The 19th-century was characterized by unshakable trust in both political
and spiritual authority. However, towards the end of the century trust in all aspects
of life dwindled and uncertainty became the order of the day. All across Europe one
could easily observe a literature based on mistrust and relativism. From now on, Man’s
beliefs and certainties were put on trial and previous convictions severely challenged.
Periodicals such as Il Regno, Lacerba, and, most of all, La Voce were the first to inject a
new perspective in the stagnant Italian literature. The author who wholeheartedly hurled
himself against the mediocre literature was Luigi Pirandello (Nobel Prize in Literature,
1934) who continually questioned reality as perceived by the majority. This is, in fact,
one of the basic themes in the play Così è (se vi pare) where the playwright derides
individuals who uphold conventional beliefs, that is to say who are unable to see what
lies beneath the surface. Pirandello confronts Man with himself so that he should feel the
pain that would lead him to an authentic existence, even if this is extremely difficult for
presumptuous individuals.peer-reviewe
