Dante Troisi
Encyclopedia
Dante Troisi was an Italian
writer
and magistrate. His writings primarily deal with the cultural
and sociological
woes of Italy following World War II
. Much of his literature draws on issues raised through his work as a magistrate. His most significant work is likely the novel Diario di un giudice (Diary of a Judge), written in 1962. In 2005, Troisi was posthumously awarded the Feronia Literary Prize, an award given to distinguished poets and authors.
, a small town in the Province of Avellino
, on April 21, 1920. He attended a secondary school in Avellino
, and obtained a law degree from the University of Bari
. Troisi was drafted into the Italian military
during World War II, and fought during the campaigns in Libya
and Tunisia
. In May 1943, Troisi was captured by Allied forces
. He was sent to a prison camp in Hereford, Texas
(USA) and remained there until the end of the war.
After the war, Troisi returned to Italy in 1947 and became a judge in Pavia
. Later on, he was elevated to the position of magistrate, first in Cassino
and then in Rome
.
Troisi died on January 2, 1989 before the publication of his final work, La sera del concerto (The Night of the Concert), after struggling with a serious illness for two years.
during World War II
. The plot is primarily a psychological one —contrasting the two men and how they dealt with the war. Innocente delitto (Innocent Crime) was written in 1960 and dealt with the problems between the generations of post-war Italy. Diario di un giudice (Diary of a Judge), drawing heavily from his experience as a judge, was written in 1962 and deals with the difficulty of the job. Troisi felt that there was a deep mistrust of the Italian judicial system.
Troisi's writings, while very pessimistic at times, were filled with challenges to morality and philosophy. His style was marked by a concentration on dialogue, and left little room for scenery description or plot development. Although Troisi's style has been compared to that of the existentialist Albert Camus
, it is more accurate to say that he was a moralist, showing his concerns for the social and ideological issues of his time.
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and magistrate. His writings primarily deal with the cultural
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
and sociological
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
woes of Italy following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Much of his literature draws on issues raised through his work as a magistrate. His most significant work is likely the novel Diario di un giudice (Diary of a Judge), written in 1962. In 2005, Troisi was posthumously awarded the Feronia Literary Prize, an award given to distinguished poets and authors.
Biography
Dante Troisi was born in TufoTufo
Tufo is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, southern Italy. As of 2009 its population was of 938.-History:The name of the town derives from the tuff , the volcanic rock that is widely present in the subsoil of the whole area of the country.-Geography:Situated in the...
, a small town in the Province of Avellino
Province of Avellino
The Province of Avellino is a province in the Campania region of Italy. The area is typified by many small towns and villages scattered across the province; in fact only two towns have a population over 20,000; its capital city Avellino and Ariano Irpino....
, on April 21, 1920. He attended a secondary school in Avellino
Avellino
Avellino is a town and comune, capital of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is situated in a plain surrounded by mountains 42 km north-east of Naples and is an important hub on the road from Salerno to Benevento.-History:Before the Roman conquest, the...
, and obtained a law degree from the University of Bari
University of Bari
The University of Bari is a university located in Bari, Italy. It was founded in 1925 and is organized in 12 Faculties.-Organization:These are the 13 faculties in which the university is divided into:* Faculty of Agricultural Science...
. Troisi was drafted into the Italian military
Military of Italy
The Italian armed forces are the military of Italy, they are under the command of the Italian Supreme Council of Defence, presided over by the President of the Italian Republic. The total number of active military personnel is 293,202...
during World War II, and fought during the campaigns in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
and Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. In May 1943, Troisi was captured by Allied forces
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
. He was sent to a prison camp in Hereford, Texas
Hereford, Texas
Hereford is a city in Deaf Smith County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,597 at the 2000 census. It is the only incorporated Hereford in the country. It is the county seat of Deaf Smith County....
(USA) and remained there until the end of the war.
After the war, Troisi returned to Italy in 1947 and became a judge in Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
. Later on, he was elevated to the position of magistrate, first in Cassino
Cassino
Cassino is a comune in the province of Frosinone, Italy, at the southern end of the region of Lazio.Cassino is located at the foot of Monte Cairo near the confluence of the Rapido and Liri rivers...
and then in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Troisi died on January 2, 1989 before the publication of his final work, La sera del concerto (The Night of the Concert), after struggling with a serious illness for two years.
Writings
Troisi's first work as a writer was the book L'ulivo nella sabbia (The Olive Tree in the Sand) and was written in 1951. The story revolves around the relationship between a judge and a man charged with hiding a cachet of weapons. The two were formerly friends while serving together in northern AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The plot is primarily a psychological one —contrasting the two men and how they dealt with the war. Innocente delitto (Innocent Crime) was written in 1960 and dealt with the problems between the generations of post-war Italy. Diario di un giudice (Diary of a Judge), drawing heavily from his experience as a judge, was written in 1962 and deals with the difficulty of the job. Troisi felt that there was a deep mistrust of the Italian judicial system.
Troisi's writings, while very pessimistic at times, were filled with challenges to morality and philosophy. His style was marked by a concentration on dialogue, and left little room for scenery description or plot development. Although Troisi's style has been compared to that of the existentialist Albert Camus
Albert Camus
Albert Camus was a French author, journalist, and key philosopher of the 20th century. In 1949, Camus founded the Group for International Liaisons within the Revolutionary Union Movement, which was opposed to some tendencies of the Surrealist movement of André Breton.Camus was awarded the 1957...
, it is more accurate to say that he was a moralist, showing his concerns for the social and ideological issues of his time.