How Germanic Features can appear in Italian Metrical Poetry

The problem: What is a Germanic form like, in the context of Italian 20th century poetry? How can a feature get hold of a text when its appearance is not explicit? In this paper I bring out three relevant examples of such problematic derivations, and I suggest that they all entail some kind of Germanic feature. The theoretical framework: In order to do so, I first sketch out a frame theory following Fabb 2002 two-part proposal on literary form. Then I proceed to scrutinize the examples, looking at how some of their formal elements can be categorized according to the dichotomy between a pragmatic and a generated form. The framework also implies that in some cases the predicate “Germanic” can be understood as a loose specification, and that in the process of derivation the feature can be modified and adapted to the host poetic tradition. The examples: The case studies I address here include Cesare Pavese and the poetic form he invented for his first poetry collection, Lavorare stanca; then some cases of quirky sonnets in Eugenio Montale’s poetry, and, last but not least, a new proposal for scanning some long lines in his literary production. I argue that the three instances should be considered as Germanic influences holding of these texts’ form: Cesare Pavese claimed his poetry to be shaped by the work of Walt Whitman and other American authors, and Eugenio Montale clearly displays formal elements, which are not interpretable as Italian features, but rather as a complex interaction of a different tradition (mainly English) with the Italian one. I also suggest that the last point receives further support by a strong comparative argument, mainly recalling that Montale’s work as a translator and critic of English poetry yields up such parallel. Conclusion: After briefly reconsidering the role of the research question and of the framework, I conclude by presenting a possible perspective for further research. The different forms addressed can be better spelled out according to an epidemiological perspective (Sperber 1996, Constable 1997). That is, representations stick from one culture to another, and in the process of translation they get transformed.