ABSTRACT

This chapter offers a preliminary analysis of Corpo di Stato, an example of theatrical representation of the Aldo Moro case in the form that is called 'tragic palinode'. It identifies two divergent cultural configurations of the Moro case — namely, the mystery story, or giallo, and the tragic palinode. The mystery story includes the many readings of the event spanning from the crime story to the conspiracy plot, while the tragic palinode centres on the retraction and sense of guilt of the protagonists of the anni di piombo. In this emplotment, the tone of retraction characteristic of the palinode is intertwined with the tragic mode and emphasizes the tension between controversial interpretations of good and evil. The chapter argues that over the years the victimization of Aldo Moro, dramaturgic nucleus of the monologue, has changed from a scapegoat rite to a collective assumption of responsibility.