RIFLESSI POETICI DI DANTE NELLA LETTERATURA ARMENA

The reception of Dante’s masterpiece in Armenian culture developed in several stages. From 1802, references in literary encyclopedias and manuals introduced key concepts and themes of the Divine Comedy. In the second half of the 19th century, parts of the poem were translated into Armenian – the first Oriental language into which Dante’s work was rendered – making it more accessible to Armenian readers. This ini- tiated a process that would continue over time, leading to the creation of four complete translations to date. Moreover, it culminated in a profound literary and poetic engage- ment, especially in response to the tragic events of Armenian history. The Commedia be- came a powerful source of reflection, particularly after the Genocide, and inspired the Armenian writers. The Armenian reworking of Dante thus contributed to generating a new literary production of great cultural and identity value.