Mito del libro e poesia libraria in età carolingia

Abstract

In Carolingian poetry there is a strong increase of the frequence of lexemes connected to the book. Writing and reading become a subject of poetical composition both because of the diffusion of paratextual verses (dedications, metrical prefaces, captions) and of poetical praises of the activities, environnements and tools related to the written word, that are perceived and celebrated as a mean for social upward and for recording deeds, so creating an apparatus able to build memory and identity of peoples, families and persons. Even a poetry of the meaning-giving processes is developing, testified by the biblical and grammatical verses by Alcuin, Teodulph, Angelomus, Smaragdus and other poets, that produces a repertory of new images referring to the power of polysemy, especially in biblical texts.