I Malavoglia

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I Malavoglia is the best known novel by Giovanni Verga. It was first printed in 1881.

This work belongs to the Ciclo dei vinti, together with Mastro-don Gesualdo, and La Duchessa di Leira, L'Onorevole Scipioni and L'uomo di lusso, works which deal with the problem of social and economical advancement. La Duchessa di Leyra remained only a draft, while the last two novels planned for the Ciclo, L'Onorevole Scipioni and L'Uomo di Lusso, were not even started.

I Malavoglia deals with a family of fishermen who work and live in Aci Trezza, a small Sicilian village near Catania. The novel possesses a choral aspect, and depicts characters united by the same culture, but divided by ancient rivalries.

Verga adopts the impersonality technique, reproducing some features of the dialect and adapting himself to the point of view of the characters. In doing so, he renounces the customary mediation of the narrator.

A film based on the story of I Malavoglia called "La Terra Trema" (English: The Earth Trembles), was released in 1948. It was directed by Luchino Visconti.