Vol 9 Nr 1 (2025)

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts

Vol. 9, Nr. 1 – 2025

Bibliothèque de l’OProM
60 rue François 1er, 75008 Paris 8e
www.tcla-journal.eu | info(at)tcla-journal.eu

Cover Image: Graphic reinterpretation of sketches by Sandro Botticelli (public domain images).

Archiving and Accessibility Statement

Full Issue Crossref DOI: 10.55456/20242

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

Editoriale

pp. 6
Author: Editorial Board

Abstract: Short editorial introduction to the themes and perspectives addressed in this volume.

PART I – Convegno La Donna / Le Donne in Dante

Barcelona-Lugano, 24–26 October 2024

Title: Il femminile come “figura” del divino: l’enigma di Rachele
pp. 7–21
Author: Mario Cimini, Università «G. D'Annunzio», Chieti (ORCID: 0000-0002-1768-5160)

Abstract: This article investigates the symbolic and theological significance of the biblical figure of Rachel within Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, focusing particularly on her role as a feminine “figure” mediating between the earthly and the divine realms. Although Rachel does not appear as a prominent character in the narrative, her presence in Inferno II, where she is briefly mentioned by Beatrice, suggests deeper symbolic resonances. The study examines how Rachel, despite being introduced almost incidentally in Beatrice’s account of the chain of intercessions that mobilizes divine aid for Dante, embodies essential theological and poetic meanings. The analysis explores Rachel as an enigmatic representation of contemplation, spiritual purity, and the soul’s aspirational movement toward the divine, in contrast to more active or worldly female figures within the poem. By tracing biblical and patristic sources, as well as exegetical traditions, the article situates Rachel’s figure within a broader interpretive framework, revealing how Dante employs her image to articulate complex metaphysical concepts. Ultimately, the article argues that Rachel’s subtle yet significant presence contributes to Dante’s construction of a feminine symbolism intimately connected to the vision of the divine and the structure of salvation history.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI:10.5281/zenodo.15880446

Title: El Dante de Christine de Pizan o la otra Commedia
pp. 22–41
Author: Victoria Cirlot, Pompeu Fabra University (ORCID: 0000-0002-0203-4576)

Abstract: This article offers a detailed examination of Christine de Pizan’s interpretation of Dante Alighieri, focusing on how her readings construct an alternative vision of the Commedia from both a feminine and political perspective. The study explores Christine’s engagement with Dante’s text, considering how she appropriates and transforms key themes, characters, and narrative strategies to align with her own intellectual and cultural agendas. Attention is given to Christine’s strategies of re-reading Dante’s representation of women, questioning traditional gender roles and asserting a female intellectual presence within the literary and philosophical discourse of the time. Moreover, the article investigates the political dimensions of Christine’s reception of Dante, analyzing how she negotiates his theological and political visions in light of contemporary concerns regarding authority, sovereignty, and the moral responsibilities of rulers. By situating Christine de Pizan’s work within the broader context of late medieval literary culture, the study reveals how her other Commedia offers a nuanced, critical perspective that both dialogues with and diverges from Dante’s canonical narrative.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI:10.5281/zenodo.15880486

Title: Matelda, l’enigma di una ninfa cristiana
pp. 42–64
Author: Mirco Cittadini, ISFiDa (ORCID: 0009-0009-2201-8352)

Abstract: This essay analyses the figure of Matelda as a complex symbol bridging pagan imagery and Christian spirituality in the Purgatorio.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15880533

Title: Tra amor profano e amor sacro: Cunizza da Romano
pp. 65–73
Author: Marianna Esposito Vinzi, lecturer in Italian Language and Culture at the Education Nationale Académie de Paris

Abstract: A reflection on the literary portrayal of Cunizza da Romano, examining her representation between earthly passions and spiritual redemption.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15880607

Title: Piccarda e Costanza, tra Convivio e Monarchia
pp. 74–104
Author: Enrico Fenzi

Abstract: An analysis of Piccarda and Costanza, exploring how Dante’s philosophical works inform their literary presence in the Commedia.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI:10.5281/zenodo.15880669

Title: Le donne di Dante: tra cronaca, filosofia e cosmologia
pp. 105–125
Author: Giuseppe Indizio

Abstract: An exploration of Dante’s female figures, considering their narrative roles and symbolic functions across historical, philosophical, and cosmological dimensions.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI:10.5281/zenodo.15880703

Title: Medusa-Donna Petra-Francesca: lussuria, impetramento e musica
pp. 126–135
Author: Carla Rossi, ISFiDa Chair (ORCID: 0000-0001-6557-3684)

Abstract: An examination of the imagery of Medusa, the donna Petra, and Francesca da Rimini in Dante, focusing on themes of lust, music, and the interplay between eroticism and artistic expression.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15248943

Title: Reali, presunte, ideali, ma pur sempre donne
pp. 136–157
Author: Simonetta Teucci

Abstract: An investigation into the diverse representations of women in Dante’s works, ranging from historical figures to literary and symbolic constructions.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI:10.5281/zenodo.15880975

Title: «Dal centro al cerchio». Il femminile nel Paradiso
pp. 158–174
Author: Luigi Tassoni, University of Pécs (ORCID: 0000-0002-1720-542X)

Abstract: This essay analyses the spatial, symbolic, and theological significance of the feminine in Dante Alighieri’s Paradiso, investigating how Dante structures the poem’s divine and cosmic hierarchies around key female figures. The study explores how the journey “from the center to the circumference,” evoked in the title, serves not only as a cosmological framework but also as a metaphor for the soul’s ascent toward divine truth—a process in which feminine figures play crucial roles. Particular attention is devoted to characters such as the Virgin Mary, Beatrice, and other female saints, who embody both theological virtues and mediatory functions between the human and the divine realms. The essay examines how Dante employs spatial imagery and concentric structures to position these women as central nodes of divine knowledge and salvation history. Additionally, it reflects on the poetic and doctrinal implications of the feminine as both an active and contemplative presence in the celestial spheres. By highlighting the interplay between gender, space, and theology, the essay contributes to a deeper understanding of how Dante integrates the feminine into the highest metaphysical and cosmological dimensions of the Divine Comedy.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI:10.5281/zenodo.15910221

PART II

Title: L’Andromaca di Gaetano De Sanctis
pp. 178–183
Author: Maria Grazia Bonanno

Abstract: A scholarly note on Gaetano De Sanctis’ treatment of the figure of Andromache, connecting classical studies with literary historiography.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15910920

RECENSIONI & SEGNALAZIONI

Title: L’Antigone: recitativo per voce sola, Stefano Raimondi, Mimesis, 2023
pp. 184–197
Author: Luciano Rossi, University of Zurich (ORCID: 0000-0002-2020-6423)

Abstract: A review of Raimondi’s theatrical work, exploring his reinterpretation of Sophocles’ Antigone in a contemporary poetic and performative key.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI:10.5281/zenodo.15911009

Title: La modernità di Dante, Pérez Carrasco, M. & Pinto, R. (a cura di), Cesati, Firenze, 2023
pp. 198–203
Author: Mariano Pérez Carrasco, National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Universidad de Buenos (ORCID: 0000-0002-7192-2913)

Abstract: A review discussing the editorial volume on Dante’s modern relevance in literary and cultural studies.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15912062

Title: Luce di stelle spente, Luca Bragaja, Pensa Multimedia, 2024
pp. 203–204
Author: Mirco Cittadini, ISFiDa (ORCID: 0009-0009-2201-8352)

Abstract: A short review of Bragaja’s poetic collection, touching on themes of loss, memory, and literary expression.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI:10.5281/zenodo.15912208

Title: Armi e armature nella letteratura italiana, T. Agovino e M. Maselli (a cura di), Cesati, Firenze, 2024
pp. 205–209
Author: Mirco Cittadini, ISFiDa (ORCID: 0009-0009-2201-8352)

Abstract: A review of the collected essays discussing the symbolism and narrative function of arms and armour in Italian literary tradition.

Read PDF on Zenodo | DOI:10.5281/zenodo.15912208

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