The Power and Fragility of the Domus

The thing that stood out to me the most when reading these two excerpts was the constant reference of the domus and how it connected to other topics. In each excerpt, Orsi picks one major topic to explore: the first being the role of women and the second being the significance of la Madonna herself. Each section described these topics in great depth, yet both revealed just how powerful yet fragile the domus can be.

For instance, women in Italian Harlem were seemingly subservient and were “dominated by men”. This was somewhat true in the sense of public persona as well as in the strict upbringing and pressure women experience to get married. However, once a woman managed to reach her pinnacle of being married having children, they became the sheltered and secret center of the domus. Ultimately, it was the woman who had total control of whether or not the domus would thrive. The domus was dependent upon the ability to maintain and respect traditional Italian views and cultures, and the woman of the household was believed to be the only one with such authority to make sure these values were instilled in the posterity.

Connections to the domus are also seen in the discussion of the festa for la Madonna as well. La Madonna was seen as a “beacon of light” for many Italian immigrants who would pray to her for all sorts of miracles. For the actual festival, the most important thing was true devotion to la Madonna. What did this devotion serve? Well, for one thing, it helped to ease immigrant guilt for leaving home, it helped to maintain some spiritual ties with Italy, and a sense of community was felt during the ceremony. Members of the domus were brought together during the festa, once again highlighting the importance of community.

We can draw from these two excerpts that the preservation and veneration of the domus had a significant impact on Italian-American culture. It had the power to affect gender roles and to bond a community together, and it had the influence to instill certain values and morals to future generations. However, there was always a constant threat to the domus both from the world outside Italian Harlem and the physical distance from Italy (distance was a common problem and struggle immigrants dealt with, according to Orsi). The only way the domus could truly survive would have to be through devotion to common icons/community festivals (la Madonna) and through the power to sustain traditional Italian beliefs, which women exuded.

-Cassandra Price