Mattia Pascal, a small-town librarian in Italy, is trapped in a miserable marriage and weighed down by his mother-in-law's temper. After a win at the casino in Monte Carlo, he learns on the train home that a body has been identified as his, and he realizes he is free. He takes on a new name, Adriano Meis, and travels, but finds that a man without papers cannot buy a home, marry or file a complaint, and that freedom has limits.
It is a witty and thoughtful novel for readers who like stories about identity and society's rules. It suits those who enjoy Pirandello's plays and want his first major novel.
Deep, inward-looking, open-ended and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Wisdom Collector. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1904
- Language
- EN
