ABSTRACT
In his autobiographical novel “Uomini e No,” the prominent Italian writer Elio Vittorini describes the leader of a group of anti-fascist resistance fighters operating underground in occupied Milan. Vittorini details how his protagonist owes the brave and successful execution of terrorist actions, serving high political ideals, to his death wish. An unhappy love affair has severely shaken his self-esteem, and he wishes to die. However, as suicide would rob him of the last remnant of his self-respect, he recklessly fights his people’s oppressors in the hope that he will be killed by them; thus his active feats will be rewarded by the satisfaction of his passive death wish.
