Getting the Infamous
Suppose one day, you walk out of your manager's office, box in hand, head held low, walking towards your cubicle. Thinking just minutes before you entered the manager's office you were somebody, you had a purpose to society, and a job that needed to be filled. You based your identity on your role in society. But now, jobless, your self-esteem is at rock bottom, you have nothing to do, your identity had been shattered. Maybe you base your life around your identity which keeps you sane, you plea with the manager, showing your good works and improvements to the company. But still, you weren't able to convince your manager so you plunge out the 20-store building. Some people would just move on and find another role in society in a something similar or completely different. But there are those who are pessimistic and have to do this one specific job that they feel fulfills their life. Once taken away from them, their whole structure of a being falls apart shortly. In the story "The Non existent Knight," Calvino creates two characters, Agilulf and Torrismund, with this type of identity. Agilulf had no physical existence except for his voice. Along with having no friends or family, he felt being a knight is all that he could
Agilulf's goal was to serve and protect his country by following the code of knighthood. He helped out in doing various tasks, which were crucial to the war. Provided food rations so that food can be evenly distributed and not wasted. He also put dead people at peace by burying them. The most crucial part about himself was the identity of Knighthood. At the feast, Torrismund gave his testimony of the validity of Sophrainas's virginity. "Yes, I do contest that. Fifteen years ago Sophronia, the King of Scotland's daughter, was no virgin... Sophronia is my mother."(78-79) Thus causing Agilulf existence to go up in question. His whole existence had solely relied upon Sophronia being a virgin at the time he came to rescue her from some bad people. Without this significant event, Agliluf would be a wandering warrior without any affiliation on behalf of him. Without saving this virgin from danger he can't be declared a knight. "Agilulf decides to put her for refuge in a cave and then together with his squire go to Charlemagne's camp and announce her virginity to be still intact and so also the legitimacy of his name"(114) The extent of the elements that makes Agilulf who he is, is not at all controlled by himself, but rather the testimony of Sophronia as she speaks of that night when Agilulf had saved her from the bandits. If she was to lie and say she was not a virgin at that time, then Agilulf had the right of being called a knight, but was falsely answered by Sophronia. On the other hand, which occurred in the book, Sophronia did declare that she was a virgin at that time, thus giving rightful ownership of the class of knighthood. But sadly enough Agilulf did not stay to hear it and caused himself to disintegrate to thin air. Because his whole existence was based around this one fact, he felt that he was not contributing to society and thus leaves to become nothing. "The Nonexistent Knight" Italo Calvino 1962 "We wish to put forward the fact that the year had been a very bad one over the whole land of Koolwalden. We are at our wits' end even to feed our children. Famine touches rich and poor. Pious Knights, we have come humbly to ask you to forgo o
Some common words found in the essay are:
King Scotland's, Agilulf Torrismund, Holy Grail, , Pious Knights, Farewell125 Torrismund, Torrismund Sophronia, Unfortunate Agilulf, Stay Tell, Sacred Order131, holy grail, knights holy, knights holy grail, role society, son duke cornwall, knight holy, military rights, trouble true, duke cornwall, agilulf torrismund, knight holy grail, son duke, white armor,
Approximate Word count = 1474
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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