Zeno's Conscience - Svevo

Zenos Conscience is a novel presented as the fictional autobiography of Zeno Cosini, an unreliable narrator who recounts his life story to his psychoanalyst. The novel is structured around Zenos attempts to quit smoking, his relationships with his father and wife, his business ventures, and his extramarital affairs.

Svevo employs a stream-of-consciousness technique to delve into Zenos psyche, revealing his self-deceptions, rationalizations, and contradictions. Zenos reflections on his life are marked by irony and humor, and his unreliable narration adds layers of complexity to the story.

One of the central themes of Zenos Conscience is the exploration of human irrationality and self-delusion. Zenos repeated failures to quit smoking serve as a metaphor for his broader inability to control his impulses and understand his true motivations. Svevos portrayal of Zenos inner life anticipates many of the themes and techniques later associated with psychoanalysis and modernist literature.

The novel also reflects Svevos interest in the emerging field of psychoanalysis, influenced by his reading of Sigmund Freuds works. Svevos depiction of Zenos sessions with his psychoanalyst serves as a vehicle for exploring the complexities of human consciousness and the limitations of self-knowledge.