Reception of Luigi Pirandello’s translation in the context of nineteenth century Italian translations of Goethe’s Römische Elegien

Abstract

The article focuses on Luigi Pirandello’s Italian translation of Goethe’s Römische Elegien (1896, Livorno: Giusti). It presents the previous Italian translators and reviews how Pirandello’s version was received by his contemporaries. Its reception is examined through the writings of three reviewers (Tommaso Gnoli, Luigi Parpagliolo and R. – probably Ruggiero Bonghi), who demonstrate that the translation was favourably received in the Roman cultural environment close to Pirandello. The article then highlight the features that his contemporaries found most innovative and impressive impressive in Pirandello's translation.