Piccolo mondo antico

Piccolo mondo antico (1895) è generalmente considerato il capolavoro di Fogazzaro; a questo seguiranno altri tre romanzi che rappresentano il seguito della vicenda: Piccolo mondo moderno, Il santo, Leila. Il racconto è ambientato in Valsolda, una località posta sulle sponde del lago di Lugano, e si svolge temporalmente a ridosso di alcune vicende del Risorgimento italiano, dal 1849 (anno della bruciante sconfitta di Novara) al 1859, in prossimità della nuova guerra contro l'Austria. Da alcuni appunti dell'autore sappiamo che la stesura del romanzo gli portò via circa dieci anni. Appena uscito, il romanzo fu immediatamente tradotto in inglese ed in francese, divenendo in breve tempo un successo internazionale, capace perfino di surclassare Le vergini delle rocce di Gabriele D'Annunzio. Proprio grazie all'enorme fortuna dell'opera, Antonio Fogazzaro ottenne la nomina a senatore (Aonia edizioni).

Antonio Fogazzaro was an Italian poet and novelist born on March 25, 1842, in Vicenza, which was then part of Lombardy-Venetia in Austria-Hungary. He died on March 7, 1911, in Vicenza, which by that time was part of the Kingdom of Italy. Fogazzaro is best known for his works exploring themes of spirituality, personal conflict, and the tension between faith and reason. His most notable works include The Little World of the Past (1895) and The Saint, a novel that delves into the inner struggles of a man seeking redemption through spiritual devotion.
Fogazzaro's literary career was marked by a deep engagement with the issues of his time, particularly the conflict between Catholicism and modernity. His writing often reflected his own spiritual journey, and he became an influential figure in the late 19th-century Italian literary scene. He was well-regarded for his philosophical approach to narrative, exploring the complexities of human emotions and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world. Through his works, Fogazzaro contributed significantly to the Italian literary tradition, blending elements of realism and psychological depth with spiritual and moral inquiry.