With “L’Airone e il Basilisco” (The Heron and the Basilisk), M.G. Marion Corradi offers us a glimpse into the Middle Ages—not merely as a historical period but as a universe of emotions, tensions, and transformations. The novel delves deeply into the historical context of the era, populated by villages, monasteries, and emblematic characters, interweaving these with the intimate lives of its protagonists.
The book is a reflection on the boundary between reality and invention, where historical truth merges with the magic of storytelling. “Can Truth replace the magical invention of a moment?” asks the author, revealing the allure of storytelling as a tool for freedom. Don’t miss the interview with the author, where we’ll uncover the secrets behind this unique work and its genesis.
In the novel, the scribe Primo and the scholar Zaccaria work with texts by Dante and Marco Polo. How important is the role of culture and the transmission of knowledge in an era as rich in contrasts as the Middle Ages?
The role of culture during that time was crucial in many respects, particularly because, in a society so rigidly structured, it provided a vast breath of freedom. It allowed for the circulation of values and spiritual ideas and, with its intrinsic power, fostered dialogues, relationships, exchanges, and even ennobled diplomatic and political work.
The love between Pietro and Griselda unfolds against a backdrop of superstition and brutality. How did this setting influence the construction of their relationship and the way readers perceive the values of good and evil?
The greater the brutality and superstition, the more love asserts itself: this was true then, and it could still happen today.
The Middle Ages is often associated with darkness, yet your book also reveals a strong tension toward knowledge and spirituality. Which aspects of that era do you believe could be useful in reflecting on our present?
I believe that our own society has plunged into the abyss of obscurantism: words and critical thinking have lost their strength and vitality. Reflecting on how important words and thought were during the Middle Ages could be valuable today.
In Pietro’s journey through the Ligurian hinterland, you describe places with great attention to detail. How do you think the geographical setting influences the psychology of the characters and the course of the narrative?
Places are fundamental in storytelling due to the mutual influence between psyche, body, and environment. Observing and describing details, especially in the natural world, means evoking nuances of the soul in both myself and the reader.
The symbolism of the basilisk as a demon and the heron as a salvific force is deeply tied to medieval religiosity. How does this dualism reflect in the narrative and thematic choices of the novel?
This symbolism is central to every narrative choice in the novel. I believe that a renewed symbolism could become crucial, especially in today’s world, which shuns abstractions and reflections and is immersed in a chaotic, terrifying, and ultimately alienating universe of signs.
