The Dwarf
“Human beings like to see themselves reflected in clouded mirrors.”
― Pär Lagerkvist, The Dwarf
This was my first Lagerkvist, and what a book it is. I found it unique in my experience and well worth reading again. The title Dwarf, 26 inches high, is set in the court of an Italian city-state during the Renaissance. He is the narrator of the story, clearly obsessed with recording his experience in a diary-like fashion. All in the novel is seen from his own particular point of view, mostly in retrospect, ranging from a few hours or minutes to several weeks or months after the actual events. The dwarf is a thorough misanthropist and generally represents all that is evil. He hates almost everybody at court, except the prince (the ruler of the city-state, more king than prince), or rather, parts of him. He likes war, brutality, and static positions. The dwarf remains unchanged, and almost all the other characters of the novel evolve through the chain of events. From the first page to the last he is still exactly the same character. He is very religious, but his Christianity is the sort that believes in a God who does not forgive. He admires Bernardo’s science, but is soon repelled by its unceasing quest for truth.
It is not in doubt that the setting is not in doubt, as the character called Bernardo, who is clearly based on Leonardo da Vinci appears in the novel, and it is full of political intrigue that is truly Machiavellian. The exact locations are unclear, but in addition, it is considered his most important novel and the most artistically innovative. If you are interested in Renaissance history or Machiavelli's politics, you will definitely find this novel a great read.
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