Agriculture and Women in the Italian Empire as Depicted by Bruno Sperani

Fazila Derya Agis, University of the People

This study aims to show the historical situation of farmer and villager women in the Italian Empire (1882-1947) by analyzing the women descriptions in the three works by Bruno Sperani, thus by Beatrice Speraz (1839-1923), who preferred to use a male nickname to get recognized. This study refers to qualitative and quantitative analyses in relation to the roles of Italian women villagers. The frequency rates and metaphorical meanings of the concepts of “trade,” “politics,” “empire,” “nature,” “weather,” “crops,” “women,” “men,” “families,” “farmers,” “plants,” and “animals” are analyzed within the framework of Francoise d’Eaubonne’s (1974) ecofeminism to determine the importance given to farmer and villager women in the Italian Empire. These three works by Bruno Sperani are selected to be analyzed: (1) Due madri [Two mothers] (1887), (2) Nella nebbia [In the fog] (1889), and (2) Tre donne [Three women] (1891). The historical situation and the fight for gender equality of women in the Italian villages will also be discussed in this study. References: Eaubonne, Francoise d'. 1974. Le feminisme ou la mort. Paris: P. Horay. Sperani, Bruno. 1887. Due Madri. Milano: Carlo Aliprandi Editore. Sperani, Bruno. 1889. Nella Nebbia. Stabilimento: G. Civelli. Sperani, Bruno. 1891. Tre Donne. Milano: Libreria Editrice Galli di C. Chiesa e F. Guindani.

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 Presented in Session 187. Transnationality and Gender II