Anonymity in Eighteenth-Century Italian Publishing: The Absent Author

Description

This book focuses on the different forms in which authorship came to be expressed in eighteenth-century Italian publishing. It analyses both the affirmation of the “author function”, and, above all, its paradoxical opposite: the use of anonymity, a centuries-old practice present everywhere in Europe but often neglected by scholarship. The reasons why authors chose to publish their works anonymously were manifold, including prudence, fear of censorship, modesty, fear of personal criticism, or simple divertissement. In many cases, it was an ethical choice, especially for ecclesiastics. The Italian case provides a key perspective on the study of anonymity in the European context, contributing to the analysis of an overlooked topic in academic studies. Contents About the Author List of Figures Chapter 1: Introduction. The Absent Author: Functions and Uses of Anonymous Authorship References Chapter 2: The Ambiguities of the “Author Function” 1 Reflections on the Book Market 2 How to Write to “be read”: The Advice of Carlo Denina 3 Authorial Silence 4 Vittorio Alfieri: “The terrible ordeal of printing” References Chapter 3: Anonymity in Travel Books 1 Travel Writing and the Notion of the Author 2 Four Nameless Travellers References Chapter 4: Giuseppe Parini: Between Anonymity and Revealing the Author’s Name 1 Il Giorno and Its Continuer: Parini a Second Cervantes? 2 Silent Coexistence and “Rapacious” Printers: The One-Volume Edition of Il Mattino, Il Mezzogiorno e La Sera 3 Translations and the Re-instatement of the Author’s Name References Chapter 5: Carlo Goldoni and the Construction of Authorship 1 From Stage to Page 2 Literary Property Versus Printing Privilege and Theatrical “Use” 3 From Playwright to Author References Chapter 6: Novels: Read Them and Forget Them 1 “Learned Italians” Do Not Write Novels 2 Delegitimisation and Anonymity 3 Books of “Sentiment” and Representation of Female Writing 4 Forgettable Books: Fire and Oblivion References Index