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Works in Translation
Reflective Statement
How was your understanding of cultural and contextual considerations of the
work developed through the interactive oral discussion?
Within the context of
The Nonexistent Knight,
Calvino frequently uses satire to further justify
themes within the novella. A literary device that intrigues me within the text is the authors use of color
symbolism. In many books, the symbolism of a certain color is consistent with the archetype of that color.
The interactive oral discussion led me to recognize how Calvino uses his satirical craft and reverses the
symbolism of colors, specifically the color white, to point out the absurdity of structure and prove the
corruption that occurs throughout the plot of the story.
The color white holds great significance in each of its uses within the novella. White is commonly
represented as innocence and purity, but holds the meaning of nonexistence and absence of meaning in
The Nonexistent Knight
. This is proven by Calvino using it to describe the color of Agilulfs armor and the
Knights of the Holy Grails cloaks. Agilulfs armor is white due to his obsession with perfection and
structure. He is so infatuated with how he believes his life is supposed to be lived, he fails to actually live
his life; therefore, he does not truly exist. His impeccable white armor reflects his nonexistence as a result
of his obsession with perfection. The Knights of the Holy Grails cloaks are white because of Calvinos
view of religion, which is reflected in the novella. The Knights devoted their entire being to attempting to
become one with the Holy Grail. They appear to be brainwashed and mindless due to their blind devotion
to obtain a certain level of connection. Their cloaks are white because it symbolizes that they are not
existing as themselves, but as a dedication to an absurd and irrational ideal. Their mindlessness reflects
Calvinos aspect of the corruption of religion and restrictions it imposes on human existence.
Calvinos use of color symbolism in
The Nonexistent Knight
led me to learn more about the
authors beliefs and how they influenced the purpose of the story. His satirical approach to perfectionism
and religion reveals the theme that a person is not able to truly exist if they are constantly consumed by
beliefs on how they should live their life. This realization helped me to understand the purpose of
Calvinos craft and gain insight to the intended theme of the novella.
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Works in Translation
Written Assignment
The Triumphs of a Failed Crisis in Italo Calvinos
The Nonexistent Knight
Italo Calvino satirizes the idea of what it means to exist in his work
The Nonexistent Knight
. Like a
stone being thrown into a still pond and orchestrating a multitude of ripples, Agilulfs death can be
viewed in a similar light. This understanding is reflected throughout the story as Agilulf is portrayed as
being infatuated with perfection and structure. When he embarks on his quest and loses his sense of
purpose, he is so captivated by his perfect life, that without everything in place, he ceases to exist. His
unfinished note to Raimbaut designating his armor to him represents how he realized what truly
constituted his existence too late, yet tries to reconcile his fault by rewarding his counterparts with
pieces of himself to strengthen their identities. Agilulfs existence is characterized by his relationships
with others, not by perfection or maintaining structure.
Agilulfs meaning of existence throughout most of the novella restricts him from truly existing.
After Agilulf saved Sophronia from rape and was knighted, he becomes captivated with the idea of
structuring every aspect of his life according to how an ideal knight would behave. What Agilulf does not
realize is that the other knights exist due to their imperfections. Calvino juxtaposes Agilulf and the other
paladins when he writes, Nowhere is sleep so deep as in the army. Only Agilulf found no relief . . . He
continued to think, not the lazy meandering thoughts of one about to fall asleep, but exact and definite
thoughts (Calvino 10). The motif of sleep within the novella is portrayed as a vulnerability that all
knights are subjected to: all knights but Agilulf. His inability to succumb to the allure of sleep exemplifies
his nonexistence in contrast with the other knights. Another example that juxtaposes Agilulf and the
paladins is when, Scarcely had the lackeys offered the platters than the paladins flung themselves on
them, rummaged about with their hands and tore the food apart . . . At the corner of the table where
Agilulf sat, on the other hand, all proceeded cleanly, calmly, and orderly (Calvino 73). Agilulf follows the
structure of the meal to maintain his pristine aura rather than indulging himself like the other paladins. It
explains how Agilulfs preoccupation with perfection prohibits him from existing in contrast to his
counterparts. Agilulfs obsession with perfection serves as a distraction to avoid facing his predicament of
existence.
Too soon, Agilulf is forced to justify his rank as a paladin and confront his existential crisis as a
consequence of Torrismunds declaration that he believes Sophronia to be his mother. Agilulf addresses
the situation by embarking on a quest to validate his sense of purpose to be just. The outcome of this
pursuit reveals to Agilulf that Sophronia is not a virgin. As a result of this discovery, Agilulf spurred off in
his turn. Nor will you see me again! said he. I have no longer a name! Farewell! (Calvino 129). Once
Agilulfs purpose is proven to be invalid, he feels that there is no essence to his life without structure and
justified meaning. His fragility and complete obsession with perfection causes him to perish without a
purpose. This frailness is confirmed when Calvino writes, The white armor now leant forward, and
never till that moment had it shown itself so empty (Calvino 82). Agilulfs fixation on perfection causes
his purpose to become the only thing keeping him alive. When he fails to validate this meaning, he
succumbs to his existential crisis, and therefore ceases to exist.
Though it seems that Agilulf believes his existence is characterized by perfection throughout the
entirety of the novella, his last dying action proves otherwise. When Raimbaut goes to find Agilulf after
they discover the truth about Sophronias virginity, he finds On the hilt of the sword was a note, I leave
this armor to Sir Raimbaut of Roussillon. Beneath was a half squiggle, as of a signature begun and
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interrupted (Calvino 132). Agilulf bestowing his armor to Raimbaut illustrates that before he dies, he
finally realizes that perfection does not constitute his existence; rather, the impact he has on others is
what defines his purpose. The note, being left unfinished, signifies how, similarly to existentialist beliefs,
Agilulf decides to take advantage of his existence too late. He realizes that his relationships with others
characterize his lifes meaning before he dies, and attempts to act on his enlightened purpose by
entrusting the one object that defined his existence to someone significant to him. This action gives
Raimbaut a chance to find his lifes intentions and strengthen his purpose of existence, despite Agilulfs
inability to do so.
The entrustment of the white armor to Raimbaut further justifies the idea that Agilulfs last dying
action was an attempt to constitute the real meaning of his existence. After Raimbaut has processed what
has happened to Agilulf, he did not know in which direction to turn; the armor was empty, not empty
like before, but empty of that something going by the name of Sir Agilulf which was now dissolved like a
drop in the sea (Calvino 132). The connotation of the phrase drop in the sea suggests the theory that
Agilulfs failure to exist without a purpose causes him to dissolve and become everything. This
occurrence creates ripples on the motionless surface of Agilulfs nonexistence that impact the characters
closest to him by giving them a reason to exist, despite his inability to. Agilulf bestows Raimbaut his
armor to help the young knight find meaning in his life. This theory is proven when Raimbaut issued
from battle victorious and untouched, but his armor, Agilulfs impeccable white armor, was all encrusted
with earth, bespattered with enemy blood . . . Now the youth felt it to be truly his own armor, his,
Raimbaut of Roussillons. His first discomfort on donning it was gone; now it fitted him like a glove
(Calvino 133). When the armor belonged to Agilulf and was unblemished, it did not contain an existent
person inside. The simile within the quotation validates the claim that Raimbaut donning the armor and
soiling its perfection allows him to exist more wholly. The condition of the armor motif represents the
cause for which the person inside is living. This adaptation reveals that mistakes constitute existence,
which further validates how Agilulf was unable to exist due to his obsession with perfection and
insignificant purpose.
Gurduloo and Bradamante, Agilulfs other two closest counterparts, also attain substantial traits
from Agilulfs demise that greatly benefit each character. In the beginning of the novella, a wise gardener
tells Charlemagne that Gurduloos name, varies according to the place hes in . . . Whatever hes called
its the same to him (Calvino 28). Calvino characterizes Gurduloo throughout the novella by portraying
that he does not have a fixed place he belongs to or personality he is solely associated with. This
desertion portrays him as detached from other characters in the novella. When Agilulf and Gurduloo
meet, the knight gives Gurduloo an integral task in the quest to prove Agilulfs righteousness. Gurduloo
gains a sense of identity because of the role Agilulf provides him and the sense of belonging he acquires.
Additionally, Bradamante lacks order in her messy life, which is revealed by her tent being described as
the untidiest in the whole camp (Calvino 62). She too is drawn to Agilulfs structure because, in a
warrior, friend or foe, she expected a perfection of turnout and weapon management as a reflection of
similar perfection of soul (Calvino 63). Bradamante searches for what she lacks, and finds it in Agilulf.
When he ceases to exist, Bradamante takes from him a sense of order and structure, which helps her to
organize her life and uncover her sense of existence. Although Agilulf is not able to exist in his own life,
his realization of his existence being characterized by the influences he has on others helps the people
around him discover their purpose of existence.
Agilulfs failure to surmount his existential crisis prohibits his ability to exist with pertinent
meaning in his life; however, his attempt to overcome the situation leads to his counterparts attaining a
purpose for their existence. Bestowing his armor to Raimbaut justifies how Agilulf becomes everything
by each person surrounding him taking an important virtue: Raimbaut gains a cause to live; Gurduloo
experiences the value of belonging; Bradamante acquires structure. Calvinos satirical craft and his
allegorical representation of Agilulf as a portrayal of existentialism helps to cultivate the theme of a life
being constituted by the impact it makes on those around it. Readers understand through the triumphs of
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Agilulfs failed crisis that they must reject the idea of living for frivolous causes. Instead, readers must live
to initiate an abundance of currents, with the intention of permeating the lives of others.
Word Count: 1,457

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Work Cited
Calvino, Italo.
The Nonexistent Knight.
Trans. Archibald Colquhoun. San Diego: Mariner
Books, 1959. Print.

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