Martin Eden

So the world is stronger than me.

Against it's power I have nothing but myself,

which, in any case, is quite something.

For as long as I don't let myself get overwhelmed, I am also a force.

And my force is fearsome as long as I have the power of my words

to counter that of the world.

Those who build prisons

don't express themselves as well as those who build freedom.

He's handsome, isn't he?

- He must be popular with girls. - Very.

All right, girls, now it's your turn to ask the men to dance!

Ask him to dance.

- Should I? - Go!

What are you doing?

- Leave him alone. - Mind your fucking business!

My fucking business...

Do you want me to get you?

- Motherfucker! - Move it.

Are you sure I can come in?

Don't worry, my parents are open-minded.

I was looking at this painting. From a distance it's beautiful.

But close-up you only see stains.

It's an illusion.

I'm Elena Orsini.

Martin Eden.

You were very courageous, Mister Eden.

Anyone would have done it.

Before I was reading this.

- "Bau-de-laire". - Baudelaire.

- Baudelaire. - Correct.

Is he alive?

Do you think he's alive?

Is he French?

- Sure. - It's written in French.

I can speak French, too.

- Can you? - Yes.

"Hi!"

- My name is "Marteen". - "My name is Martin."

"Martin" sounds more French.

My name is Elena.

Nice to meet you.

My pleasure.

Do you like Baudelaire?

Yeah.

I was Skimming through it. He's better than the others.

This is his masterpiece.

Many of his poems are a little... bold.

Bold? Well, so am I.

So are you.

Good.

Elena, dear?

Matilde...

I'd like to introduce you to Mr Eden.

Mr Eden, she's my mother.

- Nice to meet you. - How can I thank you for Arturo?

Please have lunch with us.

- Do you travel much Mr Eden? - I started when I was young.

How old were you when you started traveling?

I was eleven.

What's that scar? How did you get it?

This one?

Awretch did it to me.

Now he walks with a limp!

You should have seen how he punched out that security guard.

A big man with a mean face.

The government should spend more on education. Don't you agree Mr Eden?

I believe that if this is education

and the sauce is poverty,

if you use education...

poverty disappears.

Excuse me. I just wanted to mop up the sauce.

It's so good.

- You are very likeable, Mr Eden. - Thank you.

So are you.

I hope you were not bored.

Bored?

It was the best day of my life. It really was.

I'm not used to this. It's all new to me.

Goodbye.

- Hi, Martin. - Hi, Mariano.

How are you?

Bring out the water!

- Hi, uncle. - Hi, uncle.

What's up, Martin?

Tonight you look like you're in love.

Tomorrow you have to come and work with me.

That jerk Nirone is out sick yet again.

I've got things to do. I can't come.

Giulia, did you hear him?

He's just taking advantage of us.

He pays when he feels like it, he comes and goes.

What's that book?

Do you even know how to open a book?

Bring some money home, not books!

- Did you understand? - Leave him be.

Don't you dare interrupt me when I'm talking to your brother!

- He hasn't paid this month's rent. - He will.

Yeah, sure! I can't stand him!

SPLEEN AND IDEAL

One more Scare like this and I'll end up in hospital.

How much?

How many? Two, four, six, eight, ten.

10,000 lira.

- 3,000 lira. - These are good books. 10,000 lira.

He knows they're good.

You're always interfering!

You and your stinky cigarette!

OK, take them.

You're always interfering.

I started reading.

I read everything that I can with a hunger to read, to learn.

I decided that I want to be like you.

Speak like you, think like you...

But how can I do this?

- If you could show me, could tell me... - "If you showed me."

"If you told me."

Mr Eden, what you need is an education.

All you have to do is to go back to school.

When did you stop studying?

- Ln the last year of primary school. - You should start from there and study.

I see you've got the intelligence.

You need money to study.

I'm Sure that your family would not ignore

such an important objective.

I guess I'll have to study off my own back.

I'll have to walk down the path of education.

If you told me... If you showed me how...

Just study hard.

Let me lend you a good grammar book.

Thank you.

On the Nunziatina I'll have time to study.

Elena.

- Father! - How are you?

I'm fine. This is Mr Eden.

Nice to meet you.

I suppose I must be the last person to thank you

for the help you gave to Arturo.

Then this must be the last time I say, "You're welcome."

Mr Eden seems to me to be a very capable young man.

He is.

Let's go look for the grammar book.

I didn't want to interrupt you.

- We must be going. - Sure.

Goodbye.

Dear Elena, The ship's engine was severely damaged.

We were forced to dock at the port of Genoa.

The ship owner decided to reduce the crew

so my contract was terminated.

Back in Naples, l immediately began to look for a job.

Eventually, thanks to my dear friend Nino,

I've been hired by a foundty.

Anyway,

I want to tell you about my incessant march through the kingdom of knowledge.

I read! I read like an insatiable fisherman.

I note down new words. I turn them into my friends.

I hang out with them.

Where possible, I use them to describe the phenomena that I see.

You'll find attached to this letter

some poems I wrote to do further practice.

Don't judge them too harshly.

It's just wordplay,

but I hope they'll make you proud of your now distant disciple.

As soon as I return I will tell you about an idea,

regarding my future life,

that is lighting up my thoughts.

Is it too hard, my child?

You're here to work,

not to twiddle your fucking thumbs.

Dear Mr Eden,

Thank you for your letter. I was very happy to receive it.

I'm very well.

Life goes on. I spend boring days studying.

I have read your poems with great interest.

I find them an example of diligence and proof of your dedication.

However, I don't know how to pass artistic judgment

because the argument of your verses is far removed from my experience,

but I know that everything that you write is true

and that you have seen it with your eyes.

Oh, Martin.

This place is a shithole.

We work hard all day long.

They treat us like shit.

I drink my pay.

There are no women around. Hand-jobs only.

One more week.

- Then we go back to Naples. - Naples?

Nobody's waiting for me in Naples.

Where am I supposed to go?

I'm better off homeless.

Better a live tramp than a dead slave.

- What? - We need to rest.

- What's going on? - It's nothing.

- I need a rest! - What the fuck are you doing?

You pissed me off!

- Is it too much for you? - You pissed me off!

- You pissed me off! - Then quit!

- You're picking on me! - Stop it!

I'll smash your head in!

- You pissed me off! I'm through with this. - Get out!

- I've had enough! - Both of you.