A gripping novel, unfairly dismissed by critics: (ri)let's find out together

The first time I read passages from Dark, the most famous work of Igino Ugo Tarchetti, I was at university. In high school the teacher didn't treat her; of the rest, the artistic-literary current to which he belongs is quite snubbed by critics.

I remember being fascinated by the few excerpts in the textbook. A few years ago, almost by chance, I came across the novel in ebook format, water amazon. I was impressed by the user reviews: all enthusiastic and agree that it is a work unjustly neglected by critics and school teaching. At that point I couldn't not read it! Ecco, Therefore, some curiosities and reflections on history and the current to which it belongs.

Igino Ugo Tarchetti and the Lombard Scapigliatura

Tarchetti is one of the most famous exponents of Dishevelment, movement which had Milan as its epicenter and which manifested itself in the second half of the nineteenth century. The aim of the young disheveled rebels was to oppose bourgeois morality and the sentimentalism of the romantic current, referring instead to the bohemians Parisians. This current affected both the literary and artistic fields.

In the 2009, I was lucky enough to visit a Royal Palace – grandiose building located next to the Duomo – an exhibition on Scapigliata art: I was really surprised by the beauty of the paintings on display. In those canvases you could see a Milan that no longer exists, but above all, much importance was given to the portrait of intense and elusive women. To accompany this post you can find some paintings by Scapigliati artists.

Dark by Tarchetti: an engaging story

In my opinion, despite being a nineteenth-century work, Dark It's an extremely easy read. I finished it in a day and a half! There is some obvious archaism in the style, but it doesn't disturb, On the contrary: helps to make the atmosphere even more fascinating.

The positive aspect is that, unlike other books of the time, he does not dwell in minute descriptions on the historical-political framework of the time. Tarchetti is only interested in the emotions of the protagonists' souls.

In my opinion the peculiar trait of the book, the one that captures the reader, it is the genuine enthusiasm with which it was written. There is no affectation, huh, sentimentality, but rather a vibrant emotional rush conveyed without filters. I haven't read a book like this in a long time. The protagonist is sensitive and feels real passions, authentic, amplified in the character of Fosca, which gives its name to the novel.

The protagonists: Fosca and Giorgio

Fosca is a woman consumed by her own feelings. Loneliness tore her apart, transforming her into an almost monstrous being, with a hollow face, similar to that of a skull. There is no supernatural element in the plot, yet a certain gothic streak is palpable. Dark, with his black hair and cadaverous paleness, It makes you think of a female vampire, who sucks all the energy and health from the person he falls in love with.

Giorgio, the male counterpart, he finds himself having to indulge the woman against his will, to avoid causing her to fall into those nervous breakdowns that could prove fatal. He pretends to be in love with her, scary and obsessive creature (Tarchetti would not have used the term stalker, but I think it would suit her), while he would like to spend his time with the beautiful and florid Clara, his lover. In the end, Fosca's insane passion will take away Giorgio's health and will threaten his own life. I won't reveal more, I would ruin your enjoyment of reading. From these lines you will have understood that for me it was a dazzling novel. I got two more books by Tarchetti, because it was a beautiful discovery!