«Les Chemins du Hasard Ténébreux». Il mito del viandante solitario tra Frénaud e Caproni

Abstract

Caproni and Frénaud’s relationship overcame their mutual literary appreciation, despite the Italian poet’s disclaimers and denials. Nevertheless, many critics remarked several similarities between their works. Thus, the main aim of this essay is to underline how Frénaud’s first collections of poems, Les rois mages especially, may have inspired some features of the Passaggio d’Enea. Both myths, indeed, express bewilderment, a lack of certain information to accomplish the trip and a general stoic attitude towards the context coming from World War II. More precisely, it seems that Frénaud’s Three Wise Men have played a leading role in shaping the capronian Aeneas, sharing with the classical hero a similar human condition, which is that of a lonely and anxious pilgrimage with no end. Overall, it appears quite probable that Caproni embraced the most iconic elements of Frénaud’s poetry with an anti-hermetic function, choosing to pursue an active though tragic philosophical stance.