Right You Are (if you think so) - Luigi Pirandello

Summary

"Così è (se vi pare)" (Right You Are (If You Think So)) by Luigi Pirandello is a three-act play exploring the elusive nature of truth and reality. The play unfolds in a small Italian town, where the arrival of a new prefect's employee, Signor Ponza, and his mysterious family sparks intense curiosity and gossip among the nosy townspeople. Signor Ponza lives in an isolated apartment with his wife, while his mother-in-law, Signora Frola, lives in a separate building.

The central conflict arises when the townspeople attempt to uncover the "truth" about the family's unusual living arrangements. Signora Frola claims that Signor Ponza is mad and keeps his wife (her daughter) locked away because he believes she is his second wife, when in fact, she is his first. Conversely, Signor Ponza asserts that Signora Frola is insane; he claims her daughter died years ago, and he humors the grieving mother by pretending his current wife is her daughter, allowing Frola to see her from a distance.

As the townspeople, led by the Prefect, try to reconcile these two contradictory stories through interrogations, they find themselves caught in an unsolvable dilemma. Each version of the truth is presented with compelling sincerity and seemingly logical explanations, yet they are mutually exclusive. The play culminates in the appearance of Signora Ponza herself, whose final, enigmatic statement ("I am she whom you believe me to be") shatters any hope of an objective resolution, leaving the audience to confront the idea that truth is subjective and dependent on individual perception. Laudisi, a cynical observer, acts as the play's philosophical voice, constantly reminding the characters (and the audience) of the relativity of truth.

Book Sections

Section 1 (Act I)

The play opens in the home of Agazzi, a local councilor, whose wife, Amalia, and daughter, Dina, are absorbed in the latest town gossip. The town is buzzing about the peculiar new arrivals: Signor Ponza, a secretary to the Prefect, and his family. Ponza keeps his wife secluded in their apartment, while his mother-in-law, Signora Frola, lives in a separate building, only allowed to visit her daughter-in-law from a distance. The townspeople are scandalized by these unusual arrangements and are determined to uncover the "truth." Agazzi's wife, Amalia, is particularly eager to learn more, prompting her husband to investigate. Councillor Agazzi feels obliged to intervene, partly due to his official position and partly to satisfy his family's curiosity.

Initially, Signora Frola is questioned. She explains that her daughter, whom she deeply loves, is married to Signor Ponza. However, she claims that Ponza suffered a mental breakdown and now believes his wife is a "second wife" he married after his "first wife" (who is actually the same woman) died. Because of this delusion, he keeps her isolated, believing Frola to be merely a "mother-in-law" from his first marriage. Frola pities him and tries to humor his delusion to be near her daughter. The townspeople are shocked and pity Frola.

Later, Signor Ponza appears, presenting a completely different story. He explains that Signora Frola is the one who is insane. He claims her daughter truly died four years ago. Signora Frola, unable to accept her daughter's death, suffered a mental collapse. To spare her further pain, Ponza found a new wife and, with the help of doctors, arranged for Frola to believe this new wife is her daughter. He keeps his real wife separate from Frola to maintain the illusion and protect Frola's fragile mind, which can only sustain the "truth" if kept at a distance. The townspeople are now utterly confused, unable to reconcile the two conflicting narratives, both presented with genuine conviction. Laudisi, Agazzi's brother-in-law, observes the proceedings with a detached, philosophical amusement, pointing out the absurdity of their quest for a single, objective truth.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Signora Frola	Elderly, gentle, dignified, appears fragile	To be near her daughter, whom she believes is being unjustly held by her "mad" son-in-law. To maintain the dignity of her daughter's situation.
Signor Ponza	Reserved, authoritative, appears distressed	To protect his "insane" mother-in-law from the painful truth of her daughter's death. To maintain the illusion that keeps her calm. To protect his current wife.
Laudisi	Cynical, philosophical, articulate, detached	To observe human folly and the futility of seeking absolute truth. To provoke thought and expose the subjective nature of reality.
Councillor Agazzi	Local official, respectable, somewhat officious	To maintain order and propriety in his community. To satisfy his family's and the town's curiosity, and possibly to assert his authority.
Amalia	Agazzi's wife, nosy, gossipy, conventional	To uncover the scandalous "truth" about the new family, driven by social curiosity and a desire for certainty.
Dina	Agazzi's daughter, young, curious	To understand the strange situation and participate in the town's social investigations.
Prefect	Agazzi's superior, authoritative, responsible	To maintain civil order and ensure the well-being of the town's citizens, including the new arrivals. To resolve the public disturbance caused by the mystery.
Councillor Celsi	Town official, curious	To participate in the town's social activities and investigations.
Police Commissioner	Official, methodical, responsible	To assist the Prefect in his duties, potentially by gathering information or maintaining order.
Butler	Household staff	To serve the Agazzi family and observe the goings-on.
Maids	Household staff	To serve the Agazzi family and observe the goings-on.
Townspeople	Curious, gossipy, conventional	To understand and categorize the new arrivals, to satisfy their collective curiosity, and reinforce their shared social norms and sense of reality.

Section 2 (Act II)

The confusion deepens as the townspeople, led by the Prefect and Agazzi, continue their attempts to extract a definitive truth. They decide to bring Signora Frola and Signor Ponza together, hoping that a direct confrontation will expose the "liar." However, this only serves to highlight the strength of each person's conviction.

Signora Frola, when questioned again, reiterates her story with a heartbreaking sincerity, describing how her daughter, Lina, is trapped by Ponza's delusion. She speaks of her daughter's sadness and her own efforts to "play along" with Ponza's madness for Lina's sake. Her narrative evokes immense sympathy from the onlookers.

Signor Ponza, in turn, passionately defends his version, almost with desperation. He explains again how Frola's daughter died and how he has gone to great lengths to preserve Frola's sanity, even at the cost of his own reputation and his wife's comfort. He describes the elaborate charade they maintain and the delicate balance required to prevent Frola from a complete breakdown. He expresses his profound love and pity for Frola, emphasizing the necessity of his actions.

The townspeople are now even more perplexed. Both stories sound plausible and are delivered with such deep emotion and conviction that it becomes impossible to dismiss either as simply untrue. They try to find objective evidence, such as birth certificates or other official documents, but these are said to have been destroyed in an earthquake, further frustrating their efforts. Laudisi repeatedly intervenes, mocking their futile quest for a single, objective truth. He suggests that both might be true, or neither, depending on whose perspective one adopts. The townspeople are increasingly agitated, desperate to label one person sane and the other insane, but the situation offers no such simple resolution.

Section 3 (Act III)

The townspeople's frustration reaches its peak. Having exhausted all avenues of inquiry and found no definitive proof to support either Signora Frola's or Signor Ponza's story, they demand a final, incontrovertible answer. They decide the only way to resolve the mystery is to confront Signora Ponza herself, the enigmatic figure at the center of the controversy.

Signora Ponza finally appears. She is veiled, symbolizing the elusive nature of her true identity. Her appearance is dramatic and highly anticipated. The assembled townspeople barrage her with questions, demanding to know who she truly is: Signora Frola's daughter, or Signor Ponza's second wife?

In a moment of profound theatrical and philosophical impact, Signora Ponza lifts her veil slightly and speaks. She declares: "What can you want from me, after all? I am a woman like any other... And I am—for myself—nobody. I am she whom you believe me to be."

Her statement offers no concrete answer, but rather a chilling affirmation of the play's central theme. She confirms neither story, yet validates both by acknowledging the subjective reality created by each individual's perception. For Signora Frola, she is her daughter. For Signor Ponza, she is his second wife. For the townspeople, she is simply a reflection of their own need for a particular "truth." Her refusal to provide a single, objective identity leaves the townspeople—and the audience—in a state of unresolved uncertainty, highlighting the ultimate futility of their search for absolute truth. Laudisi concludes the play by remarking on the futility of their search for a single, objective truth, underscoring that each person lives their own truth.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Signora Ponza	Enigmatic, veiled, dignified, calm	To protect both her husband and her mother-in-law by embodying the "truth" that each of them needs to believe, thus maintaining their respective realities and sanity.

Literary Genre

Philosophical Drama, Tragicomedy, Absurdist Drama, Comedy of the Grotesque.

Author Facts

• Luigi Pirandello (1867–1936) was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer.
• He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1934 for "his bold and ingenious revival of the dramatic and scenic art."
• Born in Agrigento, Sicily, he drew heavily from his Sicilian background and local dialect.
• His work is deeply concerned with themes of illusion versus reality, the fluidity of identity, the masks people wear, and the subjectivity of truth.
• Some of his most famous plays include "Sei personaggi in cerca d'autore" (Six Characters in Search of an Author), "Enrico IV" (Henry IV), and "L'uomo dal fiore in bocca" (The Man with the Flower in His Mouth).
• Pirandello's philosophical ideas were influenced by thinkers like Nietzsche and Bergson, particularly their concepts of relativity and the irrational nature of human existence.

Moral of the Book

The central moral or message of "Così è (se vi pare)" is that truth is subjective and relative, not absolute or objectively verifiable. What one person perceives as truth might be completely different for another, yet both can be equally valid within their own frameworks of understanding. The play argues that reality is largely a construction of individual perception and that a single, universally accepted truth is often an unattainable illusion. It challenges the audience to question their own assumptions about reality and to accept the ambiguity inherent in human existence and relationships.

Curiosities

• Title Meaning: The Italian title "Così è (se vi pare)" translates to "Right You Are (If You Think So)" or "Thus It Is (If It Seems So to You)." This title itself encapsulates the play's core theme, directly addressing the subjective nature of truth.
• Source Material: The play is an adaptation of Pirandello's own short story, "La signora Frola e il signor Ponza, suo genero" (Signora Frola and Signor Ponza, her Son-in-Law), published in 1917.
• Pirandellian Paradox: The play is a quintessential example of what is often called a "Pirandellian paradox," where characters or situations present contradictory realities that cannot be reconciled, forcing the audience to confront the limits of rationality and objective truth.
• Influence on Absurdist Theatre: Pirandello's exploration of fragmented identity, the breakdown of communication, and the search for meaning in an ambiguous world heavily influenced later absurdist playwrights like Samuel Beckett and Eugène Ionesco.
• The Veil: The veil worn by Signora Ponza in the final act is a powerful symbol. It represents the opacity of truth, the masks people wear, and the way identity can be obscured or revealed only partially, reflecting what others want to see.
• Laudisi as a Chorus: The character of Laudisi functions almost as a Greek chorus or a philosophical commentator, guiding the audience's interpretation and articulating Pirandello's ideas about the relativity of truth, often breaking the fourth wall to address the audience directly.