Since the fourteenth century, the commentaries to the "Commedia" consider the ultramundane journey as a "fictio" which transmits a secret truth. The premises for an alternative approach can be found in Vico's word. Vico presents a drastic departure from the theory that sees doctrine as underlying the ancient fables, a widespread theory in humanistic-Renaissance culture and still in circulation in the early eighteenth century. According to Vico the first creators of myths did not want to convey this or that doctrine; rude and incultivated, but endowed wit a lively imagination, they simply recounted imaginary events. So did the ancient poet-theologians; so did Homer. Vico considers Dante similar to Homer in imaginative richness. The Neapolitan philosopher, of course, does not equate biblical prophets to pagan fable writers; nor does he see Dante as a poet-prophet convinced of having received an authentic revelation. But both of these stances will be found in Foscolo, heterodox heir of Vico's approach.
Gli esegeti trecenteschi della Commedia, seguiti dai lettori successivi, pongono il viaggio oltremondano come "fictio" volta a trasmettere una riposta verità. Le premesse per un approccio alternativo si trovano nell'opera di Vico. Affrontando la tesi della dottrina sottesa alle favole antiche - tesi largamente diffusa nella cultura umanistico-rinascimentale e ancora circolante nel primo Settecento - Vico ne opera una drastica contestazione. I primi artefici dei miti non intendevano veicolare questo o quel nucleo dottrinale: rozzi e incolti, ma proprio per questo dotati di una vivace immaginazione, essi aderivano senz'altro alle vicende fantasiose di volta in volta plasmate. Così gli antichissimi poeti-teologi; così Omero. Ora, Vico accosta Dante a Omero per la ricchezza fantastica. Il filosofo napoletano, beninteso, non assimila i profeti biblici ai pagani facitori di favole antiche; né assume Dante come poeta-profeta convinto di aver ricevuto un'autentica rivelazione. Ma ambedue i passaggi si troveranno in Foscolo, erede eterodosso dell'impostazione vichiana.
Verità e finzione. Vico e un problema dantesco
CRISTALDI, Sergio Alfio Maria
2017-01-01
Abstract
Since the fourteenth century, the commentaries to the "Commedia" consider the ultramundane journey as a "fictio" which transmits a secret truth. The premises for an alternative approach can be found in Vico's word. Vico presents a drastic departure from the theory that sees doctrine as underlying the ancient fables, a widespread theory in humanistic-Renaissance culture and still in circulation in the early eighteenth century. According to Vico the first creators of myths did not want to convey this or that doctrine; rude and incultivated, but endowed wit a lively imagination, they simply recounted imaginary events. So did the ancient poet-theologians; so did Homer. Vico considers Dante similar to Homer in imaginative richness. The Neapolitan philosopher, of course, does not equate biblical prophets to pagan fable writers; nor does he see Dante as a poet-prophet convinced of having received an authentic revelation. But both of these stances will be found in Foscolo, heterodox heir of Vico's approach.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
