Luigi Pirandello

Luigi Pirandello was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1934. He is best known for his plays, particularly 'Six Characters in Search of an Author' and 'Henry IV', which challenge traditional norms of narrative structure and character development. Pirandello's work explores themes of identity, reality, and illusion, often blurring the lines between life and art. His influence extends to the theatre of the absurd and modernist literature.

Books

This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

  1. 1. Six Characters in Search of an Author

    Cover of 'Six Characters in Search of an Author' by Luigi Pirandello

    In this metatheatrical play, six characters come to life and demand that a theater director tell their tragic story, which was left incomplete by their author. As the director and his actors interact with these characters, the boundaries between fiction and reality blur, leading to a philosophical exploration of the nature of human identity, the reliability of art, and the unreliability of perception. The characters' story, involving a complex web of familial relationships, adultery, and suicide, further complicates the narrative, challenging the audience's understanding of truth and illusion.

  2. 2. One, No One and One Hundred Thousand

    Cover of 'One, No One and One Hundred Thousand' by Luigi Pirandello

    The book tells the story of a man who has his identity shattered when his wife casually notes that his nose tilts to the right, something he had never noticed before. This seemingly insignificant comment leads him into an obsessive quest to understand how he is perceived by others, and he gradually loses his sense of self as he fragments into a multitude of characters. The protagonist's existential crisis intensifies as he realizes that everyone he meets perceives him differently, leading him to question his own existence and ultimately, his sanity.

  3. 3. Henry Iv

    Cover of 'Henry Iv' by Luigi Pirandello

    In this novel, the protagonist is a man who, after an accident during a historical pageant, comes to believe himself to be the medieval German emperor Henry IV. For twenty years, he lives in a villa with attendants who indulge his delusion. The story delves into themes of madness, reality, and illusion as characters from his past attempt to cure him, leading to a complex examination of the nature of sanity and the role that personal mythologies play in our lives. As the line between the protagonist's delusion and the reality of those around him blurs, the narrative raises profound questions about the nature of identity and the masks people wear in society.

  4. 4. Naked Masks

    Cover of 'Naked Masks' by Luigi Pirandello

    "Naked Masks" is a collection of five plays that delve into the complexities of human identity and the conflict between one's inner self and the roles imposed by society. The plays explore themes of madness, illusion, and existential uncertainty, often through characters who are caught in the tension between appearance and reality. The author uses the metaphor of the mask to represent the personas that individuals adopt in public, while questioning the nature of truth and the possibility of truly understanding oneself or others. The plays challenge audiences to consider the fluidity of identity and the performative aspects of everyday life.