Abstract
Reviewed by: Paola Quadrini, Nazareth College, USA
Gabriella Romani’s book is divided into two parts. The first part contains chapters 1, ‘Postal Culture after 1861: An Introduction,’ and 2, ‘Writing and Reading Letters: The Nationalization of the Italian Postal Service, Epistolary Manuals, and the Print Media’. The second part consists of Chapters 3, ‘Fictionalizing the Letter: Giovanni Verga’s “Storia di una capinera”,’ and 4, ‘Cœur-responding with Her Readers: The Sentimental Politics of Matilde Serao’s Epistolary Fiction’. The Conclusion, followed by the Appendix: ‘Letters Transcribed from Newspapers,’ ends the book.
In her Introduction, Romani clearly presents the theme of her work, namely the examination of the postal culture productions in 19th-century, post-unification Italy. The author supports her thesis by exploring the connections between the social practice of letter writing and the various letter-format cultural works. She then discusses Giovanni Verga and Matilde Serao’s epistolary fiction in the context of these epistolary productions, demonstrating that the Italian epistolary genre flourished since it was able to meet the new social and cultural as well as literary needs. By studying contemporary documents related to the works of Verga and Serao, Romani recaptures ‘the historical and cultural atmosphere’ (p. 8) in which they were produced, contributing to the re-evaluation of their literary texts. She also shows the close relationship between the process of writing private letters and the creation of epistolary fiction, which ultimately influenced the formation of a cultural identity.
In Chapter 2, Romani investigates the cultural and social significance of the new Italian national postal service, and the contribution of the letter to the spread of information. In fact, through a historical report on Italian postal systems prior to the unification, she demonstrates that the nationalization of the postal service by the post-unification Italian government constituted a symbolic act since it showed a ‘clear marker in the civilizing process of society’ (p. 22). Romani then points out that the use of writing and receiving letters grew into a typical form of correspondence among literate and illiterate people, helping to build a sense of community. Moreover, while this contributed to the spread of literacy and culture among the lower classes, a new type of letter became common in the middle-class: the lettera borghese (p. 24), in addition to the appearance of a modern letter-writing figure: the scrivano. The author then illustrates how ties among the Italian government’s educational program, the didactic role of the calendario postale, the circulation of low-priced newspapers, along with the diffusion of epistolary manuals and conduct books, facilitated the growth of a national identity as well as the propagation of standards of social behavior and cultural knowledge. Romani finally focuses on newspapers’ letter-format articles that functioned as ‘means for the dissemination of knowledge’ (p. 58), particularly among female readers.
Romani’s task in the following chapter is to draw critical attention to Verga’s literary work production by shedding light on the historical and cultural factors that led to its success. For this reason, she considers the crucial importance of Verga’s epistolary novel in the formation of post-unification Italian literary identity by showing how the interaction among the textual agents in the letter format promoted a feeling of community since readers and writers engaged in the same ‘interpretive and communicative experience’ (p. 77). The author therefore explores Storia di una capinera’s contemporary sources, in order to examine the particular cultural and social atmosphere in which Verga stood out as the major interlocutor in the new national literary debate. She then emphasizes the close connection between the production of a literary product and its consumption as a critical instrument for the development of cultural and literary identities.
In the fourth chapter, Romani demonstrates how sentimental novels contributed to the creation of ‘a national consciousness’ (p. 116) in post-unification Italy. Indeed, she points out the functional and liberating effects of Serao’s sentimental narrative, challenging the traditional idea that sentimental books were only meant to entertain the public. Serao’s epistolary fiction, in fact, transformed sentimental emotions into moral standards of social and individual behavior, playing, therefore, a major role in the formation of Italian national and cultural feeling. By illustrating Serao’s fictional works, Romani provides numerous clarifying examples related to the production and reception issues about her epistolary short stories in the late 19th century. These promoted the circulation of information with and among her female readers emphasizing their appropriate gender roles. Consequently, Serao’s figure stood out as one of the main writers of post-unification Italy, thoroughly involved in the civic mission to form a cultural identity.
The author concludes her book emphasizing the role of letter-writing after the unification of Italy in fostering the creation of a ‘national community’ (p. 157), representing a powerful means through which ideas, knowledge, and information were able to circulate and, thus, promoting education and progress. Finally, in the substantial Appendix, Romani presents authentic letters extracted from Italian newspapers of the time.
Romani’s book represents an excellent synthesis of her research interests in late 19th-century Italian literature and culture, as she skillfully interweaves epistolary fiction and short stories. She then includes eminent female Italian writers, such as Serao and Colombi, along with distinguished authors such as Verga and De Amicis, in the historical context of post-unification Italy. Through an articulate and eloquent style, Romani leads both specialized scholars and passionate readers to understand the cultural and social effects of the crucial political changes that Italy underwent when it became a united nation. By demonstrating that the Italian national sense of community was formed through the interaction of multiple factors and, primarily, through the nationalization of the postal service, she completely fulfills her book’s purpose. Indeed, the postal system served as an effective means of spreading information and an important instrument to the newly formed Italian government to educate its people. The author, therefore, achieves a breakthrough by tying together elements drawn from various disciplines, such as literature, sociology, communication, print media, and politics with acuity and academic scholarship, without falling into technicism or pomposity, making the book accessible to a wider audience.
The logical textual discourse of Romani’s argumentation strongly supports the development of her thesis. In fact, each chapter begins with a clear set-up of her objectives. The author then presents and treats each topic, elaborating it in a logical manner so that it is fluently tied to the following one with no gaps or change of rhythm. Through the numerous examples, she then backs up her hypotheses, adding force to her arguments. Furthermore, for her learned subject, she coherently uses a fluent and elegant syntax along with an extremely accurate vocabulary that makes the reading very pleasing. Finally, the pictures and the book jacket give a sense of antiquity and authority, sparking interest and curiosity in readers.