Abstract
ABSTRACT This article studies the representation of the military in Ennio Flaiano’s Tempo di uccidere with a focus on the askari Johannes, a veteran of the Italian colonial army. It will be demonstrated that Johannes’ importance is not only related to his African origins or to the assumed family connection to Mariam, which has been the primary focus of scholarly attention thus far. Instead, it is profoundly rooted in the military experience that enables the old askari to become a point of reference for the Italian lieutenant and a constant means of self-evaluation throughout the novel. Furthermore, Johannes’ unique blend of military and African wisdom becomes central to the lieutenant’s psychological and cultural crisis, following the killing of Mariam. A close analysis of Johannes offers therefore a critical account of the cultural impact and representation of the black soldier in the most controversial and highly regarded literary work of Italian postcolonialism.
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