ABSTRACT
According to Leopardi, the Romantics were merely replacing ancient myths with other tales, failing to fulfil their objectives. In truth, whilst literary circles were debating the questions presented by Madame de Stael, Leopardi was cultivating a growing poetic sensibility, which, during the same years, made him turn his attention from the philological studies of his earlier years to poetry. During the same year, Mary Shelley published Alastor, which at first attracted little attention. Shelley and Leopardi's difficult relationship with their contemporaries elucidates the fundamental misunderstanding underpinning their initial reception. Leopardi's aesthetic and artistic views clashed with the views of the Italian progressives and conservatives alike. The Classicists were indeed sceptical of his style and form. According to Mazzini, Leopardi's exploration of man's existential anguish beyond historical determinism appears to be ineffective within the politicized discourse on Italian literature that gained momentum during the Risorgimento period.
