Milli mála - 01.01.2013, Page 166
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country of destination but also strangers to their indifferent and
beloved fatherland. On the other hand, the teacher (in Corradini’s
racialist tone) represents the consequence of a progressive loss of
Italian identity – including certain presumed Italian behavioural
and physical characteristics – which occurs among the younger
generation.
As a solution, Buondelmonti launches a campaign to make the
emigrants aware of the risks of complete de-nationalization. The
only way to prevent this from happening is to resort to war. When
a providential war involving Italy breaks out, Buondelmonti makes
a crucial speech to the crowd of Italian immigrant workers in Rio
de Janeiro and he finally succeeds in rousing them and convincing
them to take an active part in helping their fatherland. The speech
rises to a stylistic crescendo of rhetorical patriotic pathos that is
close to invoking mystical inspiration:
The immensity of the nation’s soul and the stream of the past generations’
river flew into his [Buondelmonti’s] heart, which was about to explode.
Suddenly, a voice inside him cried out: - You can show them what Italy
must do for its best! You can transform tens, hundreds of these migrants
into fighters! […] So, he shouted: - Who is going to leave with me? –
Everywhere in the theatre, voices rose up: - Me, me! – And they began to
gesticulate to Buondelmonti, each of them was ready to offer his life for
the fatherland.44
When the ship with four hundred migrants aboard comes in sight
of the Ligurian coast, Buondelmonti decides to give his final
speech:
All the future Italian generations must be grateful to you. If Italy wins
this war […], your descendants won’t need to do what you did, not any-
more. They won’t emigrate to a strange land, armed just with their arms
44 Ibid.: 151. “L’immensa anima nazionale con tutti i torrenti delle generazioni s’era precipitata nel
suo petto, sforzava le pareti del suo petto. Quando incontanente una gran voce dentro di lui gli
gridò: - Tu puoi creare un segno di ciò che dovrà fare l’Italia per la sua salute! Tu puoi trasformare
cento, dieci di questi emigranti in combattenti! […] Così disse e gridò: - Chi di voi partirà con
me? - Da tutte le parti del teatro si levarono voci: - Io, io! – E gesticolavano verso il Buondelmonti
offrendo ciascuno la sua vita alla patria.”
STRANGERS IN THEIR OWN FATHERLAND