''Asterix in Corsica'' is the twentieth volume of the
Asterix
''Asterix'' or ''The Adventures of Asterix'' (french: Astérix or , "Asterix the Gauls, Gaul") is a ''bande dessinée'' comic book book series, series about a village of indomitable Gaulish warriors who adventure around the world and fight th ...
comic book series
a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicate ...
, by
René Goscinny
René Goscinny (, ; 14 August 1926 – 5 November 1977) was a French comic editor and writer, who created the ''Astérix'' comic book series with illustrator Albert Uderzo. Raised largely in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he attended French schoo ...
(stories) and
Albert Uderzo
Alberto Aleandro Uderzo (; ; 25 April 1927 – 24 March 2020), better known as Albert Uderzo, was a French comic book artist and scriptwriter. He is best known as the co-creator and illustrator of the '' Astérix'' series in collaboration with ...
(
artwork). It was originally serialized in
Pilote
Cover of the first ''Pilote'' issue #0
''Pilote'' () was a French comic magazine published from 1959 to 1989. Showcasing most of the major French or Belgian comics talents of its day the magazine introduced major series such as ''Astérix'', '' ...
issues 687–708 in 1973. It is the best-selling title in the history of the series, owing to its sales in the French market, but is one of the least-selling titles in the English language.
Plot summary
Unlike most editions of the series, the map that is shown before the story begins does not present Gaul and a close-up of the village with the four surrounding
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
camps. Instead the reader is shown a map of
Corsica and a multitude of camps around the coastline.
The story begins with a banquet celebrating the anniversary of
Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix (; Greek: Οὐερκιγγετόριξ; – 46 BC) was a Gallic king and chieftain of the Arverni tribe who united the Gauls in a failed revolt against Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. Despite ha ...
's victory at the
Battle of Gergovia
The Battle of Gergovia took place in 52 BC in Gaul at Gergovia, the chief oppidum (fortified town) of the Arverni. The battle was fought between a Roman Republican army, led by proconsul Julius Caesar, and Gallic forces led by Vercingetorix, wh ...
. As part of the celebrations, the indomitable
Gauls
The Gauls ( la, Galli; grc, Γαλάται, ''Galátai'') were a group of Celtic peoples of mainland Europe in the Iron Age and the Roman period (roughly 5th century BC to 5th century AD). Their homeland was known as Gaul (''Gallia''). They s ...
always attack the local Roman camps; as a result, the Roman soldiers always go on "special
manoeuvres" ''en masse'' to avoid the punch-up.
On this particular year various people who have helped the Gauls against the Romans in previous books have been invited along with their wives (this may be because this was the last story published in ''
Pilote
Cover of the first ''Pilote'' issue #0
''Pilote'' () was a French comic magazine published from 1959 to 1989. Showcasing most of the major French or Belgian comics talents of its day the magazine introduced major series such as ''Astérix'', '' ...
'' magazine, or because this was the 20th album). They include:
*Petitsuix from
Helvetia
Helvetia () is the female national personification of Switzerland, officially ''Confoederatio Helvetica,'' the Swiss Confederation.
The allegory is typically pictured in a flowing gown, with a spear and a shield emblazoned with the Swiss fl ...
(''
Asterix in Switzerland
''Asterix in Switzerland'' (, "Asterix in the land of the Helvetii") is the sixteenth volume of the ''Asterix'' comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). It was originally serialized in ''Pilote'' magazin ...
''),
*Huevos Y Bacon and son Pepe from
Hispania
Hispania ( la, Hispānia , ; nearly identically pronounced in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, and Italian) was the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula and its provinces. Under the Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into two provinces: Hisp ...
(''
Asterix in Spain
''Asterix in Spain'' (, "Asterix in Hispania") is the fourteenth volume of the ''Asterix'' comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). It was originally serialized in ''Pilote'' magazine, issues 498–519, in ...
''),
*Instantmix, the Gaulish restaurateur from Rome (''
Asterix the Gladiator
''Asterix the Gladiator'' is the fourth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). It was first serialized in the magazine '' Pilote'', issues 126–168, in 1962.
Plot summary
While st ...
''),
*Anticlimax from
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
alongside Dipsomaniax the tavern-keeper, McAnix the
Scotsman
The Scots ( sco, Scots Fowk; gd, Albannaich) are an ethnic group and nation native to Scotland. Historically, they emerged in the early Middle Ages from an amalgamation of two Celtic-speaking peoples, the Picts and Gaels, who founded ...
, O'veroptimistix the
Irishman
The Irish ( ga, Muintir na hÉireann or ''Na hÉireannaigh'') are an ethnic group and nation native to the island of Ireland, who share a common history and culture. There have been humans in Ireland for about 33,000 years, and it has been c ...
, and Chief Mykingdomforanos (''
Asterix in Britain''),
*Drinklikafix of
Massalia, Jellibabix of
Lugdunum
Lugdunum (also spelled Lugudunum, ; modern Lyon, France) was an important Roman city in Gaul, established on the current site of Lyon. The Roman city was founded in 43 BC by Lucius Munatius Plancus, but continued an existing Gallic settle ...
, Seniorservix from
Gesocribatum (''
Asterix and the Banquet
''Asterix and the Banquet'' (, "Asterix's Tour of Gaul") is the fifth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). It was first serialized in ''Pilote'' magazine, issues 172–213, in 196 ...
''),
*Winesanspirix and his wife from
Gergovia
Gergovia was a Gaulish town in modern Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in the upper part of the basin of the Allier, near present-day Clermont-Ferrand. It was the capital of the Averni. The city of Gergovia had strong walls, and was located on a giant rais ...
(''
Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield
''Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield'' (, "The Arvernian Shield") is the eleventh volume in the Asterix comic book series, written by René Goscinny and drawn by Albert Uderzo. It was originally published as a serial in Pilote issues 399–421 in ...
'').
The Roman camp of Totorum, too, has visitors: three Roman soldiers escorting the Corsican leader
Boneywasawarriorwayayix, exiled by
Praetor
Praetor ( , ), also pretor, was the title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to a man acting in one of two official capacities: (i) the commander of an army, and (ii) as an elected '' magistratus'' (magistrate), assigned to discharge vari ...
Perfidius. He is left to spend the night in the
Centurion's tent, to its owner's dismay. While the other camps are deserted, the Romans of Totorum have no option but to stay and be decimated by the Gauls and their friends, who discover Boneywasawarriorwayayix awakening from a long
siesta
A ''siesta'' (from Spanish, pronounced and meaning "nap") is a short nap taken in the early afternoon, often after the midday meal. Such a period of sleep is a common tradition in some countries, particularly those in warm-weather zones. Th ...
(afternoon nap).
The proud Boneywasawarriorwayayix attends the Gaulish banquet and leaves the next day for Corsica with Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix accompanying him. At Massalia, he hires a ship crewed by none other than
the pirates. When the passengers go aboard it is too dark for the captain and the Gauls to recognise each other. But when, in the middle of the night, the pirates attempt to rob the Corsican and his three companions, they recognize the sleeping Gauls and the entire crew vacates the ship in a rowing boat.
The following morning, the passengers awake to find the ship is deserted. Boneywasawarriorwayayix then invites the Gauls to share a pungent Corsican cheese. Unaccustomed to the strong smell, they feel unwell, but then the Corsican realises that they are off the coast of his native island, abandons the cheese and excitedly swims ashore.
The arrival of the three men and dog is noticed by a Roman patrol. The Romans later investigate the ship but find nothing suspicious. As they leave, the pirates arrive to reclaim their vessel, only for a burning torch to ignite the Corsican cheese's fumes, blowing up the ship.
A keen young Roman called Courtingdisastus captures the pirate captain and takes him to Praetor Perfidius in the Roman city of
Aleria. From him, the Romans learn that Boneywasawarriorwayayix, a known revolutionary leader, has returned from exile. Perfidius appoints Courtingdisastus to lead a party assigned to recapture Boneywasawarriorwayayix. But in fact, Perfidius has few illusions that the mission will be successful and starts making his own plans to flee Corsica, leaving his men in the lurch and sailing away with all the loot he has purloined from the Corsicans.
Courtingdisastus and his men go to Boneywasawarriorwayayix's village, but are faced by his second-in-command Carferrix, who intimidates them into fleeing. Meanwhile, the Corsican leader and the Gauls travel through the
maquis to a rendezvous where several clan chieftains gather to plan their attack on Aleria to recover the wealth the Praetor has extracted from them.
The attack begins before Perfidius can make his escape. Boneywasawarriorwayayix then makes a proud and defiant speech stating that Corsica will never be ruled by an
Emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
unless he is a
Corsican himself.
After the victory over the Romans, a vendetta between the clans of Boneywasawarriorwayayix and Olabellamargaritix, fought over various but complicated age-old issues, is settled by the diplomatic Asterix (though, when the Gauls leave, there are strong hints that other Corsican chieftains will resume the feud with Olabellamargaritix even if Boneywasawarriorwayayix has called his off).
The Gauls return home with fond memories of their trip.
Notes
* Throughout the album the stereotypical
laziness
Laziness (also known as indolence) is disinclination to activity or exertion despite having the ability to act or to
exert oneself. It is often used as a pejorative; terms for a person seen to be lazy
include "couch potato", "slacker", and "b ...
of the Corsicans is satirized, often in combination with their well known
siesta
A ''siesta'' (from Spanish, pronounced and meaning "nap") is a short nap taken in the early afternoon, often after the midday meal. Such a period of sleep is a common tradition in some countries, particularly those in warm-weather zones. Th ...
.
![Vendetta knife01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Vendetta_knife01.jpg)
* The importance to Corsicans of
honor
Honour (British English) or honor (American English; see spelling differences) is the idea of a bond between an individual and a society as a quality of a person that is both of social teaching and of personal ethos, that manifests itself as a ...
and
respect is satirized several times, as are their
vendetta
Vendetta may refer to:
* Feud or vendetta, a long-running argument or fight
Film
* ''Vendetta'' (1919 film), a film featuring Harry Liedtke
* ''Vendetta'' (1950 film), an American drama produced by Howard Hughes
* ''Vendetta'' (1986 film), a ...
s and fights. The knives they use are authentic
vendetta knives.
* In the original French version Boneywasawarriorwayayix is called Ocatarinetabellachitchix. Asterix at one point pronounces his name incorrectly as "O Marinella..." Both are songs by Corsican singer
Tino Rossi
Constantin "Tino" Rossi (29 April 1907 – 26 September 1983) was a French singer and film actor of Corsican origin.
Born in Ajaccio, Corsica, Rossi was gifted with a voice well suited for opera. He became a tenor in the French cabaret style. ...
: "Tchi-Tchi" and "Marinella". Further in the comic strip the secret password the Gauls need to give in order to get on the ship that will bring them to Corsica is also a reference to Rossi. "Vieni vieni" (in the French version) is also a song by Rossi.
* Ballot boxes being stuffed before the election starts is a reference to Corsican election frauds scandals.
*
Wild pigs,
chestnuts
The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.
The unrelated ...
(used in many dishes and drinks on the island), old people sitting on benches commenting on things happening in their environment, and the notorious smell of Corsican
cheese are referenced. This cheese is the infamous
casgiu merzu which can be identified by the maggots springing away from the cheese as Boneywasawarriorwayayix attempts to slice it.
* The famous bushes (
maquis) where in past centuries many highwaymen and Corsican nationalists hid are referenced. It is also notorious as a place where tourists easily get lost.
* The Corsican emperor
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...
is referenced in:
**The English name for Ocatarinetabellachitchix: "Boneywasawarriorwayayix", which is a reference to the
sea chanty "
Boney was a warrior" about Napoleon. (When Asterix mistakes his name in the English version he addresses him as "Wellingtonwasa...", a reference to Napoleon's British enemy
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish people, Anglo-Irish soldier and Tories (British political party), Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of Uni ...
.)
**Boneywasawarriorwayayix discovers Corsica is nearby by tasting the smell. Napoleon once said he could recognize his island with his eyes closed, just by smelling its scent. Even during his exile in
Elba
Elba ( it, isola d'Elba, ; la, Ilva) is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino on the Italian mainland, and the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago. It is also part of the Arcipelago Toscano Nationa ...
he could still remember the scent.
**Asterix's remark that the Corsicans have "une grande armée" ("a large army") is a reference to the nickname for
Napoleon's army.
**Boneywasawarriorwayayix's remark that "le sommeil d'Osterlix" is very famous in their country (Osterlix is a Corsican clan leader in the album. "Le sommeil" means "the sleep". The sentence is a pun on "Le soleil d' Austerlitz" ("The sun of
Austerlitz Austerlitz may refer to:
History
* Battle of Austerlitz, an 1805 victory by the French Grand Army of Napoleon Bonaparte
Places
* Austerlitz, German name for Slavkov u Brna in the Czech Republic, which gave its name to the Battle of Austerlitz a ...
", named after Napoleon's famous victory in the
Battle of Austerlitz
The Battle of Austerlitz (2 December 1805/11 Frimaire An XIV FRC), also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of the most important and decisive engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle occurred near the town of Austerlitz i ...
)
**And finally in Boneywasawarriorwayayix's speech towards Perfidius where he strikes the famous Napoleon pose and says "that Corsicans will only accept an emperor if he's Corsican".
* Boneywasawarriorwayayix is a caricature of the Corsican journalist Paul Gianolli.
*Roman Centurion Hippopotamus, of the camp where Boneywasawarriorwayayix is held, is based on Goscinny and Uderzo's friend
Pierre Tchernia
Pierre Tcherniakowski (29 January 1928 – 8 October 2016), better known as Pierre Tchernia, was a French cinema and television producer, screenwriter, presenter, animator and actor. In France he was known as ''"Magic" Tchernia'' and ''Monsieur Ci ...
who also appeared in other stories.
*The stereotypes of Corsicans seen in the album (pride, vendetta, feuds, old men sitting and commenting, grim glares) are thought to apply also to the
Cretan
Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, an ...
s; Greek publishers ''Mamouthcomix'' released a special translation of the album in
Cretan Greek
Cretan Greek, or the Cretan dialect ( el, Κρητική Διάλεκτος, ), is a variety of Modern Greek spoken in Crete and by the Cretan diaspora.
Geographic distribution
The Cretan dialect is spoken by the majority of the Cretan Greeks ...
. In the original
Serbian edition of the episode, Corsicans speak in typical dialect of
Montenegro
)
, image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Podgorica
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, official_languages = M ...
, for similar reasons.
*For the first time in the series, children of the major characters are presented, with Fulliautomatix' son starting a row about fish with Unhygenix' son while in the company of several other unnamed children.
In other languages
*Afrikaans: ''Asterix in Korsika''
*Arabic: ''أستريكس فى جزيرة كورسيكا''
*Catalan: ''Astèrix a Còrsega''
*Corsican: ''Asterix in Corsica''
*Croatian: ''Asterix na Korzici''
*Czech: ''Asterix na Korsice''
*Cretan Greek: ''Ο Αστερικάκης στην Κορσική''
*Danish: ''Asterix på Korsika
*Dutch: ''Asterix op Corsica''
*German: ''Asterix auf Korsika''
*Greek: ''Ο Αστερίξ στην Κορσική''
*French: ''Astérix en Corse''
*Finnish: ''Asterix Korsikassa''
*Italian: ''Asterix in Corsica''
*Norwegian: ''Asterix på Korsika''
*Polish: ''Asteriks na Korsyce''
*Portuguese: ''Astérix na Córsega''
*Serbian: ''Aстерикс на Корзици/Asteriks na Korzici''
*Slovenian: ''Asterix na Korziki''
*Spanish: ''Astérix en Córcega''
*Swedish: ''Asterix på Korsika''
*Turkish: ''Asteriks Korsika'da''
Reception
On
Goodreads
Goodreads is an American social cataloging website and a subsidiary of Amazon that allows individuals to search its database of books, annotations, quotes, and reviews. Users can sign up and register books to generate library catalogs and read ...
, it has a score of 4.13 out of 5.
References
External links
''Astérix en Corse'' annotationsOfficial english Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Asterix In Corsica
Corsica, Asterix in
Works set in Corsica
Works originally published in Pilote
Literature first published in serial form
1973 graphic novels
Works by René Goscinny
Comics by Albert Uderzo
Cultural depictions of French people
Ethnic humour