The play "Enrico IV", written in 1921 and first staged in 1922 at the Teatro Manzoni in Milan, revolves around the theme of fiction and reality. A nobleman, whose name is never revealed, participates in a masked horseback ride as Henry IV of Franconia, the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. After being unseated from his horse due to a cranial trauma, he wakes up convinced that he is truly Henry IV. Twenty years later, he receives the visit of Matilde, the woman he loves, Belcredi, his rival in love and the one who unseated him, Frida, their daughter, her fiancé Carlo Di Nolli, and a psychiatrist who proposes to stage the moment before the fall in an attempt to "awaken" him. The consequences will be manifold because Enrico IV, in reality, is already "awake". He says, "This, this which is for me the evident and voluntary caricature of this other mask, continuous, every minute, of which we are the involuntary jesters when without knowing it we mask ourselves with what we think we are. [...] I am cured, gentlemen: because I know perfectly well how to play the madman, here; and I do it, calmly! The trouble is for you who live it agitatedly, without knowing it and without seeing your madness."
"Enrico IV" is the story of a man who has chosen to hide in his madness rather than live in a masked society, in a reality that he no longer recognizes. He proclaims, "My life is this! It is not yours! Yours, in which you have grown old, I have not lived!"
The story is very beautiful and particular, especially from the end of the second act, when the true nature of Enrico IV's madness is discovered. It is a captivating moment that adds a new layer of depth to the narrative.
However, I found it a bit slow, particularly the second act. The pacing seemed to drag at times, which made it a bit of a struggle to stay fully engaged.
Despite this, I really appreciated Pirandello's style. His use of language and his ability to create complex and interesting characters is truly remarkable. I love it to bits. Overall, while the story had its flaws, it was still an enjoyable read that left a lasting impression on me.
Oddly cute. It's truly not what I had anticipated at all. I was under the impression that I was about to embark on a reading journey about Henry IV of England. However, it turned out to be an unexpected delight. I came across an interesting thought recently while reading. It was said that what novelists truly have to offer is omniscience. And this play definitely seems to fit that description. There was a significant amount of cliché present within it. But I suppose that's quite normal when it comes to classics. Maybe if it wasn't a cliché before it was penned, it became one afterwards. Despite the presence of these clichés, the play still manages to hold a certain charm and engage the reader in a unique way.
Una commedia in tipico stile Pirandelliano, che tocca tutti i suoi temi chiave quali la follia come fuga dalla realtà e l'idea della vita come maschera.
Maschera reale e non metaforica in questo caso, perché il protagonista (di cui intenzionalmente non ci viene mai detto il nome per aumentare il senso di straniamento), vive da vent'anni sotto le spoglie del re Enrico IV di Germania. Prima per necessità e poi per scelta. Ma si tratta davvero di una scelta, o forse l'unico modo per affrontare un'esistenza in cui non si riconosce più è continuare la farsa?
La commedia è tutta giocata su questo equilibrio sottile tra verità e finzione, in cui di volta in volta l'una sembra prendere il sopravvento sull'altra. L'azione si svolge interamente nella stessa stanza nel giro di poche ore ed il ritmo è piuttosto serrato, in un crescendo di concitazione che porterà ad un finale inaspettato e ricco di pathos.
Peccato solo che vista l'estrema brevità le atmosfere non siano così suggestive come in altre opere, l'ambientazione è un po' asettica. Tuttavia, nonostante questa piccola pecca anche stavolta Pirandello non mi ha deluso. È una commedia che riesce a coinvolgere e spiazzare il lettore grazie alla profondità delle riflessioni e alla maestria con cui sono tratteggiati i personaggi.