An Italian in Scandinavia: Elisa Cappelli’s Idealizations of the North

Abstract

<p>Women occupy a tiny place in the tradition of Italian travel writing, otherwise rich in well known male records; their presence is highlighted only in recent studies and their existence is circumscribed to XIX-XX century travel literature.This chapter deals with two of the few Italian women who chose the Scandinavian countries as their destination at the turn of the twentieth century. Some of these women travelled on their own, others in small groups of tourists from different countries. Companionship assumed a varied relevance: men were always present, albeit mostly side figures; in some cases, though, they represented the narrative voice; at times the authors had to create male figures in order to fill an unbearable emptiness. Therefore, even if at first sight these women’s travelogues seem wholly self-referential, it becomes crucial to disclose their companions’ role, their relationship with the authors, and why they are necessary to these women’s journeys. <br /></p>