Riflessioni sulla strategia comunicativa di Gregorio Magno agiografo

The article investigates some aspects of the communication strategy displayed by Gregory the Great in his Dialogues. As for this strategy, two aspects can be highlighted in the narrative construction: the first one is the dialogue among Gregory and Peter; the second one is the (suggested) presence of witnesses of the narrated miracles. The former aspect is mainly aimed at explaining extraordinary events – lacking in rational explanation – by means of doctrinal issues, and is addressed to clergymen and monks (the principal recipients of the work). The second aspect allows the author to use the simple language of oral tradition and to stage situations drawn from everyday life. In this way, the hagiographic account can also be understood and believed by recipients belonging to a lower social and cultural setting