Lettera sul Romanticismo - Lettera a D'Azeglio - Manzoni

ProfV

24 Apr 202006:53

Summary

TLDRIn 1823, Alessandro Manzoni wrote a letter to Marchese d'Azeglio, discussing Romantic ideals. Manzoni believed literature and art should educate, aiming for moral purposes. He emphasized the importance of truth, whether historical or moral, over mythological elements for lasting pleasure. Manzoni applied these principles in 'I Promessi Sposi,' creating realistic characters and historical backdrops to engage a wide audience.

Takeaways

📜 The letter from Manzoni to the Marquess of Azeglio in 1823, later known as the 'Letter on Romanticism', outlines Manzoni's views on the ideals of Romanticism.
✍️ Manzoni did not actively participate in the public debate on Classicism vs. Romanticism, but his private letters reveal his stance on the matter.
🎨 Manzoni believed that the purpose of literature and art should be educational, aiming to morally educate people.
🌟 Art is useful when it appeals to a broad audience, discussing relatable situations, emotions, and everyday experiences.
📚 For Manzoni, the subject of a work should be 'true', either historical or moral, to be truly interesting and engaging.
🚫 Manzoni rejected mythological elements in art because they do not contain 'truth' and the pleasure they provide is fleeting.
📖 In 'The Betrothed', Manzoni applies his ideas by setting the story against a historical backdrop and creating believable characters.
👥 The characters in 'The Betrothed' are verosimili, meaning they could have realistically existed, reflecting the struggles of the oppressed and humble.
🏰 The historical context in 'The Betrothed' is not just a setting but influences the characters and their actions.
🔗 The script provides links to another letter by Manzoni and a general playlist related to his works for further reading and exploration.

Q & A

In what year did Manzoni write the letter that would be remembered as the 'Letter on Romanticism'?
-Manzoni wrote the letter in 1823.
What was the original purpose of the letter Manzoni wrote to the Marquess of Azeglio?
-The letter was written on the occasion of the publication of the hymn 'La Pentecoste' in the magazine 'Amico d'Italia'.
What is the significance of the phrase 'utile per scopo' in Manzoni's letter?
-The phrase 'utile per scopo' encapsulates Manzoni's belief that literature and art should have an educational purpose and a moral goal.
How does Manzoni view the role of a broad audience in the utility of art?
-Manzoni believes that art is useful when it can reach a wide audience, which should be as large as possible.
What kind of content does Manzoni think is interesting and capable of capturing everyone's interest?
-Manzoni thinks that content related to real-life situations, entities, and emotions is interesting and capable of capturing everyone's interest.
What is the importance of 'truth' in Manzoni's view of art and literature?
-For Manzoni, the 'truth' in art and literature, whether historical or moral, is essential because it provides a stable and lasting pleasure or delight.
How does Manzoni's rejection of mythology align with the principles of Romanticism?
-Manzoni's rejection of mythology aligns with Romanticism's principle of focusing on real experiences and emotions, rather than the inconsistent and unbelievable elements of mythology.
What is the role of history in Manzoni's works, as indicated in the letter?
-History plays a foundational role in Manzoni's works, as it provides a backdrop to the stories and influences the characters within the narrative.
Can you provide an example of how Manzoni applied his thoughts on art and literature to 'I Promessi Sposi'?
-In 'I Promessi Sposi', Manzoni uses history as a backdrop and creates verosimile characters like Renzo and Lucia, who could have realistically existed during the period he references.
What does Manzoni mean by 'l'interessante deve essere un mezzo'?
-Manzoni means that 'interesting' should be a means to an end, where the end is the pursuit of truth and the provision of lasting pleasure or delight.
Where can readers find the link to the other letter by Manzoni mentioned in the script?
-The script suggests that links to Manzoni's other letter and a general playlist related to Manzoni are provided in the description.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Manzoni's Views on Romanticism

In 1823, Alessandro Manzoni wrote a letter to the Marquess of Azeglio, which is remembered as the 'Letter on Romanticism'. Manzoni discusses his thoughts on the ideals of Romanticism, emphasizing that he did not fully engage in the public debate on the classical versus Romantic controversy. Instead, his letters provide insight into his views. Manzoni believed that literature and art should aim for moral education, appealing to a broad audience with real-life experiences and emotions. He argued that art is useful when it addresses the truth, either historical or moral, and dismissed mythological elements as transient pleasures that lack veracity and depth. Manzoni's principles are reflected in his work 'The Betrothed', where historical context and believable characters are used to convey deeper truths.

05:02

🏰 The Integration of History in Art

Manzoni believed that art should be rooted in history, with the narrative often featuring historical events or characters that could have realistically existed. In 'The Betrothed', the historical backdrop is integral to the story, and the characters are designed to be believable, reflecting the struggles of common people against the powerful. Manzoni's approach to literature is to create a connection with the reader through relatable, real-life situations and characters, thus making the work both engaging and educational.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Manzoni

Alessandro Manzoni was a prominent Italian poet and novelist, best known for his novel 'I Promessi Sposi'. In the context of the video, Manzoni is discussed in relation to his views on Romanticism and his letter to the Marquess of Azeglio, which is remembered as the 'Letter on Romanticism'. His perspective on literature and art is central to the video's theme, emphasizing the educational and moral purpose of art.

💡Romanticism

Romanticism was an artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century. It emphasized emotion, individualism, and the sublime. In the video, Manzoni's views on Romantic ideals are explored, particularly his stance on the role of truth and reality in art, which contrasts with some Romantic tendencies towards mythological elements.

💡La Pentecoste

La Pentecoste is an ode written by Manzoni, published in the journal Amico d'Italia. The video discusses the occasion of its publication and how it relates to Manzoni's broader thoughts on literature and art. The hymn itself may symbolize the spiritual and moral aspirations that Manzoni believed art should strive for.

💡Amico d'Italia

Amico d'Italia was a literary journal where Manzoni published his ode 'La Pentecoste'. The journal served as a platform for Manzoni to express his ideas and engage in the intellectual debates of his time, including the classicist versus Romantic debate.

💡Marquess of Azeglio

The Marquess of Azeglio, also known as Massimo d'Azeglio, was an Italian statesman and writer. In the video, Manzoni's letter to him is highlighted as significant for its articulation of Manzoni's views on Romanticism and the purpose of literature and art.

💡Educational Purpose

The video emphasizes Manzoni's belief that literature and art should serve an educational purpose, aiming to morally educate people. This concept is central to understanding Manzoni's philosophy on the role of art in society, as he saw it as a means to convey truth and foster moral development.

💡Truth in Art

Manzoni believed that art should be grounded in truth, whether historical or moral. This concept is discussed in the video as a key element of Manzoni's critique of certain Romantic tendencies. He argued that only through truth could art provide a lasting pleasure and serve its educational and moral purpose.

💡The Promessi Sposi

I Promessi Sposi, or 'The Betrothed', is Manzoni's most famous work, a historical novel set in 17th-century Italy. The video mentions how Manzoni applied his philosophical ideas about art and truth in this novel, creating characters and situations that were grounded in reality and history.

💡Moral Truth

Moral truth refers to the principles of right and wrong behavior, which Manzoni believed should be a central theme in art. In the video, it is discussed how Manzoni's works often explore moral truths, reflecting his belief in the importance of art to guide and educate on moral issues.

💡Verisimilitude

Verisimilitude is the quality of resembling truth, which is mentioned in the video in relation to Manzoni's characters. He aimed to create characters that were not only realistic but also could have realistically existed, enhancing the educational and moral impact of his stories.

💡Mitology

The video discusses Manzoni's rejection of mythological elements in art, as he believed they provided only fleeting pleasure and lacked the enduring truth that could serve an educational purpose. This stance contrasts with some Romantic inclinations towards myth and fantasy.

Highlights

Manzoni wrote a letter in 1823 discussing the ideals of Romanticism.

The letter was written on the occasion of the publication of the hymn 'La Pentecoste'.

Manzoni's letter was addressed to the Marquess of Azeglio and is remembered as the 'Letter on Romanticism'.

The letter was published in 1846 and revised in 1870.

Manzoni did not actively participate in the public debate on the classicist-romantic controversy.

Manzoni's stance on the classicist-romantic debate is mainly understood through his letters.

Literature and art should aim for the education of people and have a moral purpose.

Art is useful when it can reach a broad audience.

Art should discuss real-life situations, entities, and feelings to capture the interest of all.

The subject of a work should be 'true', whether historical or moral.

Manzoni rejects mythological elements in art because they do not contain truth.

The true, whether historical or moral, provides a stable and lasting pleasure.

Manzoni's work 'The Betrothed' applies these ideas with a historical backdrop and realistic characters.

In 'The Betrothed', history serves as a background to the story and influences the characters.

The characters in 'The Betrothed' are verosimili, meaning they could have realistically existed.

Manzoni's work reflects the struggles of the oppressed and humble against the powerful.

The description includes links to another letter by Manzoni and a general playlist about him.