The Nonexistent Knight
Encyclopedia
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. It explores questions of identity, integration with society, and virtue.
, and draws material from the literary cycle known as the Matter of France
, referencing Ariosto's Orlando Furioso
. The knight Agilulf is a righteous, perfectionist, faithful and pious knight with only one shortcoming: he doesn't exist. Inside his armor there is no man, just an echoing voice that reverberates through the metal. Nevertheless, he serves the army of a Christian king out of "goodwill and faith in the holy cause".
unconsciousness." The romance is also a bit of a satire, playing with the fact that Agilulf is both the ideal of man and nonexistent, along with many suggestions that Sister Theodora is actually making up most of the story. In the end, she must face that such a perfect knight could only live in one's imagination.
The idea of confusion of one's own identity with others and the outside world continued to be developed in Calvino's
later works.
and The Baron in the Trees
in a single volume, Our Ancestors
, for which Calvino was awarded the Salento Prize in 1960. The book was adapted to film by the Italian director Pino Zac in 1970.
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,...
, 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. It explores questions of identity, integration with society, and virtue.
Plot
The Nonexistent Knight is set in the time of CharlemagneCharlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
, and draws material from the literary cycle known as the Matter of France
Matter of France
The Matter of France, also known as the Carolingian cycle, is a body of literature and legendary material associated with the history of France, in particular involving Charlemagne and his associates. The cycle springs from the Old French chansons de geste, and was later adapted into a variety of...
, referencing Ariosto's Orlando Furioso
Orlando Furioso
Orlando Furioso is an Italian epic poem by Ludovico Ariosto which has exerted a wide influence on later culture. The earliest version appeared in 1516, although the poem was not published in its complete form until 1532...
. The knight Agilulf is a righteous, perfectionist, faithful and pious knight with only one shortcoming: he doesn't exist. Inside his armor there is no man, just an echoing voice that reverberates through the metal. Nevertheless, he serves the army of a Christian king out of "goodwill and faith in the holy cause".
Themes
Agilulf does not exist as a person, but only as the fulfillment of the rules and protocols of knighthood. This theme is strongly connected to modern conditions: Agilulf has been described as "the symbol of the 'robotized' man, who performs bureaucratic acts with near-absoluteunconsciousness." The romance is also a bit of a satire, playing with the fact that Agilulf is both the ideal of man and nonexistent, along with many suggestions that Sister Theodora is actually making up most of the story. In the end, she must face that such a perfect knight could only live in one's imagination.
The idea of confusion of one's own identity with others and the outside world continued to be developed in Calvino's
later works.
Reception
The Nonexistent Knight was collected together 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:...
and The Baron in the Trees
The Baron in the Trees
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....
in a single volume, Our Ancestors
Our Ancestors
Our Ancestors is the name of Italo Calvino's "heraldic trilogy" that comprises The Cloven Viscount , The Baron in the Trees , and The Nonexistent Knight ....
, for which Calvino was awarded the Salento Prize in 1960. The book was adapted to film by the Italian director Pino Zac in 1970.