Abstract
Abstract The dialogue between antimodernist and Romantic elements in the work of the Italian poet Giacomo Leopardi fueled his thinking on the crucial issue of italianità, or “Italian identity.” Leopardi wanted to protect what was unique and enduring in Italian culture, especially its ancient Roman literary heritage, yet he understood that his divided, chaotic, stagnant country needed renewal and change, a recurring subject in his early patriotic odes. His ideas on Italy in the Discorso sopra lo stato presente dei costumi degl’italiani (Discourse on the Present State of the Customs of the Italians, ca. 1824) and in the “Palinodia al marchese Gino Capponi” (“Recantation for Marchese Gino Capponi,” 1835) are intertwined with his powerful defense of the social function of poetry. Leopardi exploits the aesthetic tensions resulting from the historical rift between ancient and modern literary concerns by brilliantly applying them to the contentious role of an isolated, politically fragmented Italy in an interdependent, internationalist world.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
