Leopardi, Eminescu and the related looks

Abstract

Critical studies have focused on the comparison between Leopardi and Eminescu till the beginning of the ’900 from different points of view. This paper shows, according to a textual comparison, that it is possible to reevaluate their affinity on the basis of the confrontation with Schopenhauer’s philosophy and the concept of pessimism to achieve some aspects, until now not very studied and unfounded, such as the topic of death’s sweetness, the relation between ‘calm’ and the ‘tempest’, female figures, melancholy, pastoralist culture and, in conclusion, the thinking about civilization and national identity.