Santippe: Small novel between the ancient and the modern

Santippe: Small Novel Between the Ancient and the Modern by Alfredo Panzini is a thought-provoking work that blends historical fiction with philosophical reflection. The novel is set in two contrasting worlds: the ancient Greece of Socrates and the modern early 20th-century Italy. The narrative primarily focuses on Santippe the wife of the philosopher Socrates and explores her life struggles and emotions presenting her not merely as the famous figure in the background of history but as a complex individual in her own right.Through Santippe's experiences Panzini delves into the tensions between ancient values and the evolving ideals of the modern world. The novel contrasts the intellectual world of Socrates with its focus on philosophy and reason against Santippe’s personal challenges her desires for recognition and her internal conflict between her love for Socrates and her own ambitions. The narrative's dual setting one rooted in antiquity and the other in a more contemporary period allows for reflections on the timeless nature of human emotions relationships and societal expectations.