Summary
Highlights
The novella 'La roba' was published in 1880 in 'La rassegna settimanale' and later collected in 'Novelle rusticane' in 1883. The story is set in the Syracuse province, centered around Lentini.
A traveler encounters an overwhelming landscape of properties owned by Mazzarò: vast plains, vineyards, large farms, olive groves, and cattle. Everything seems to belong to Mazzarò, creating the impression that his dominion is so immense it feels like walking on his belly.
Despite his immense wealth, Mazzarò is a small, unassuming man who appears to have nothing valuable. He is incredibly avaricious, eating only bread and living without vices. He became rich through his sharp mind and relentless hard work, enduring hardships and dedicating every moment to accumulating 'la roba' (his possessions). He has no family, only his property.
Mazzarò's relationship with his property is akin to a love story, a magnetic attraction. He believes that possessions belong to those who know how to manage them, not just those who possess them. He acquired the baron's properties, signing with a cross as he was illiterate, but eschewed noble titles, valuing only the actual possessions.
As Mazzarò ages, his only sorrow is the thought of leaving his vast wealth behind. He feels it's an injustice that he must abandon everything he worked so hard to acquire. Upon being told it's time to prepare for his soul, he goes mad, attacking his farm animals and shouting for his 'roba' to come with him in death.
Mazzarò represents the enriched peasant during the transition from aristocratic land ownership to newwealthy landowners, embodying the 'self-made man' myth. He is also a Faustian hero whose limitless ambition leads to a tragicomic end. Verga's narrative uses an epic, popular fairy-tale tone, reminiscent of 'Puss in Boots', with repetitive questioning from the traveler about ownership, highlighting Mazzarò's absolute dominion.