Captain Corellis Mandolin: A Tragic Novel
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Written by Nitiphat N.
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Saturday, 08 March 2008 |
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Captain Corellis Mandolin is a novel that was written by Louis de Bernières in the year 1993. It is an account of an Italian captain, Antonio Corelli, the daughter Pelagia of a local physician Dr. Iannis, featuring the background of German and Italian occupation on the island of Kefalonia during the Second World War.
The author gives a unique uncertainty to villains and heroes. Following the contemporary style of novel, the author presents his characters by avoiding stereotyping them or explicating any judgement on them as individuals. Many characters of the novel are viewed as prey of bad circumstances, in spite of committing acts of violence. For example, Gunter Weber, a character in the novel, fully engages himself with the Nazi beliefs and is guilty of participating in the murder of an Italian regiment, yet he carries a great deal of author’s sympathy.
He is shown as he was friendly to the Italian regiment, but he had to kill them because of the orders inflicted on him. He is shown as a Good Nazi, he at first hates Italians for surrendering, and then he tries to persuade his seniors not to kill them by citing instances from foreign laws. Similarly, Pelagia is engaged to Mandras, a young fisherman, before the war, he is convicted of rape, murder and torture, yet he is portrayed sympathetically, showing him to be a victim of circumstances.
In the novel Captain Corellis Mandolin, Mussolini is represented as an uncultured, petty and irrational person despite his intellect and sensitivity. Hector, who is irresponsible and Brutal is shown as confessing his belief in brotherly love as per Communist ideas. A film named Captain Corellis Mandolin was also released in the year 2001 based on the novel. The film was directed by John Madden, and starred Penelope Cruz and Nicolas Cage.
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