Leopardi and the Zibaldone
Giacomo Leopardi (1798-1837) was an Italian poet and considered one of Europe's most important 19th century intellectuals. Harold Bloom recognised Leopardi as being on par with philosophers such as Nietzsche and Benjamin. The Zibaldone di pensieri (also known as a 'hotchpotch of thoughts') was an anthology of the poet's writings, which the Italian government published in 1898 and republished in 1937. This work was of outstanding importance in repositioning his cultural profile at both national and international levels. The EU-funded project RECEP-ZIONE (A resilient legacy: Giacomo Leopardi's Zibaldone di pensieri) aimed to assess the impact of the Zibaldone in terms of the cultural canon. Methodology comprised an analysis of the interpretation from three leading literary critics of the Zibaldone. Project researchers considered factors responsible for resurgent interest in the publication since 1987, which marked the 150th anniversary of the poet's death. Three distinct periods, selected through literary criticism, were used to study the reception of Leopardi's work, giving insight into how criticism evolved. The study investigated the extent to which the combination of historico-political factors, technological advances and new modes of thinking affected the interpretation of the author. Events such as the establishment of quantum mechanics changed the interpretation of Leopardi's work. Furthermore, interest was shown for Leopardi's scientific work on his anti-anthropocentric position and his sympathy for the world of animals and plants. Project researchers studied the effects of the first complete English translation of the Zibaldone in 2013 and the release in 2014 of a film on Leopardi's life. These developments were revealing of the evolution, over the last 40 years, of Leopardi's philosophical stand, but also a validation of his position on capitalism. The project produced conference papers and a significant number of publications. Additionally, the study won a book contract for a monograph to be published in 2016. RECEP-ZIONE contributed a renewed understanding of Leopardi's cultural importance, combined with new theories explaining such dynamics. The work also helped prepare for an upcoming German translation, and recognition of the debt modern German philosophers owe Leopardi.
Keywords
Zibaldone, Giacomo Leopardi, RECEP-ZIONE, literary criticism
