Abstract
Carmelo Psaila (1871–1961), officially known as Dun Karm, has been acknowledged as Malta's national poet long before his death. He embodies the close relationship prevailing for long centuries between Italian culture and Maltese Literature. This essay seeks to unearth the basic characteristics of Dun Karm's poetry, in both Italian and Maltese, in the light of the Italian tradition, ranging from Dante to Monti and Manzoni. His initial identity is neoclassical, and as he moves ahead and gets more aware of his own environment, he assumes an ever growing romantic character. Various aspects of his style (vocabulary, rhythmic patterns, grammatical nuances) and metaphorical language show that there is a profound continuity between his writings in Italian and the subsequent ones in his own native tongue. Through a comparative analysis of his more typical poems, and with specific reference to Vincenzo Monti and Alessando Manzoni, the cultural personality of Dun Karm is identified and illustrated with numerous examples.
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