Vol 9 Nr 2 (2025)

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts

Issue 9, Nr. 2 – 2025

Bibliothèque de l’OProM
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www.tcla-journal.eu | info(at)tcla-journal.eu

Cover Image: Graphic reinterpretation of the painting Dante and Virgil carried by Geryon by Roberto Bompiani, 1893, Accademia di San Luca.

Archiving and Accessibility Statement

Full Issue DOI: 10.55456/20241

The full PDF of this issue is archived and accessible here, on our official website.

Individual articles are also deposited in Zenodo and linked to the respective authors’ ORCID IDs to ensure persistent metadata, secure archiving, and academic attribution.

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Table of Contents

PART I – DANTE STUDIES

Title: Beatrice dopo Harold Bloom: riflessioni su un personaggio dantesco

pp. 8–20
Author: Alberto Casadei, Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa (ORCID 0000-0003-1654-9711)

Abstract: Beatrice after Harold Bloom: Reflections on a Dantean Character This article revisits the figure of Beatrice in Dante Alighieri’s works through the critical framework proposed by Harold Bloom. It explores how Bloom’s concepts of the Western Canon and his theory of the “anxiety of influence” provide new insights into the literary portrayal and symbolic significance of Beatrice, particularly in the Divine Comedy. The analysis examines Beatrice’s function as both a theological guide and a poetic construct, considering how her character has been reinterpreted across different critical traditions. Through close reading of selected passages from Dante’s texts, the study highlights the nuanced transformation of Beatrice’s image from historical personage to metaphysical symbol. The article also discusses the reception of Beatrice in modern literary criticism and how Bloom’s perspective adds complexity to her role within Dante’s narrative architecture. By integrating Bloom’s ideas with contemporary Dante scholarship, the study proposes a renewed understanding of Beatrice’s enduring cultural and literary relevance.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15878838

Title: La dolce sapienza di Virgilio: un modello di pedagogia immaginale

pp. 21–44

Author: Mirco Cittadini, ISFiDa (ORCID: 0009-0009-2201-8352)

Abstract: The Sweet Wisdom of Virgil: A Model of Imaginal Pedagogy

A study on Virgil’s pedagogical role in the Divine Comedy, highlighting how his wisdom represents an imaginative model of guidance and intellectual enlightenment for Dante.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI:10.5281/zenodo.15878929

Title: Da Beatrice a Violet: ascensioni mistiche nel Paradiso XXIII e ne Il Mistero del Poeta di Fogazzaro

pp. 45–58

Author: Stefano Evangelista

Abstract: From Beatrice to Violet: Mystical Ascensions in Paradiso XXIII and in Fogazzaro’s Il Mistero del Poeta
A comparative analysis tracing mystical ascension motifs from Dante’s Paradiso XXIII to Fogazzaro’s novel Il Mistero del Poeta, focusing on the transformation of feminine spiritual symbols.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15879006

Title: Gli scandali della Commedia: tessere virgiliane nei canti dell’Antipurgatorio

pp. 59–72

Author: Simone Marchesi, Princeton University (ORCID: 0000-0001-7130-9740)

Abstract: The Scandals of the Comedy: Virgilian Motifs in the Antipurgatory

This article examines Virgilian echoes and narrative motifs in the Antipurgatory cantos of Dante’s Divine Comedy, exploring their role in highlighting complex and controversial theological and narrative themes. The study investigates two forms of intertextual interference between the Commedia and specific Virgilian antecedents that appear potentially interconnected. On one hand, it analyzes a precise intertextual intersection—an allusion, relatively transparent yet not commonly discussed, to a passage from Book IV of the Aeneid found in Purgatorio VI. On the other hand, it focuses on a specific narrative segment, namely the opening cantos of Purgatorio, where a constellation of Virgilian elements triggers broader resonances. In cantos III to VI, Dante introduces a diverse array of poetic-narrative “objects” and theological-metaphysical themes, filtered through a coherent Virgilian subtext. These include the question of the efficacy of prayers for the status of souls after death (Purgatorio VI), the exploration of burial rites concerning both Virgil himself and Manfred in Purgatorio III, and broader reflections on the relationship between soul and body in the afterlife, particularly evident in Purgatorio V. By invoking these vital issues from the Aeneid, Dante taps into the profound hermeneutic potential contained in specific Virgilian passages and their intricate networks of intertextual references.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15879050

Title: Virgilio nell’ideazione della Commedia
pp. 73–81

Author : Raffaele Pinto, University of Barcelona (ORCID 0009-0000-6295-3446)

Abstract: Virgil in the Conception of the Comedy

This contribution analyses Virgil’s intellectual and poetic influence on Dante’s conception of the Divine Comedy, reflecting on his function as both a character and an ideological model.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15879110

Title: «Se questa donna sapesse la mia condizione, […] molta pietade le ne verrebbe». Beatrice impietosa/pietosa tra Vita Nova e Commedia

pp. 82–93

Author : Annarita Placella

Abstract: “If this lady knew my condition… pity would surely come upon her.” Beatrice Pitiless/Pitiful between Vita Nova and Comedy

A discussion of Beatrice’s character between Vita Nova and the Divine Comedy, exploring her dual representation as merciful and distant, and its implications for Dante’s poetic vision.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15879178

Title: Dante-Orfeo, Virgilio-Euridice: ancora su musica e sguardo nella Commedia

pp. 94–101
Author : Carla Rossi, Chair ISFiDa (ORCID: 0000-0001-6557-3684)

Abstract: Dante-Orpheus, Virgil-Eurydice: Further Notes on Music and Gaze in the Comedy
The essay draws parallels between Dante’s narrative and classical myths of Orpheus and Eurydice, with particular attention to themes of music, gaze, and narrative structure.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15870903

Title: Virgilio e la dimensione del tempo nella Commedia

pp. 102–113
Author : Roberto Talamo, Università Telematica Pegaso (ORCID: 0000-0002-1602-2939)

Abstract: Virgil and the Dimension of Time in the Comedy

This article explores Virgil’s multifaceted role in shaping the perception and literary representation of time within Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy. It examines how Virgil functions not merely as a guide through the realms of the afterlife but also as a narrative and philosophical instrument through which Dante interrogates concepts of temporality, history, and eternity. Particular attention is given to the way Virgilian episodes and textual reminiscences influence Dante’s construction of temporal frameworks, including distinctions between earthly time, eschatological time, and the timelessness of the divine. The study investigates both explicit and subtle intertextual references to Virgil’s works, especially the Aeneid, revealing how Dante adapts classical notions of time to serve Christian theological purposes. Additionally, it considers how Virgil’s personal narrative as a pagan soul denied eternal salvation adds further complexity to the temporal and metaphysical discourse of the poem. By analyzing key passages and thematic structures, the article illuminates the philosophical and poetic implications of time as mediated through Virgil’s presence, offering new insights into how Dante reconciles classical heritage with medieval Christian cosmology.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15879308

Title: Dante. La voce delle donne

pp. 114–133
Author : Paola Vecchi Galli (ORCID: 0000-0003-4712-8522)

Abstract: Dante. The Voice of Women

This article examines the presence and narrative voice of women in Dante’s works, considering their literary and symbolic significance within the broader context of medieval culture.
Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15879421

PART II – PAPERS FROM THE SEMINAR “ BIBLIOCLASM AND THE FETISHISTIC CULT OF ‘FRAGMENTS’ ”

Title: Un manoscritto miniato del XV secolo e le sue membra disiecta: il codice Gruuthuse della Legende saincte Katherine (1470-1480)

pp. 134–166
Author : Antonella Ippolito, University of Potsdam (ORCID: 0000-0002-9616-2957)

Abstract: This article presents a detailed codicological and iconographic analysis of the Gruuthuse manuscript of the Legende saincte Katherine, an illuminated work produced between 1470 and 1480 in the Southern Netherlands. The study explores the artistic features, stylistic influences, and production context of the manuscript, situating it within the cultural and devotional environment of the late Middle Ages. Special attention is devoted to the manuscript’s subsequent history of dismemberment, examining how its folios and miniatures became dispersed across various private and institutional collections in Europe and beyond. Through meticulous comparison of stylistic elements and textual sequences, the research reconstructs the original structure and iconographic programme of the codex, offering insights into its narrative coherence and devotional purpose. Furthermore, the article discusses the broader implications of manuscript dismemberment for art historical scholarship, collection practices, and cultural heritage preservation. By highlighting both the physical and cultural fragmentation of the Gruuthuse Codex, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of medieval book culture and the challenges of reconstructing disiecta membra in modern times.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15879456

Title: Biblioclastia a scopo di lucro: le implicazioni legali dello smembramento dei manoscritti miniatimedievali occidentali (Prima Parte)

pp. 167–179

Author : Carla Rossi, Chair ISFiDa (ORCID: 0000-0001-6557-3684)

Abstract: Biblioclasm for Profit: The Legal Implications of Dismembering Western Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts (Part One)
The first part of a study examining the legal aspects of dismantling Western medieval illuminated manuscripts, highlighting ethical, historical, and juridical concerns surrounding biblioclasm.
Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15870916

Title: Il ‘culto feticista’ delle immagini

pp. 180-195

Author: Raffaele Pinto, University of Barcelona (ORCID 0009-0000-6295-3446)

Abstract: The ‘Fetishistic Cult’ of Images

This paper discusses the notion of a “fetishistic cult” surrounding individual manuscript leaves , exploring its aesthetic, cultural, and commercial implications.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15870930

PARTE III
EXCERPTA

Title: Analisi paleografica, codicologica e filologica del presunto atto di morte di Caravaggio

pp. 204-225
Author: Carla Rossi, Chair ISFiDa (ORCID: 0000-0001-6557-3684)

Abstract: Palaeographic, Codicological, and Philological Analysis of the Alleged Death Record of Caravaggio. This study offers a comprehensive palaeographic, codicological, and philological analysis of a contested document that purports to record the death of the Italian painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. Drawing on high-resolution digital facsimiles and direct archival research, the article examines the handwriting characteristics, material composition, and textual features of the manuscript to assess its authenticity. The palaeographic investigation focuses on script typologies, abbreviations, and letterforms consistent with early seventeenth-century Italian chancery hands, while the codicological analysis considers aspects such as paper provenance, watermarks, and binding traces. The philological component critically evaluates orthographic conventions and linguistic usage in comparison with contemporaneous death registers and legal records. The study also situates the document within the historiographical debate over Caravaggio’s final years, exploring the provenance claims advanced by collectors and scholars. By integrating these three methodological perspectives, the research aims to clarify whether the document can be regarded as a genuine primary source or a later fabrication. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions about the challenges of verifying biographical evidence for early modern artists.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15490606