The Constraints of Father-Son Relationships

Notable from the very title of the poem before one begins reading its body is the titular shared surname of both the boy and his father “Casabianca.” But the poem never clarifies whether the titular “Casabianca” refers specifically to the boy or his father. This ambiguity leads to an interchangeability between Giocante and his father, a degree of sameness shared between them. They are essentially stripped of their individuality and the uniqueness of their independent inner lives. The title also introduces a hint of irony into a reading of the poem. Associated with surnames such as “Casabianca” is the extension of family lines well into the future, in which generations of fathers pass on the family last name to their son. However, the poem instead follows the destruction of a father-son line of inheritance and the associated demise of the “Casabianca” patrilineal...