Luigi Prandello: Modern Man as Marionette

FAIN: FT-10834-70

Douglas Radcliff-Umstead
Kent State University (Kent, OH 44242-0001)

Comprehensive study of Luigi Pirandello's dramatic and narrative works. Fellow particularly concerned with Pirandello's depiction of modern man as a creature who has surrendered his humanity to become a serenely mechanized marionette. ABSTRACT: Comprehensive study of Luigi Pirandello's dramatic and narrative works. Although Pirandello won fame as a dramatist he came to the theater late in his artistic career, after he had written several novels and hundreds of short stories. While most critics approach Pirandello's writings in an evolutionary manner, fellow contends that Pirandello did not evolve into a dramatist but rather found in the theater an opportunity for living representation of the themes and situations which he treated in his narrative works. Fellow particularly concerned with Pirandello's depiction of modern man as a creature who has surrendered his humanity to become a serenely mechanized marionette. Fellow has written several articles on various aspects of Pirandello's writings.