New ways of the epic between past and future

Abstract

The article proposes an investigation into some recent forms of the epic genre, seen as a poetic device capable of responding to the social and historical demands of the present and structuring a renewed imaginary looking to the future. After introducing some theoretical references, such as the concept of hyperobject (Morton) and that of futurability (Berardi), I carry out a stylistic-thematic analysis of three poetic collections: Vincenzo Frungillo’s Ogni cinque bracciate, Federico Italiano’s L’invasione dei granchi giganti and Matteo Meschiari’s Finisterre. The collections represent three contemporary incarnations of the epic genre, characterised by different narratives of reality and specific modes of expression