L'ultima Gianna manzini

Abstract

Almost forgotten by the modern critics, Gianna Manzini is one of the most charming woman writers of the 20th century. Charming because of her sensitivity, charming because of her elegance, charming because of her intimist vision of life. Very close to the Italian “prosa d'arte” which influenced her polished style, she probably achieved her best results in her two last works, Ritratto in piedi (1971) and Sulla soglia (1973). Both novels are a dialogue with her dead parents, where autobiography and memory dominate, but not in a realistic way: memory is soon deformed by fantastic visions. This paper aims to re-evaluate Manzini's position in Italian literature.

ISSA vol 13 (1) 2000