Images of Passions in Mamma Roma

Authors

  • Margherita Siegmund Leipzig Universität

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7203/eutopias.27.28696

Keywords:

Mamma Roma, painting, Passion of the Christ, strategies of sacralisation, role of the mother.

Abstract

References to Christian mythology are frequent in Pasolini‘s films. Recourse to painting, but also to music, is used as a rewriting strategy and as a means of elevating figures from the subproletariat to the sacred, enabling the director to underline the messages he intended to convey through his work. Mamma Roma also makes several references to pictorial iconography and Christian mythology. The film immediately appears as a variation on a theme, that of the representation of the Passion of Christ. Numerous elements, not only iconographic, combine to represent Hector, the son of Mamma Roma as Christ. In this constellation, Mamma Roma is supposed to take on the role of Mary, a thesis confirmed by pictorial references. However, while the role of Mary in the Passion traditionally has a marginal position, the ending of the film Mamma Roma leads to the consideration of a different hypothesis. This paper examines the pictorial references in the film which support these thesis. 

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Author Biography

Margherita Siegmund, Leipzig Universität

Margherita Siegmund studied English and German at the Istituto Universitario Orientale in Naples. She has been working as a Lecturer in Italian language practice and cultural studies at the Institute of Romance Studies and the Language Centre at Leipzig University since 1992. Her areas of interest include the history of Italy in the post-war period, the history of Italian cinema in the post-war period, southern Italian literature (Lampedusa, Verga, Sciascia) and the cultural history of Naples. She is also a translator of essays and books on Italian history, cinema history and literature.

References

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Published

2024-07-24

How to Cite

Siegmund, M. (2024). Images of Passions in Mamma Roma. EU-topías. A Journal on Interculturality, Communication, and European Studies, 27, 99–108. https://doi.org/10.7203/eutopias.27.28696
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Issue

Vol. 27 (2024)

Section

DOSSIER

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