NEL SALOTTO DELLA SIGNORA VON F. TRE NOVELLE DI PAUL HEYSE: FRAU VON F. (1878), DIE SCHWARZE JAKOBE (1883) E NINON (1900)

The article explores the role of the setting and atmosphere that forms the backdrop to the oral narrative act of three framed novellas by Paul Heyse (1830-1914): Frau von F. (1878), Die schwarze Jakobe (1883) and Ninon (1900). Frau von F.’s living room, both in the Swiss hotel (Frau von F.) and in her Berlin home (Die schwarze Jakobe; Ninon), is as an intimate space that facilitates confessions and reflections. The open French window in Frau von F. connects the inside with the outside, thus creating a contrast with the symbolic closure typical of places where confessions of intimate and personal experiences are staged. The lamp with the green lampshade becomes a recurring element, a symbol of intimacy and a narrative guide, encouraging the transition from emotional tension to narration. In Die schwarze Jakobe, Frau von F. recounts the tragic life of the peasant girl Jakobe in an indoor evening setting, a mirror of her introspection. In Ninon, the scene shifts around a tea table, where the university professor narrates the story of the sculptress Ninon, offering a reflection on the female condition between independence and conformism. The three novellas show how the scenic space, with its theatricality gathered in the word, amplifies the emotional dynamics, transforming the act of telling into a ritual of listening and intimate revelation.