This dissertation explores Stefano D’Arrigo’s Horcynus Orca (1975) as a literary reflection on the collapse of modernity, examining the novel’s depiction of the Leviathan as a symbol of chaos in the postwar era. By intertwining the biblical myth of the sea-monster with the Ulysses archetype, D’Arrigo’s narrative delves into the apocalyptic consequences of technological and ideological advancements following the World Wars. The Death of the Leviathan traces the evolution of this motif, from Dante’s Ulysses at the threshold, to Moby Dick at its zenith, to the tragic culmination in Horcynus Orca. This dissertation explores how these literary figures reflect the disintegration of 20th-century Europe, capturing the collapse of a world shaped by the unresolved crisis of its own historical and ideological foundations.
","abstract_html":"<p>This dissertation explores Stefano D’Arrigo’s <em>Horcynus Orca</em> (1975) as a literary reflection on the collapse of modernity, examining the novel’s depiction of the Leviathan as a symbol of chaos in the postwar era. By intertwining the biblical myth of the sea-monster with the Ulysses archetype, D’Arrigo’s narrative delves into the apocalyptic consequences of technological and ideological advancements following the World Wars. <em>The Death of the Leviathan</em> traces the evolution of this motif, from Dante’s Ulysses at the threshold, to <em>Moby Dick</em> at its zenith, to the tragic culmination in <em>Horcynus Orca</em>. This dissertation explores how these literary figures reflect the disintegration of 20th-century Europe, capturing the collapse of a world shaped by the unresolved crisis of its own historical and ideological foundations.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Chichi, Anna"],"institution":"The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":"Doctoral","degree_discipline":"Comparative Literature","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Giancarlo Lombardi"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":["Morena Corradi","Bettina Lerner"],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2025-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:59:38Z","subjects":["Comparative Literature","Italian Literature","Horcynus Orca","D'Arrigo","Leviathan","Apocalypse","Modernity"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/6244","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Giancarlo Lombardi"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Morena Corradi","Bettina Lerner"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Chichi, Anna"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2027-04-29T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Comparative Literature"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Doctoral"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Comparative Literature","Italian Literature","Horcynus Orca","D'Arrigo","Leviathan","Apocalypse","Modernity"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/6244"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This dissertation explores Stefano D’Arrigo’s Horcynus Orca (1975) as a literary reflection on the collapse of modernity, examining the novel’s depiction of the Leviathan as a symbol of chaos in the postwar era. By intertwining the biblical myth of the sea-monster with the Ulysses archetype, D’Arrigo’s narrative delves into the apocalyptic consequences of technological and ideological advancements following the World Wars. The Death of the Leviathan traces the evolution of this motif, from Dante’s Ulysses at the threshold, to Moby Dick at its zenith, to the tragic culmination in Horcynus Orca. This dissertation explores how these literary figures reflect the disintegration of 20th-century Europe, capturing the collapse of a world shaped by the unresolved crisis of its own historical and ideological foundations.
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