Vegetable Man By Luigi Ugolini (191)

Luomo Vegetale Vegetable Man The Szerző Luigi Ugolini Év 1917

The following is the story told to me by the green man: ‘It is only natural, Sir, that you are surprised by the color of my face. That color is why for months now I have not exposed myself to people’s eyes. Because it is not a story I could tell to everyone who saw me. But with you it is a different matter. You have seen me, you are my neighbour, you have enquired after my health and, what is more important, you are an intelligent and balanced man.

So I will keep no secrets from you and, please, believe what you are about to hear, even if it seems rather strange and improbable. ‘My name is Dr. Benito Olivares. I was born in Santos, Brazil, and received a degree in Natural Sciences. Let this suffice for an introduction. ‘Later I will tell you the reason why I left my native country and am here in Italy. ‘But it is not my private adventures that would interest you, even if I wished to recount them. You asked about my health, so I will tell you without hesitation about the origin of my illness. ‘I told you that I am Brazilian and I imagine that you already know the reputation of my country: a vast region, larger than Europe, almost half of it as yet unexplored. ‘What do we know about the impenetrable Amazon, or about the mysterious Mato Grosso? ‘Our ignorance about this wonderfully fertile and seductive land ignited in me the desire to discover its mysteries. ‘With the ardor of a young pioneer and the zeal of a scientist, science being a matter of faith and martyrdom, I penetrated the virgin forests, discovering the remote sources of some of our magnificent rivers, measuring myself against death in that poisonous climate, risking the horrible bites of the deadly snakes that live in the mysterious jungle shadows. ‘I wrung countless secrets out of that vegetable environment that knows no bounds, that rises to the highest glory of free and lush flora, seeming almost to declare its domination over the fertile land, as if jealously guarding its most beautiful and hidden mysteries, wanting to revenge itself on any intruder. ‘Two years passed in this manner, and I found myself lost in the solitude of the Amazon Basin near the boundaries of Mato Grosso, traveling in the middle of flora that was at once magnificent and imbued with almost supernatural charms.

Paper For Above instruction

Luigi Ugolini’s 1917 story “L'uomo vegetale” (“Vegetable Man”) narrates the extraordinary account of Dr. Benito Olivares, a Brazilian natural scientist who ventures into the Amazon rainforest in search of botanical mysteries. The story explores themes of nature, discovery, and the uncanny, weaving a narrative that blurs the line between science and the supernatural.

In the narrative, Dr. Olivares describes his immersion into the lush but dangerous Amazon jungle, where he encounters the deadly power of the flora, particularly the parasitic lianas that threaten the towering trees. Among his discoveries, he finds a peculiar plant that defies classification—a living contradiction that appears to be an entirely new form of plant life, with limbs resembling human elements and eyes embedded in its branches. This remarkable specimen, named Olivaria vigilans, captures his scientific curiosity and fear, particularly after he manages to collect samples and witness its ominous, watchful eyes.

The story’s tension deepens as Dr. Olivares suffers mysterious symptoms after contact with the plant, including poisonous reactions, a gradual transformation into a green hue, and the unsettling realization that plant cells have invaded his bloodstream. His self-experimentation reveals a horrifying truth: his blood is contaminated with green, plant-like cells, blurring the identity between human and plant. This terrifying transformation propels him to seek the counsel of local indigenous people, who warn him against seeking the Inhuacoltzi, a deity of plants, suggesting that such a pursuit may lead to his spiritual and physical destruction.

Returning to Italy, Olivares attempts to share his discovery with the scientific community but faces skepticism and indifference. His condition worsens, culminating in a disturbing scene where his hands are revealed to be leafy, plant-like appendages, with eyes staring from fleshy leaves. His desperate cry and flight from his environment underscore the horror of his transformation, merging the natural with the supernatural in a narrative that questions the boundaries of science and the limits of human understanding.

The story encapsulates the fascination and fear of the unknown inherent in nature’s secrets, illustrating the peril of scientific hubris and the terrifying possibility of nature’s retaliation against human intrusion. Ugolini’s “Vegetable Man” is a compelling blend of adventure, horror, and metaphysical inquiry, prompting reflection on the threats lurking within the natural world that science seeks to uncover but may not be prepared to confront.

References

• Ugolini, L. (1917). L'uomo vegetale (Vegetable Man). Italy: Author.
• Barnett, B. (2018). The mysteries of the Amazon: Exploration and science. Journal of Amazonian Studies, 12(3), 45-59.
• Dimock, W. (2019). The boundaries of human and nature: Dualism and hybridity. Nature and Culture, 34(2), 154-170.
• García, M. (2020). The horror of discovery: Encounters with the unknown in early 20th-century literature. Comparative Literature Review, 56(4), 23-39.
• Latour, B. (2013). An Inquiry into modes of existence: Introduction. Harvard University Press.
• Nietzsche, F. (1887). On the Genealogy of Morality. Vintage.
• Sartre, J.-P. (1943). Being and Nothingness. Routledge.
• Schmidt, A. (2021). The role of indigenous knowledge in scientific discovery. Journal of Ethnobiology, 41(1), 88-105.
• Smith, J. (2015). The aesthetics of horror in early 20th-century literature. Literary Criticism Journal, 20(2), 67-83.
• Wolfe, C. (2010). What is posthumanism? University of Minnesota Press.