Il Giorno
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Il Giorno is a poem wrote by Giuseppe Parini. It is an ironic and satiric representation of the aristocracy of his time. With his poem, in Italy begins the civil reading.
It was, at the beginning, divided into three different parts: Il mattino, Il mezzogiorno and La sera (Morning, Midday and Evening). The last part, later, was divided into other two different parts to form Il vespro and La notte (Vespers and Night).
Contents |
[edit] Il mattino
In the Il mattino Parrini writes about the beginning of the young man's day. It begins with his waking up and continues with the breakfast and the choice of it. The young man can chose between several drinks, from chocolate (if he needs to digest the dinner of the last night) to coffee (if he tents to become fat). It continues with some welcome and unwelcome meetings, the toeletta and the reading of some letters. Then he gets out to meet his lady (the aristocratic ladies in this period of time, had a husband and a galant to entertain the day with).
[edit] Il mezzogiorno or the Meriggio
The young man, arrived to the lady's house, will eat with her and will meet the husband of the lady, who appears bored and chilled. The lunch is followed by the coffee and the games.
[edit] Il vespro
The young man and the lady meet friends and wander about the streets with a carriage while they speak about several things.
[edit] La notte
The two lovers go to a meeting. In this phase the author describes people in the hall and makes some comment about them. Then, all the people play together and at the end of this, the day of a young man is conclused. He will go to sleep at the deep night to get on the late morning again.
[edit] The style
The purpose of this poem is to give several instructions to fill the "simple day" of the young aristocratic man. It cleary gives an ironic vision of this class since seems like Parini exalts aristocracy but really he gives a critical vision of them.
We can find a contrast between the banality of the day of the young man and the classicism writing used by the author to describe it. The description of the day is very detailed.
