Pretending is a virtue. If you can't pretend, you can't be king

Pretending is a virtue. If you can't pretend, you can't be king

In the world of Luigi Pirandello, the concept of pretending is a central theme that runs through many of his works. Pirandello, an Italian playwright and novelist, is known for his exploration of the complexities of human identity and the masks we wear in society. In his plays, characters often find themselves caught between reality and illusion, struggling to navigate the blurred lines between truth and fiction.

The quote “Pretending is a virtue. If you can't pretend, you can't be king” encapsulates the idea that in order to succeed in life, one must be able to play a role, to put on a facade, to pretend. This notion is particularly relevant in Pirandello’s works, where characters often find themselves trapped in roles that have been imposed upon them by society or by their own desires.

In Pirandello’s most famous play, “Six Characters in Search of an Author,” the characters are literally actors who are pretending to be someone else. They are searching for an author to give them a story, to give them a purpose. The play blurs the lines between reality and fiction, challenging the audience to question the nature of identity and the roles we play in society.