Rebora, Leopardi, Mazzini: The Infinite Longing

Abstract

Both Giacomo Leopardi and Giuseppe Mazzini have long been known to the Portuguese-speaking public (among the early translators of Leopardi was even Fernando Pessoa, while Mazzini's I doveri dell'uomo was translated as early as 1861 under the title Os Deveres do Homem). Between the 19th and 20th centuries, an Italian poet lived who attempted to condense their seemingly different messages into a highly original synthesis. We are talking about Clemente Rebora (1885-1957), one of the most skillful and efficient writers of his time. Leopardi would leave his indelible mark on Rebora the artist, while Mazzini would influence Rebora as a man (leading him towards Christianity). In the composition of this essay, we drew upon the works of both the author and his two mentors, but especially on the invaluable correspondence (published in three volumes by the Dehoniane editions of Bologna, edited by the scholar and priest Carmelo Giovannini), an irreplaceable tool for reconstructing the poet's biography, thought, and feelings.