The name game part 1

Blogging on lighter topics is probably a good idea. So here are some thoughts on the names used in The Sopranos. (I’d appreciate correction on any translation or other errors I may have made.)

Soprano is not a common surname, but it is a common noun. In music the Soprano voice carries the melody and thus becomes the center of attention. In many styles of music, the other voices follow the lead of the Soprano part, offering either harmonious support or jarring dissonance. The concept of “singing” or maintaining appropriate silence comes up often.

The first character we meet is Anthony “Tony” Soprano. Anthony is a common Italian Christian name, though it has pre-Christian origins. The first famous Italian Ant[h]ony was one of the last figures of pre-Imperial Rome, who was involved in great intrigues and many battles, though things didn’t work out so well for him in the end. The character is rarely referred to by his full name, but usually as “Tony”, which is both a name and an adjective. Tony can be somewhat tony, certainly when compared with his associates or with his predecessors in office.

Tony’s mother (Livia Blundetto Soprano) was a prominent character early on and her shadow still looms large. The most famous Livia was a major figure in the first intrigues of Imperial Rome. History and fiction have recorded the earlier Livia as a schemer, which was certainly true for the later one in Season One. The maiden name suggests bluntness, which Livia possessed in abundance. Livia was the widow of Giovanni “Johnny Boy” Soprano. John is the most common of names. The nickname “Johnny Boy” seems to be an irreverent retrospective riff on “John Boy” Walton of ”The Waltons” – as different a family from this one as can be.

In Season One, Livia schemed with her brother-in-law Corrado Soprano, Jr., better known to Tony by the somewhat contradictory name Uncle Junior and to others simply as Junior or Jun – despite his being the oldest of the characters. This elderly bachelor remains childish even as he is going senile. ‘Cor’ signifies the heart (as in the famous saying cor ad cor loquitor or heart speaks to heart), but to an English speaker, there’s also a suggestion of corrosion. This is fitting as the very heart of this family is rotten.

All of the aforementioned have some relationship to the family’s participation in organized crime, particularly in the di Meo (“my”) family of La Cosa Nostra (“this thing of ours”). The earlier boss of the family, Ercoli di Meo, was sent up over a decade ago. The first name is a form of “Hercules” – a figure of legendary strength recalling Tony’s idolization of the now-invisible Gary Cooper type.

Tony has two sisters: Janice and Barbara. Janice’s name recalls Rome’s two-faced Janus. Much of the time Janice displays her mother’s vicious demeanor, but on occasion she can present a different face. The name Barbara is related to the word barbarian and Barbara, who has no ties to the family business, is a stranger to that society.

Tony married Carmela De Angelis. Carmela is an unusual name calling to mind both sweetness (a la caramel) and faith (as in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel) – the latter underscored by a name that invokes angels. Fittingly she is the only major character on the show that is religious.

One of the most poignant moments on the show was the execution of Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero. He had been an informant and was ultimately found out. Salvatore means savior. Bonpensiero could be translated as “good thought”. He was saved by good thoughts a few times. First the FBI gave him the chance to be an informant rather than going to prison. Then Tony’s trust in him saved him, but only for a while. The official story on “Big Pussy” is that he had started out as a cat-burglar (which is a pretty funny thought). Of course he turned out to be too much of a big pussy (as in coward) to either face his prison time or turn over completely to the feds.

One of the longest-serving of Tony’s associates is Peter Paul “Paulie Walnuts” Gualtieri. The official nickname story is that Paulie hijacked a truck that he thought contained electronic equipment only to find it full of walnuts. The surname is similar – though not identical – to that of the Argentine strongman who started the Falklands War. Paulie is pugnacious and tends to act without considering the potential downside risk.

TS’ closest advisor is Silvio Dante. Dante is an obvious allusion. The name Silvio (related to Silvanus a forest god akin to Pan) qualifies this. Sil is like Dante before the trip to hell. The more Sil gets involved, the more likely for all hell to break loose. Sil’s association with the Bada Bing also plays on his having a name related to Pan.

Tony’s cousin (though he calls him a nephew) Christopher Moltisanti is an interesting case. Moltisanti roughly translates as “many saints”. He must have many saints interceding for him as he seems to have more lives than the proverbial cat and not much more intellect. Christopher’s late finacee Adrianna La Cerva (“the deer”) had the skittishness and grace of a deer, was treated like prey and ultimately died hunted in the woods.

Tony’s new brother-in-law Bobby “Bacala” Baccalieri has a long association with the family. The nickname plays off the last name with the name of a food, fittingly for this pudgy man. The name also calls to mind the baccalaureate. Bobby has to step up to adult responsibilities.

More to come . . .

Redaction (not retraction)

I've pulled the last two posts as (1) they apparently weren't as clear as I had hoped and (2) some doubt has been cast on one underlying item I took as fact - a bishop's actual knowledge that one of his parishes was encouraging grave sin.

I'm hoping to ensure that the appropriate ecclesiastical authorities are made aware of the situation I had mentioned.

Herr Naus points out “Creative Fidelity”, which appears to be the ecclesiastical equivalent of ”Open Marriage”.

TSO raises a great point: “one of the good things about my not really knowing my priest's (or Pope's) sins is that their behavior doesn't get in the way of their preaching”. I hadn’t thought of it in that stark of terms, but I’ve recently seen the flip side of that coin.

Just sayin'

If folks like this, this and this are the B team, I shudder to think what letter (let alone how many) would represent me.