Our Ancestors: Italo Calvino on Heraldy and Individuality

Italo Calvino became renowned for his ability to use different voices with ease, like in the case of "If on a winter's night a traveler". Readers who were familiar with his books would agree that "Our Ancestors" was his magnum opus. Not that his other books were less brilliant. In fact, works like "Invisible Cities" were intriguing, to say the least. This was a creative output of an intellectual, yet a trilogy of books set during the time when Italy was nonexistent would delight the readers.

Here are five reasons why "Our Ancestors" deserves another reading:

Italo Calvino wrote about eccentric characters, whom readers would love. Imagine the nonexistence of a unified Italian kingdom, which would make the peninsula vulnerable to neighboring kingdoms in Europe. Not to mention that these states were suspicious of one another. It would be easy to conclude that order must prevail, not to mention tradition. Calvino's characters learned to embrace individualism, which was unheard during that time. And this is not a work of fiction. The author did his research, and it wouldn't be impossible to surmise that he stumbled into remarkable people. They were unnoticed, as they have been far from the Royal Court. But they lived their life.

The author presented another side of history. If not for these eccentric characters, then there might not be Italy to speak of. Was Calvino suggesting that people like Giuseppe Garibaldi were anything but ordinary? It could be the case. In fact, the trilogy would explain how the foundations of unification have been laid. It was a long time coming, though. There were many factors, which were understandable.

The trilogy was a tribute to strong women. It was impossible for a female character to be strong and be known at the same time. Custom would point them to the background. It would take a perceptive man to notice them, and how fortunate if a romance happened along the way. This was the case with "The Nonexistent Knight".

Chivalry was redefined. A young student who studied Medieval history would get an impression that chivalry is about being good and nothing more. It also meant following orders from superiors. It would be the case of the greater good, but the three books would suggest that there might be other things. Dallying? It won't be good. True to one self? The king might be displeased. Happiness? Many would wonder if there was such a thing. Read carefully.

The trilogy can be fairy tales. One can't help but wonder if readers must look at the books with a grain of salt. Calvino might be in a playful mood, while composing the draft for the books. But it's not hard to dismiss the probability that all of these might be based from true incidents.