Catalogues are everywhere; they’re mundane lists or evergrowing nets. Yet, they also constitute a valid tool to explore epistemological issues. This paper delves into the realm of linguistic experimentation within the modernist canon, elucidating the approaches of two eminent figures from the Italian and Irish literary traditions, Carlo Emilio Gadda and James Joyce.
Focused on the central role of catalogues in their respective masterpieces, Quer pasticciaccio brutto de via Merulana and Ulysses - with special attention to the 'Ithaca' episode - this paper showcases how the catalogues utilised in the texts simultaneously undermine and pursue the notion of totality, further porblematising the validity of any classificatory system.
In both works, catalogues transcend mere enumerative structures, evolving into dynamic instruments that challenge conventional linguistic paradigms. Gadda's enumeration, rejecting systematic order, unfolds as a rhizomatic process, an unbridled accumulation mirroring the disorder inherent in the human experience. Conversely, Joyce's encyclopedic strategy expands the narrative spectrum, effectively redefining the boundaries between order and chaos within linguistic constructs. This comparative analysis not only underscores the distinctive linguistic methodologies employed by these modernist artists, but also contributes to a profound understanding of the broader implications of language experimentation within the modernist literary tradition. The exploration of linguistic innovation as a central tenet in both Gadda's and Joyce's oeuvres further advances our comprehension of the intricate complexities inherent in the modernist pursuit of novel expressions and narrative structures.

Authors:
Alberto Nanni, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom

About the Presenter(s)
Mr Alberto Nanni is a University Postgraduate Student at University of Edinburgh in United Kingdom

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