Abstract

The aim of this essay is to investigate Leopardi’s influence on Cesare Pavese’s La luna e i falò (1950). In particular, the function of A Silvia is discussed: in addiction to acting as a lyrical and onomastic reservoir, this poem informs the narrative framework of the second part of the novel. In order to contextualize this interpretative hypothesis, the essay also deals with reconstructing the relationship between Pavese and Leopardi, thanks to the careful reading of some notes from Il mestiere di vivere; furthermore, in the wake of the most recent critics’ acquisitions, the influence of the mythologem of Kore on the works of Leopardi and Pavese is investigated.