Abstract

The article examines the Dantesque references used in ‘Teseida delle nozze d’Emilia’ and the readaptation they are subjected to in a new genre, where the theme of arms merges with the theme of love. The objective of the exegetical proposal is the study of Boccaccio’s strategies during the choices of lexicon and narrative features of ‘Vita nuova’, ‘Rime’ and ‘Commedia’. In particular, the essay analyzes the sequences of ‘Teseida’ in which Dantesque references contribute decisively to configure the ancient Athens of Theseus as a medieval city, between the epic heroes of Romance literature acting as Arthurian knights and female figures characterized by intellect and feelings of love. Finally, by constructing the final octaves of ‘Teseida’ with the image of the ship capable of an arduous undertaking (‘Par.’, ii), thus imitating Stazio’s ‘Thebaid’, the essay highlights Boccaccio’s intention to reinforce the link with Dante’s ‘Commedia’ and to elevate the two vernacular classics to the level of the great Latin poems.