Il fu Mattia Pascal

The novel has been adapted into several films, most notably a 1985 Italian version directed by Mario Monicelli and a 1937 production directed by Pierre Chenal.

This novel is widely considered the first major exploration of the theme of the mask in Pirandello's writing, a concept he would later develop extensively in his subsequent plays and novels.

Pirandello wrote the novel during a period of severe personal and financial distress following the bankruptcy of his father's business and the subsequent mental health decline of his wife.