giulia. Esta relaci贸n entre Lina y Marcello destapa es el verdadero motivo de Marcello en Paris, de lo cual Lina se dio cuenta, ser visto como un esp铆a.
Lino, ese hombre que en su ni帽ez crey贸 haberlo matado, reaparece al final con el fin de hacerle entender que tarde o temprana todos pierden la inocencia de una forma u otra, que eso es normal. Toda su vida estuvo marcada por la b煤squeda de la normalidad. Es el emblema del h茅roe contempor谩neo, como bien dijo Moravia, un tipo que quiere ser confundido, aunque suene contradictoria, apuesta a ser igual a todos, porque se siente diferente desde su ni帽ez y teme al juicio de los dem谩s. Cuanto m谩s intenta conformarse, m谩s intenta ser normal, pero as铆 se vuelve m谩s dif铆cil todo para 茅l. Cerrando este escrito hay un filme dirigido por Bernardo Bertolucci de 1970 que se la recomiendo ver por si no deseas leer el libro al menos tenga tu impresi贸n.
May 28, 2022
People who are married and well-established in their jobs sometimes have this patronising and condescending attitude towards people who don鈥檛 have what they have. It is a feeling of 鈥榥ormalcy鈥�, defined by society, that they superimpose on others with a moral superiority of someone who sees themselves as doing the correct thing. Same attitude is often shared by people who have their own businesses towards people with 9-5 jobs, or those who have a college degree towards those who don鈥檛. While many don鈥檛 subscribe to such prejudices, we can still see some of these creeping up in conversations every now and then.
So, what is 鈥榥ormal鈥�? What does one have to do, in order to feel like they are living a normal life? Is it better to lead a life full of exciting uncertainties and adventures, or a life of stable continuity full of traditional norms?
Moravia鈥檚 protagonist is agonised by a deep-set anxiety that he is not normal. And to counter that, he seeks to find normalcy through committing to a life of discipline and order; a life where moral choices are made for him by those in higher ranks of the party and he can safely suspend judgement, safe in the knowledge he is part of an order greater than himself. This gives him the peace of mind that he won鈥檛 succumb to his own misjudgements and make fatal mistakes that have led him down the path of abnormality. It is a struggle that many of us have in our lives. This very desire makes us seek out cults and charismatic leaders, religious zealots and despotic political leaders. All of this, just to avoid the ultimate moral confrontation that ought to happen within us, to make decisions based on principles of goodness and humanity rather than pathetic blind subjugation.
The story follows Marcello鈥檚 life, his romance and his infatuation with becoming a normal being in a society fraught with violence. Perhaps, only to learn that he was normal all along. As we all are, in our own ways. Just as we are broken, we are whole at the same time. But forever seeking an ideal that is neither here nor there, but a figment of our collective imagination.
Highly recommended !
So, what is 鈥榥ormal鈥�? What does one have to do, in order to feel like they are living a normal life? Is it better to lead a life full of exciting uncertainties and adventures, or a life of stable continuity full of traditional norms?
Moravia鈥檚 protagonist is agonised by a deep-set anxiety that he is not normal. And to counter that, he seeks to find normalcy through committing to a life of discipline and order; a life where moral choices are made for him by those in higher ranks of the party and he can safely suspend judgement, safe in the knowledge he is part of an order greater than himself. This gives him the peace of mind that he won鈥檛 succumb to his own misjudgements and make fatal mistakes that have led him down the path of abnormality. It is a struggle that many of us have in our lives. This very desire makes us seek out cults and charismatic leaders, religious zealots and despotic political leaders. All of this, just to avoid the ultimate moral confrontation that ought to happen within us, to make decisions based on principles of goodness and humanity rather than pathetic blind subjugation.
The story follows Marcello鈥檚 life, his romance and his infatuation with becoming a normal being in a society fraught with violence. Perhaps, only to learn that he was normal all along. As we all are, in our own ways. Just as we are broken, we are whole at the same time. But forever seeking an ideal that is neither here nor there, but a figment of our collective imagination.
Highly recommended !
November 28, 2020
4-5 Sterne.
December 28, 2024
The Conformist adapted and directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, based on the novel by Alberto Moravia
A different version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:
- and
A few weeks ago, I have been mesmerized by The Contempt written by the writer of The Conformist, Alberto Moravia.
Then I saw Le Mepris, the adaptation for the big screen with the superb Bardot and I have included The Contempt among my favorite works...
Alas, I did not have the chance to read the original this time, I just saw the film.
And it is a very good one, albeit I was tempted to say at times:
- "What's your angle here?"
I thought that the approach is post modern or surreal, perhaps both at times.
Many, if not most of the characters are monstrous, vile.
With Marcello Clerici, played by one of my favorite actors, Jean Louis Trintignant as one of the worst of all.
He was a promising student, the best in his generation as the professor Luca Quadri says, but he became The Conformist, a Nazi.
He is not even one of those complex personages who have a dark side, but at least there is some aspect that you could like about them...
The Conformist appears to be Pure Evil.
Yes, he is sensitive to the beauty of Anna Quadri, but he is married to Giulia and Anna is the wife of his former professor.
When he shows some concern for his mother, it is again with extreme violence that he deals with what he sees as a problem.
The woman has a lover who is Japanese and is called Ki.
- That means...hemlock.
The poor Ki, who looked like he did a lot of good to the older woman, who needed comforting and someone to show affection, is killed.
In order to prepare for his marriage with Giulia, Clerici is supposed to go to confession.
It is stated that even those who attend church do not believe...90% of them!
That sounds like way too much for me.
Nevertheless, the confession of The Conformist is an exercise in arrogance and it is completed...
- In Cold Blood
And it is not just Clerici that is outrageous.
He speaks the truth when he says:
You are more outraged by an eventual sodomy than by the murder...
He confessed to killing someone at thirteen, but the prelate is more interested in the homosexual act that might have been involved in the story.
Indeed, during the scenes that rendered the incident I thought that the closeness between the older man and the boy was inappropriate.
And that recalls the filming of A Tango in Paris.
Bertolucci was accused by the actress of being more than abusive on the set, especially during the sex scenes.
There are many shots that are beautiful, with impressive, minimalist architecture.
Clerici is given the mission to assassinate his former professor, Luca Quadri, who is an anti-fascist and lives in Paris with his wondrous spouse Anna.
The Conformist is taken, attracted by this outstanding beauty and the outcome is in question.
He even says that he would run away with her to Brazil.
About his wife Clerici only has this to tell:
- "Mediocre, she's all bed and kitchen"
- So what will he do?
- Will he abandon his "cause"?
- Or will he remain The Conformist?
A different version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:
- and
A few weeks ago, I have been mesmerized by The Contempt written by the writer of The Conformist, Alberto Moravia.
Then I saw Le Mepris, the adaptation for the big screen with the superb Bardot and I have included The Contempt among my favorite works...
Alas, I did not have the chance to read the original this time, I just saw the film.
And it is a very good one, albeit I was tempted to say at times:
- "What's your angle here?"
I thought that the approach is post modern or surreal, perhaps both at times.
Many, if not most of the characters are monstrous, vile.
With Marcello Clerici, played by one of my favorite actors, Jean Louis Trintignant as one of the worst of all.
He was a promising student, the best in his generation as the professor Luca Quadri says, but he became The Conformist, a Nazi.
He is not even one of those complex personages who have a dark side, but at least there is some aspect that you could like about them...
The Conformist appears to be Pure Evil.
Yes, he is sensitive to the beauty of Anna Quadri, but he is married to Giulia and Anna is the wife of his former professor.
When he shows some concern for his mother, it is again with extreme violence that he deals with what he sees as a problem.
The woman has a lover who is Japanese and is called Ki.
- That means...hemlock.
The poor Ki, who looked like he did a lot of good to the older woman, who needed comforting and someone to show affection, is killed.
In order to prepare for his marriage with Giulia, Clerici is supposed to go to confession.
It is stated that even those who attend church do not believe...90% of them!
That sounds like way too much for me.
Nevertheless, the confession of The Conformist is an exercise in arrogance and it is completed...
- In Cold Blood
And it is not just Clerici that is outrageous.
He speaks the truth when he says:
You are more outraged by an eventual sodomy than by the murder...
He confessed to killing someone at thirteen, but the prelate is more interested in the homosexual act that might have been involved in the story.
Indeed, during the scenes that rendered the incident I thought that the closeness between the older man and the boy was inappropriate.
And that recalls the filming of A Tango in Paris.
Bertolucci was accused by the actress of being more than abusive on the set, especially during the sex scenes.
There are many shots that are beautiful, with impressive, minimalist architecture.
Clerici is given the mission to assassinate his former professor, Luca Quadri, who is an anti-fascist and lives in Paris with his wondrous spouse Anna.
The Conformist is taken, attracted by this outstanding beauty and the outcome is in question.
He even says that he would run away with her to Brazil.
About his wife Clerici only has this to tell:
- "Mediocre, she's all bed and kitchen"
- So what will he do?
- Will he abandon his "cause"?
- Or will he remain The Conformist?
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