The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa

 The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa


Klaus Johannis and Prince Salina

Revolution, honor, death, love in a mesmerizing work

 

Prince Don Fabrizio Salina is one of a kind and perhaps the last of the noble aristocrats in a long line of princes.

In my understanding, he represents honor, duty, nobleness, serenity and pride. Although, he presents a devastating account, towards the end, when it is suggested that he should run for office in the new Parliament:

-          We have been lazy for too long. Occupied, we have been a colony all this time.

-          It is time for a new generation. My suggestion is that you make this proposal to Don Calogero...

In other words, not only he sees very clearly the state of things in Sicily, at the middle of the 19th century, but he has a charming modesty. I would take him anytime as a role model, a superhero much more valiant and noble than any Superman, Spiderman, Ironman or Batman.

From a positive psychology perspective, there may a weak side to our hero. The Leopard seems to give up and bring about a downfall.

It is debatable. We could argue that he saw it coming, the revolution lead by Garibaldi was putting an end to the old regime and the prince had the wisdom and perspective to understand it beforehand.

On the other hand, it might be possible to think that Don Fabrizio could have resisted and delayed the change. I see a resemblance which is odd, but explained by the obsession with the elections that are coming in a week.

We will elect a new president next week and we have a choice between a valuable, honest and serious man and a kind of a gangster-clown, who says no matter what, and would do anything to get on the throne.

To me, Johannis is somewhat like the Leopard, a man who has nobleness, holds on to values that are not appreciated.

It seems likely that he will lose, because like Don Fabrizio, he does not belong to these times and the people is not ready for him. Prince Salina was behind and Johannis is ahead of the times here, people are not ready for someone who is good, honest and ready to work and do what he says. They prefer a Joker.

Prince Salina is so unselfish, that he does not plead the cause of his daughter, when the man she loves falls for another woman. Tancredi is the second most important character in this great work. If Don Fabrizio is the representative of traditions, conservative views and values, the old, Tancredi Falconeri is the young symbol of the new wave, the revolution and the breaking of the old rules.

Although an aristocrat, Tancredi fights with Garibaldi and chooses to marry the woman he loves, who has no blue blood- Angelica Sedara.

This wonderful story has been adapted for the big screen and the result is one of the best films that I know: The Leopard directed by Luchino Visconti, with the amazing Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon and Claudia Cardinale.

The version I heard this morning had been adapted for the National Radio and it has an actor of the same stature as Burt Lancaster in the lead role- George Constantin.

An actor can be a prince and make you understand nobility of spirit and attitude, greatness of soul and mind.

This is a great book, that is not included on the popular best 100 lists, but I found it included on a list made by Mario Vargas Llosa. He transformed it into a book where he writes about some interesting works that I have tried to read Doctor Zhivago, The Leopard and about twenty others.

The Leopard is a stupendous masterpiece.

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