Hronika o siromašnim ljubavnicima

“Chronicle of the Poor Lovers” (1947) by Vasco Pratolini is a classic neorealist work of Italian post-war literature. The novel is a choral depiction of life in the Florentine via del Corno – a narrow, poor street near the city center – between 1925 and 1926, during the rise and consolidation of the fascist regime.

The story revolves around the residents of the street (the so-called “cornacchiai”): workers, artisans, small merchants and their families. The main characters are young couples like Mario and Milena (pure, idealistic love), the sensual relationships of Aurora and the coal miner Nesio, and others – Bianca, Clara, Maciste, Ugo. Life is marked by poverty, interconnectedness (everyone knows everything about everyone), loves, quarrels and fear.

Pratolini subtly weaves in the historical context: the rise of fascism brings violence (manganelli, squadristi), blackmail, fear and division. Characters like the fascists Carlin and Osvaldo, the “Signore” (a former courtesan who controls property and collaborates with the regime) or anti-fascists like Maciste illustrate the conflict. The violence culminates in the death of some characters (e.g. Maciste killed by the fascists), the suffering of women and the destruction of balance.

The novel uses the technique of “chronicle” in the historical present, which gives a sense of eternity and immediacy. Without pathos, realistic and lyrical, it depicts the solidarity of the poor, resistance to fascism from below and love as a refuge in darkness. One of the most important works of neorealism, translated into Serbian/Croatian as “Chronicle of Poor Lovers” (e.g. Liber, Zagreb 1982), filmed in 1954 (dir. Carlo Lizzani).