Letteratura Come Vita: An Exploration of Italian Hermetic Poetry and the Power of the Poetic Word

54 pagesLetteratura come vita, or, in English “Literature as life”, was a phrase coined by Italian author Carlo Bo in reference to a growing movement in Italian poetry during the early to mid-twentieth century: Hermeticism. A current begun by World War I veteran and Italian writer Giuseppe Ungaretti, Hermeticism received its name from critics who thought it represented a type of poetry that was “sealed” or “impenetrable”; i.e., difficult to read and interpret due to dismal imagery, unorthodox rhythmic and verse structure, and existentialist themes. This thesis explores the works of three of the (arguably) most influential Italian Hermetic poets: Giuseppe Ungaretti, Eugenio Montale, and Salvatore Quasimodo, with the goal of demonstrating the complexity and variety of the Hermetic movement. The Hermetic poets wrote poetry that wasn’t necessarily “sealed off” to the reader, but that was remarkably personal and self-reflective. It was a poetry that embodied the essence of their lives, and was a testament to the evocative potential of the poetic word