''The Woman from Rome'' ( it, La romana) is a

1947 It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Events January * January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country in ...

novel by

Alberto Moravia Alberto Moravia ( , ; born Alberto Pincherle ; 28 November 1907 – 26 September 1990) was an Italian novelist and journalist. His novels explored matters of modern sexuality, social alienation and existentialism. Moravia is best known for his d ...

about the intersecting lives of many characters, chief among them a prostitute (whose mother is also a prostitute) and an idealistic intellectual who, after an interrogation by the Fascist officers, during which he betrays his colleagues (for reasons he himself is not able to understand), becomes completely disillusioned about everything. Like many other

novels and those by other authors of the time, this novel explores the themes of

existentialism Existentialism ( ) is a form of philosophical inquiry that explores the problem of human existence and centers on human thinking, feeling, and acting. Existentialist thinkers frequently explore issues related to the meaning, purpose, and valu ...

, morality, and alienation. Even though the novel is about a prostitute, an intellectual who loses his commitment and his belief in everything, and a Fascist officer, it presents compelling insights about the individuals and the society, and what links them together, as well as about their respective responsibilities.

Adaptations

The novel was adapted into a film in 1954.

In popular culture

*In the penultimate ''

Mad Men ''Mad Men'' is an American period drama television series created by Matthew Weiner and produced by Lionsgate Television. It ran on the cable network AMC from July 19, 2007, to May 17, 2015, lasting for seven seasons and 92 episodes. Its fict ...

'' episode, " The Milk and Honey Route", Don sees a woman at his motel pool reading ''The Woman of Rome''. *In the film ''

McVicar McVicar or MacVicar is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: McVicar: *Colin McVicar (1916–1987), New Zealand cricketer *David McVicar (born 1967), Scottish opera and theatre director * Ewan McVicar, Scottish dance music producer an ...

'', McVicar is seen reading the book in his prison cell.

References

Bibliography

* 1947 novels Novels by Alberto Moravia Novels about Italian prostitution Novels set in Rome {{1940s-novel-stub