In this brief and enjoyable essay on Pulcinella, Benedetto Croce explores the figure of the famous commedia dell’artecharacter, a symbol of Italian (and simultaneously Neapolitan and European) popular theatrical tradition.
Pulcinella is analyzed not merely as a theatrical mask, but as a metaphor for the human condition: an individual who, despite his apparent comedy and lightheartedness, represents the contradictions and tensions of social life. With his precise and inimitable philosophical and historical approach, Croce highlights the evolution of the mask, linking it to the cultural, political, and psychological dynamics of society.
In doing so, he provides us with pages that, moving beyond traditional theatrical analysis, become profound reflections on existence, comedy, and human nature.