''The Cloven Viscount'' ( it, Il visconte dimezzato) is a

fantasy novel Fantasy literature is literature set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events, or people from the real world. Magic, the supernatural and magical creatures are common in many of these imaginary worlds. Fa ...

by Italian writer

Italo Calvino Italo Calvino (, also , ;. RAI (circa 1970), retrieved 25 October 2012. 15 October 1923 – 19 September 1985) was an Italian writer and journalist. His best known works include the ''Our Ancestors'' trilogy (1952–1959), the '' Cosmicomi ...

. It was first published by

Einaudi Einaudi is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Luigi Einaudi (1874–1961), Italian politician *Mario Einaudi (1905–1994), Italian political scientist, son of Luigi *Giulio Einaudi (1912–1999), Italian publisher, son o ...

(Turin) in 1952 and in English in 1962 by William Collins, with a translation by Archibald Colquhoun. ''The Cloven Viscount'' was collected together with ''

The Baron in the Trees ''The Baron in the Trees'' ( it, Il barone rampante) is a 1957 novel by Italian writer Italo Calvino. Described as a '' conte philosophique'' and a metaphor for independence, it tells the adventures of a boy who climbs up a tree to spend the res ...

'' and ''

The Nonexistent Knight ''The Nonexistent Knight'' (Italian: ''Il cavaliere inesistente'') is an allegorical fantasy novel by Italian writer Italo Calvino, first published in Italian in 1959 and in English translation in 1962. The tale explores questions of identity, in ...

'' in a single volume, ''

Our Ancestors ''Our Ancestors'' (Italian: ''I Nostri Antenati'') is the name of Italo Calvino's "heraldic trilogy" that comprises ''The Cloven Viscount ''The Cloven Viscount'' ( it, Il visconte dimezzato) is a fantasy novel by Italian writer Italo Calvino. ...

'', for which Calvino was awarded the Salento Prize in 1960.

Plot

The Viscount Medardo of Terralba and his squire Kurt ride across the plague-ravaged plain of

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...

en route to join the Christian army in the Turkish wars of the seventeenth century. On the first day of fighting, a Turkish swordsman unhorses the inexperienced Viscount. Fearless, he scrambles over the battlefield with sword bared, and is split in two by a cannonball hitting him square in the chest. As a result of the injury, Viscount Medardo becomes two people: Gramo (the Bad) and Buono (the Good). The army field doctors save Gramo through a stitching miracle; the Viscount is "alive and cloven".Calvino, Italo, ''The Cloven Viscount'' in ''Our Ancestors'' (London: Vintage, 1998), p. 10. With one eye and a dilated single nostril, he returns to Terralba, twisting the half mouth of his half face into a scissors-like half smile. Meanwhile, a group of hermits find Buono in the bushes. They treat him and he recovers. After a long pilgrimage, Buono returns home. There are now two Viscounts in Terralba. Gramo lives in the castle, Buono lives in the forest. Gramo causes damage and pain, Buono does good deeds. Pietrochiodo, the carpenter, is more adept at building guillotines for Gramo than the machines requested by Buono. Eventually, the villagers dislike both viscounts, as Gramo's malevolence provokes hostility and Buono's altruism provokes uneasiness. Pamela, the peasant, prefers Buono to Gramo, but her parents want her to marry Gramo. She is ordered to consent to Gramo's marriage proposal. On the day of the wedding, Pamela marries Buono, because Gramo arrives late. Gramo challenges Buono to a duel to decide who shall be Pamela's husband. As a result, they are both severely wounded. Dr. Trelawney takes the two bodies and sews the two sides together. Medardo finally is whole. He and his wife Pamela (now the Viscountess) live happily together until the end of their days.

Plot

References

Further reading