Abstract
In the Italy of the Second World War, conflict brings about a remarkable migration of various groups which come into contact with one another: local Italians meet soldiers, partisans, prisoners, sfollati, Germans, ex-Fascists, Allies, and representatives from a myriad of populations who transit up and down Italy as a result of hostilities between nations and political factions. This essay seeks to interpret the effects of conflict on the textual representation of Italy, and in particular rural Italy, by English-speaking writers during World War II. The analysis examines two representative texts, War in Val d’Orcia (1947), authored by Iris Origo, a privileged Anglo-American woman (who herself had a hybrid identity), married to an Italian nobleman, and Love and War in the Apennines (1971) by Eric Newby, a British soldier who subsequently became an established travel writer and journalist. Drawing on theories on travel, mobility, identity and alterity, this essay compares the two writers’ approaches to Italian (rural) Others, as well as to the representatives of various non-Italian nationalities they encounter in their wartime narratives.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
