Understanding, eccentric, detached or calm: just like in real life,
aunts in literature
also show an ever-changing side of their character.
The
literary figure of the "aunt"
is often presented as
a precious ally
of the protagonist, a shoulder to cry on in difficult moments, a friendly face to ask for
wise advice
.
But on the other hand there are also many cases in which the sweet and cheerful character of the aunt is
enriched with nuances
, stories and memories, remorse and resentment, even going so far as to
become the antagonist
of the novel.
Starting from an article in the
Guardian
on the most famous aunts in fiction, we have tried to retrace the evolution of these characters, adding others from
novels of yesterday and today
.
And if it is true that already in 1953 Leo Longanesi was wondering if
the old
aunts
will save us ?
(Longanesi), on the other hand in this journey into the past and present of literature
we will not only talk about elderly, moderate and habitual aunts,
but also about
modern, enterprising
and capable of surprising characters.
Zia Mame
by Patrick Dennis -
Starting from
Zia Mame
(Adelphi, translated by Matteo Codignola) by the American writer
Patrick Dennis
, we find an example of this last type of aunt, imaginative and unconventional.
We are in the twenties, and after the sudden death of his father in a club sauna, little Patrick finds himself alone.
Furthermore, the boy is entrusted to the care of
an aunt he has never seen
, and who lives alone in chaotic
New York
.
Aunt Mame,
her father's extravagant and elegant
sister, turns out to be a brilliant and funny woman, who will try to raise Patrick with a unique style, wittily juggling
New York society
and
many other
vicissitudes
.
Aunt Augusta in
Traveling with my aunt
by Graham Greene -
The protagonist of
Traveling with my aunt
by
Graham Greene
(Sellerio, edited by Domenico Scarpa, translated by Adriana Bottini) is also the nephew of a bubbly and energetic woman, who drags you into a vortex of frenetic experiences.
Henry Pulling
is a bank manager in early retirement, calm, habitual and conformist, who lives
a solitary existence
in the company of flowers (dahlias) that he cultivates with care.
Aunt Augusta
, on the other hand, is her
opposite
: she is an outspoken seventy-five year old with a
life full of adventures
behind her.
Starting from their meeting, which took place during the funeral of Henry's mother, the
rebirth of the protagonist
begins : a man who up to that point had only tasted a small part of life, in fact, finds himself
traveling with his aunt through Europe and South America
, between deceptions, spies and the search for an old love.
Aunt Rosamond in
The Rain Before It Falls
by Jonathan Coe -
The voice that resonates in
The Rain Before It Falls
(Feltrinelli, translation by Delfina Vezzoli) is that of
Aunt Rosamond
, an elderly lady who at the end of her life decided to leave it to beloved niece, Gill, of the
recordings
that chronicle her life
and that of those who shaped her.
Starting from
twenty photographs
, the old aunt retraces the most important moments of her childhood, youth and adulthood, outlining with great accuracy the people and places immortalized by the camera.
Through Jonathan Coe
's writing
, the aunt recalls with her sincere speech a
story full of difficulties and injustices
, which lead the reader to face the theme of motherhood, homosexuality and abuse, in a whirlwind of happy and also very painful.
In the note that accompanies the tapes he left her, Rosamond asks Gill to find a person who apparently disappeared into thin air, Imogen, the last descendant of a family experiencing unhappiness...
Aunt Gina Pietranera in
La Certosa di Parma
by
Stendhal
- Let's now go back to
1839
, the year of publication of
La Certosa di Parma
, an imposing novel by the French writer Marie-Henri Beyle, better known as
Stendhal
.
This work, which tells the turbulent life of the Italian nobleman Fabrizio del Dongo, also introduces the character of
Countess Gina Pietranera
, the protagonist's aunt, as well as his
protector
and
advisor
to him.
The Countess, later
Duchess Sanseverina
, is a
fascinating and charismatic character , capable of conquering
court
circles
and using her influence to achieve her goals.
Between escape plans
, poisonings and political intrigues
, Gina would be ready to do anything to help Fabrizio, that impulsive and passionate boy towards whom she feels a mixture of love and affection.
Aunt Betsey in
David Copperfield
by
Charles Dickens
- Among the pages of
David Copperfield
, the eighth novel by
Charles Dickens
published between 1849 and 1850, we find another of the most famous aunts in literature,
Betsey Trotwood
.
Aunt Betsey is actually David's great-aunt,
a gruff woman who
is hostile towards the male gender due to her husband's abandonment of her.
Despite her hatred towards men and her somewhat grumpy character, her aunt will be the only person to take care of David, left alone after his mother's death.
Betsey
thus reveals herself to be an altruistic character
, central to the boy's growth.
Only thanks to her, in fact, David manages to escape from the clutches of his stepfather, Mr Murdstone, and complete his studies to become a lawyer.
Aunt March in
Little Women
by
Louisa May Alcott
- We continue with another great classic of English literature,
Little Women
by
Louisa May Alcott
, among whose pages we find a perfect example of an "old aunt", grumpy and severe:
Aunt March, the great-aunt of the four protagonist sisters
.
Aunt March
disapproves of the family's educational strategy
(based on freedom and independence) and never misses an opportunity to reproach her nieces: she would not exist to eliminate one of the March sisters from her will if she decided to marry a bad match.
Over the course of the story, however, among his reproaches and judgments, her
acts of kindness emerge
, which distance her from the stereotype of the grumpy old (great) aunt.
Her
generosity
culminates in her decision to
leave part of her possessions
to her sisters, even allowing Jo to obtain her house to found a school.
Aunt Antonia in
Aunt Antonia tasted like mint
by
Andrea Vitali
- Let's go back to more recent times with
Aunt Antonia tasted like mint
(Garzanti) by
Andrea Vitali
, a story that involves a retirement home, two brothers and
a kind lady with a sweet tooth for mints, Aunt Antonia
.
Ernesto, the first of the two nephews, begins to suspect that there is something unusual around her aunt, when instead of her characteristic mint scent he notices a strange smell of garlic.
This is how the investigations begin, and between one misunderstanding and another it seems that the
little mystery
surrounding Aunt Antonia is only getting more complicated...
Aunt Petunia in the
Harry Potter saga
by
JK Rowling
- From the first chapter of the
Harry Potter
saga (Salani, translated by Marina Astrologo, edited by Stefano Bartezzaghi),
JK Rowling
introduces perfidy and greed in the haughty character of
Aunt Petunia
, demonstrating how , in many cases, the aunts can
make
the life of the protagonists difficult, rather than favoring it.
Poor
Harry Potter
, since he was a child, has been the victim of discrimination and punishment from his uncles, who try in every way to
undermine his "difference"
, instead highlighting the grandeur of their impetuous and rude little son, Dudley.
Harry's "strangeness" does not go unnoticed by the stern gaze of
Petunia, who despises
(and at the same time envies)
the magic
of which he and his parents have proven capable.
Her character becomes more and more defined as the novels progress, sometimes also proving capable of
moments of humanity
towards that much-detested nephew.
Even if this does not allow her to obtain revenge for her behavior, her advantage (along with the entire Dursley family) is to
further emphasize the good heart of the protagonist
.
Aunt Sponge and Aunt Stick in
James and the Giant Peach
by
Roal Dahl
- A very similar function is that embodied by
Aunt Sponge
and
Aunt Stick
, the real
villains
of the children's book
James and the Giant Peach
(Salani, translated by Mariarosa Giardina Zannini), by the famous children's writer
Roal Dahl
.
Just like David Copperfield with Aunt Betsey, Patrick with Aunt Mame, and, after them, Harry Potter with the Dursleys, James is forced to live with his aunts after being
orphaned
.
The two women are truly wicked
and spend their time mistreating him, until a jug of "magic green things" will change his life without warning.
Thanks to a giant peach and
many strange characters,
James will be able to get his
revenge
on his evil aunts
, and will throw himself headlong into a bizarre adventure.
Tzia Bonaria in
Accabadora
by Michela Murgia -
To close this overview of the aunts of literature, it is also good to remember all those "
adoption aunts
", people close to their "grandchildren" not because of kinship, but thanks to a
relationship of intense and authentic affection
, exactly like a family bond.
These aunts are present in real life as well as in literature, and
Accabadora
(Einaudi) by
Michela Murgia
offers the reader a clear example.
On the other hand, the Sardinian writer, who passed away at the beginning of August 2023, often fought to support
different and unconventional forms of family, based
not on kinship but
on love and care for others.
Within the novel
Tzia Bonaria Urrai
offers to take little Maria Listru with her, to look after her instead of her family, which is already too large.
Against the backdrop of a
small Sardinian village
from the 1950s, crossed by poverty and the shadow of mysterious spells, the relationship that is established between the little girl and the elderly
accabadora
seems to need no explanation: the
trust
and listening
that
Bonaria Urrai offers to Maria are
natural, sincere and unconditional
.
Even if hidden behind a calm attitude, the words and gestures of Tzia (a Sardinian term which also indicates an elderly and wise figure) demonstrate all her affection for that smart and intelligent "niece", who, with the same spontaneity, begins to look more like a daughter...