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Eureka Street

In: English and Literature

Submitted By margy
Words 775
Pages 4
Loving the city in Robert Mc Liam Wilson, Eureka Street (1996) – ch 10

Nel 1996 Robert Mcliam Wilson pubblica Eureka street, romanzo rilevante per la comprensione della situazione irlandese e soprattutto un ritratto della vita degli irlandesi nella città di Belfast. Amori, passioni, tragedie ma anche gesti della vita quotidiana vengono raccontati e il lettore si trova catapultato in quel mondo, in quello spazio geografico caratterizzato da una profonda divisione interna per cui si combatte ancora oggi. Belfast è divisa al suo interno tra protestanti e cattolici e la popolazione deve rispettare dei confini.
Tutto il romanzo ruota intorno a questa città ma è nel capitolo 10 che ne troviamo i riferimenti più espliciti, toccanti, taglienti e appassionati: “La città palpita” è scritto, “come se respirasse”. Una città descritta come fosse un essere umano, che vive ama e soffre, che viene oltraggiata, umiliata ma anche amata. Una città violata, colma di sigle e acronimi su ogni muro: IRA, INLA, UVF, UFF, OAG, gli abitanti della città ne vedono decine ogni giorno, come fosse un nodo nel fazzoletto per ricordare che vi è una divisione e che vi sono gruppi che combattono l’uno contro l’altro cercando di affermarsi e imporsi.
Sigle, incontri religiosi e bandiere: simboli della divisione. Mazzi di fiori sparsi per le strade: simbolo delle conseguenze, delle tragedie, delle vite strappate a causa di un conflitto che è più un’eredità piuttosto che una scelta. Cattolici e protestanti hanno sviluppato gli stessi modelli di vita, hanno le stesse abitudini, perché combattono? Per qualcosa deciso nel passato che credono sia immodificabile e più grande di loro. Non si occupano di fatti politici, problematiche istituzionali, è la religione che provoca/ha provocato la divisione. Ma si tratta effettivamente di una guerra senza senso. Mcliam scrive una cosa importante: non è la politica ne la religione ciò che porta avanti la divisione ma il denaro. Quartieri ricchi e quartieri poveri, gente che sta meglio e gente che sta peggio. Tuttavia sia il motivo religioso politico o economico, tutto ciò deve essere superato. La città deve essere curata, deve guarire, deve liberarsi da questa malattia che è la divisione e che la frantuma.
Un fattore importante in questo capitolo è la notte. Di notte la città sembra “un insieme organico, un tutto unico”. Quando tutti dormono la città si ricompone, le lacerazioni giornaliere si ricuciono e finalmente può respirare e raccontare storie: le storie dei suoi abitanti, delle persone che vi combattono ogni giorno, che vivono di e per questo spazio, per questa terra. È come un testo, su cui le persone tracciano il proprio passaggio, il proprio inizio e la propria fine, più o meno drammatica. Vite che tentano di vivere una vita normale, di recuperare ogni giorno un po’ di quotidianità, che hanno creato uno scudo intorno a sé abituandosi agli attacchi terroristici, alle bombe, alle perdite. Di notte la città sussurra questi racconti per le orecchie sensibili e capaci di ascoltarli. Per non dimenticare il passato che ha portato all’odierna situazione e le vittime che ne sono state coinvolte per scelta o per circostanza.
Le vite degli abitanti di Belfast sono aggrappate a tutto ciò, sono legate da un amore incontrastabile per la loro città, è il loro centro ed ogni mattina si preparano ad affrontare quello che verrà.
Tuttavia la descrizione colma d’amore di Mcliam non è la descrizione di una città per turisti, è troppo pericolosa, sarebbe difficile e incomprensibile per una persona proveniente da altri stati viverci non essendo abituati ad affrontare la violenza. Non sarebbero in grado di ascoltare la voce notturna e le grida giornaliere che Belfast emette. Qui non ci si può fotografare sorridenti davanti a un bel monumento e racchiudersi in un album, la sua storia non lo permette la città va compresa.
Questo capitolo non è collocato casualmente nella struttura del romanzo. Descrizione di amore e terrore per Belfast precede il capitolo più tragico, con la narrazione di un attacco terroristico, di un’esplosione. Il tentativo di ritrarre la quotidianità delle persone viene interrotto dall’attacco che rompe tutto ciò e che sconvolge.
Il decimo capitolo del romanzo ci trasmette tutto ciò e ci porta a riflettere. L’amore per la propria terra viene sottovalutato in situazioni di pace, leggendo queste pagine il lettore può domandarsi per quale motivo gli abitanti non si trasferiscono, non cambiano paese, nazione. Perché non scappano dall’incertezza di una vita in bilico tra vita e morte, dominata dalla casualità, dal chiedersi quando e dove si manifesterà il prossimo attacco terroristico. Non possono. Non gli è permesso allontanarsi a causa di un amore troppo forte. La città come vita umana, come romanzo, come madre, come casa.

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