摘要
Emotions have long been considered by philosophers as a fundamental element to understand human thought and existence in general. This present study examines how Roberto Rossellini＇s early neorealist films, Rome, Open City （1945） and Paisan （1946）, utilize the emotion of compassion to examine the social and historical significance of women in the postwar Italy. Furthermore, it also focuses on the role of the female protagonists and the compassionate responses they suggest to clarify their position in society. In fact, by depicting the female protagonists as modest dissenter that attempt to perform traditional domestic roles, the director proposes a unique perspective on the conditions and social involvement of women in Italy during that time. Additionally, this study will propose interesting observations on the emotion of compassion itself, and its mechanisms that produce an image of idealized womanhood.
