The Late Mattia Pascal (1904) is a tragicomic novel by Luigi Pirandello that explores the theme of personal identity. After a series of misfortunes, including poverty, an unhappy marriage, and the deaths of his mother and child, Mattia Pascal flees his old life. When he's mistakenly declared dead, he seizes the chance to reinvent himself as Adriano Meis. Though initially freeing, his new identity soon becomes a prison, lacking legal recognition and emotional fulfillment. Disillusioned, Mattia fakes Adriano's death to reclaim his old life, only to find there is no place for him in it. He ultimately withdraws from society, reflecting on the absurdities of existence and the fluid nature of identity.
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