Antonella Caforio

A. Caforio, Life and language of objets. Some anthropological hypothesis Some markings by very well known authors about object-centered love in Western societies and traditional ones have been well brought out in this article. For instance, Margaret Mead’s observations on the issue of the social role of object love teaching in first childhood bringing up have been properly seen into. Besides, Claude Lévi-Strauss’ sharp markings of symbolic object importance in regard to all societies have been looked into to a great extent in the same essay. Key words: objet, western societies, role, symbol, traditional societies.

Festive time has many significant meanings in European traditions: the observation of the cosmos and of cycle of human life, the need for identity and the renewal of the social pact among living individuals. Festive time is therefore a traditional institution in which the community periodically celebrates its desire of unity and happiness.

The article is the result of observation in action during the «Madonna del Monte» feast in Marta, a village on Bolsena Lake. Festival is really spectacular and offers interesting point of views and archaic elements. Its climax is the so-called «Passata», which means that social classes represented in the procession (Knights, Farm labourers, Countrymen and Fishermen) get in the church three times and also means the kiss by the so-called Peace. Feast ends distributing the classic «Ring-shaped bread» to be put on arm among the Passers-by.

According to this article’s authoress, the wedding ceremonial in present-day societies has lost tradition’s fixed pattern, even though it still keeps the competitive element and spectacular point of view. As a matter of fact, in European popular tradition wedding is always considered as a representation and a play with a happy ending. In the article the authoress re-propose to study one of the most spectacular and dramatic form of engagement called Mock bride.