Levi’s Limbo: Dante in Primo Levi’s Vizio di forma

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this article, we draw attention to the expansive and crucial presence of Dante in two particular stories of Primo Levi’s Vizio di forma, the linked tales ‘Lavoro Creativo’ and ‘Nel Parco’. These stories imagine an idyllic afterlife realm for famous literary characters, and so are of course ripe for reading through the lens of Dante’s Limbo. But we argue that there is still more to be found by expanding the scope of our inquiry to more of the Commedia, particularly in considering the dynamic between souls in Dante’s Purgatory and Levi’s appreciation of the scientific aspects of Dante’s writings. Such a move allows for a fuller appreciation of the relationship between Primo Levi and Dante, showing how the Turinese writer creates a unique space for himself through his acts of rewriting, appropriating, and adapting Dante.