Between Clarity and Reason: Considerations on Dante Alighieri in Della Perfetta Poesia Italiana by Ludovico Muratori

Abstract

Written in response to the French and English critics of the 17^th and 18^thcenturies, Ludovico Muratori published the Della Perfetta Poesia Italiana in 1706. In this work, the academic sought to defend Italian poetry, reviewing the main poets that wrote in his language. Based on Muratori’s writings, this paper intends to discuss the reception of Dante Alighieri in Italy in the beginning of the 18^th century. We will first discuss some of the features and topics of the poetic art in the late 17^th and early 18^th centuries. We will then proceed to report some of the Muratori’s comments about the notion of ingenium, a key concept in poetic theory. Finally, we will discuss Muratori’s critique of Dante Alighieri’s poetry.

Keywords
Poetics; Dante Alighieri; Ludovico Muratori