Summary
Highlights
'Novembre' by Giovanni Pascoli was first published in 1890 and later included in the 1891 edition of 'Myricae'. This collection focuses on themes of the countryside and nature, reflecting Pascoli's humble portrayal of reality, symbolized by the 'myricae' (tamarisk) plants.
The poem is composed of three Sapphic stanzas, utilizing Italian accented metrics with hendecasyllables and a final quinarius. Originally, the stanza structure differed. The stanzas feature an ABAB rhyme scheme with partial assonances, highlighted by specific word pairings like 'fiore/ore' and 'ante/ante'.
The first stanza begins with 'Ghiemma all'aria il sole così chiaro' (The sun in the air shines so brightly), describing a clear, gem-like atmosphere that creates a spring-like impression. This leads to an instinctive search for apricot blossoms, emphasizing Pascoli's love for nature (phytomorphism). Rhetorical figures include anastrophes like 'in me ha l'aria' and the synesthesia 'odorino amaro' (bitter scent), along with several enjambments.
The second stanza introduces a shift:'But the plum is dry and the withered plants' ('ma secco è il pruno e le stecchite piante'). This reveals the true setting of November, with bare trees, signifying the approach of winter. This winter is a metaphor for human existence and the theme of death, with imagery such as dead plum trees, withered plants, black traces, an empty sky, and hollow ground. More enjambments and hyperbaton are also present.
The final stanza speaks of 'silence around, only in the distant gusts I hear from gardens and orchards a fragile falling of leaves: it is the cold summer of the dead'. This refers to the 'Estate di San Martino' (St. Martin's Summer), around November 11th, which is close to All Souls' Day (November 2nd). Significant rhetorical figures include a hypothesis 'di foglie un cader fragile' (a fragile falling of leaves), a synesthesia covering hearing and touch, and the oxymoron 'estate fredda dei morti' (cold summer of the dead) with an emotional exclamatory style.
Pascoli seeks to uncover the secret, dramatic, and often death-laden meaning of things through a child-like wonder, reflecting his poetic manifesto 'Il Fanciullino' (The Little Boy). His linguistic structure is characterized by fragmented syntax, ellipses, cumulative verbs, and a nominal style. According to Contini, Pascoli’s language is alogical, made of intuitive flashes rather than strict logic, which makes it spontaneous and impactful.