The Baron in the Trees
Encyclopedia
The Baron in the Trees is a 1957 Italian novel by Italo Calvino
. Described as a conte philosophique and a metaphor for independence, it tells the adventures of a boy who climbs up a tree to spend the rest of his life inhabiting an arboreal kingdom.
near the French Riviera
, the two brothers belong to a noble 18th century family whose estate is located in the vast forest landscapes of Ombrosa. The regions of Italy have not yet united and the Ligurian Coast is not ruled by a legitimate king.
In a rebellious fit after refusing to eat a dinner of snails prepared by Battista, his sadistic sister, Cosimo climbs up a tree and decides never to come down again. He has literally had enough: enough of family and decorum, his proper role as a future Baron, and of everything on the ground. Initially helped and sometimes cared for by Biagio, the young Baron eventually becomes self-sufficient but finds that the more he distances himself from others in order to see them from a new point of view, the more he helps everyone on the earth. His love for a young woman named Viola changes the course of the lives of everyone: Cosimo, Viola, Biagio, and the community of Ombrosa.
(1952) and The Nonexistent Knight
(1957) comprising the first and third volumes, respectively. The novel received the prestigious Viareggio Prize
in 1957.
Together with If on a Winter's Night, a Traveller (1979), The Baron in the Trees is Calvino's biggest-selling work of fiction. On publication, various Italian critics objected to "the 'tired' feel of the plot in the second half of the novel" while distinguished novelist and critic Elio Vittorini
complained of the novel's stylistic disunity.
Italo Calvino
Italo Calvino was an Italian journalist and writer of short stories and novels. His best known works include the Our Ancestors trilogy , the Cosmicomics collection of short stories , and the novels Invisible Cities and If on a winter's night a traveler .Lionised in Britain and the United States,...
. Described as a conte philosophique and a metaphor for independence, it tells the adventures of a boy who climbs up a tree to spend the rest of his life inhabiting an arboreal kingdom.
Plot
The story of twelve-year-old Cosimo Piovasco di Rondò is narrated by his younger brother, Biagio. Set in LiguriaLiguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
near the French Riviera
French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
, the two brothers belong to a noble 18th century family whose estate is located in the vast forest landscapes of Ombrosa. The regions of Italy have not yet united and the Ligurian Coast is not ruled by a legitimate king.
In a rebellious fit after refusing to eat a dinner of snails prepared by Battista, his sadistic sister, Cosimo climbs up a tree and decides never to come down again. He has literally had enough: enough of family and decorum, his proper role as a future Baron, and of everything on the ground. Initially helped and sometimes cared for by Biagio, the young Baron eventually becomes self-sufficient but finds that the more he distances himself from others in order to see them from a new point of view, the more he helps everyone on the earth. His love for a young woman named Viola changes the course of the lives of everyone: Cosimo, Viola, Biagio, and the community of Ombrosa.
Reception
The Baron in the Trees is the second volume in the fantasy trilogy, Our Ancestors with The Cloven ViscountThe Cloven Viscount
The Cloven Viscount is a fantasy novel written by Italo Calvino. It was first published by Einaudi in 1952 and in English in 1962 by William Collins, with a translation by Archibald Colquhoun.-Plot:...
(1952) and The Nonexistent Knight
The Nonexistent Knight
The Nonexistent Knight is an allegorical fantasy novel by Italo Calvino, first published in Italian 1959 and in English translation in 1962. The novel tells the story of Agilulf, a medieval knight who perfectly exemplifies chivalry, piety, and faithfulness, but exists only as an empty suit of armor...
(1957) comprising the first and third volumes, respectively. The novel received the prestigious Viareggio Prize
Viareggio Prize
The Viareggio Literary Prize is a prestigious Italian literary award, whose first edition was in 1930, and is named after the Tuscan city of Viareggio...
in 1957.
Together with If on a Winter's Night, a Traveller (1979), The Baron in the Trees is Calvino's biggest-selling work of fiction. On publication, various Italian critics objected to "the 'tired' feel of the plot in the second half of the novel" while distinguished novelist and critic Elio Vittorini
Elio Vittorini
Elio Vittorini was an Italian writer and novelist. He was a contemporary of Cesare Pavese and an influential voice in the modernist school of novel writing. His best-known work is the anti-fascist novel Conversations in Sicily, for which he was jailed when it was published in 1941. The first U.S...
complained of the novel's stylistic disunity.