“Fra questi sí e no son di parer contrario”: Affermazione di sé e nome d’arte nella Marchesa Colombi

By choosing her nom de plume, taken from the homonymous character in the play La satira e Parini (1856) by Paolo Ferrari, Marchesa Colombi explicitly takes up a stance of ambiguity which aims to avoid limiting social expectations. Whereas this ambiguity endorses her use of irony, her  presentation of herself as an ultra-centenarian gives her writing authority and wisdom. The latter allows the author to assert the authentic values of the feminine as well as her own individual personality both as a woman and a writer. This is perceived as a prerequisite leading to the emergence of the so-called “donna nuova”.