Romanticism: key characteristics and historical significance

Nature's Significance in "L'infinito"

In his poem "L'infinito," Count Giacomo Leopardi undertakes the romantic mindset by describing his relationship with nature, implying that it signifies something far greater than mere shrubs and hedges. In the tradition of Emerson, Leopardi discusses the importance of nature by suggesting that nature is two things -- a sanctuary and a barometer of humankind's relationship with the universe. While Leopardi remarks that nature has always held a place for him, writing that "this solitary hill has always been dear to me," his realization of the significance that nature plays in his life is something of an awakening, a coming of age (1).

First, Leopardi suggests that nature is a sanctuary by providing it as a canvass for his thoughts and the stuff of his imagination. While gazing at "the endless horizon," he begins to understand that his thoughts and imagination can run off as long as that horizon. This can be seen through the fact that as he gazes at that unending horizon, "I imagine, in my thoughts Endless spaces beyond the hedge" (3, 4). Not only does Leopardi realize that nature can be an inspiration for his thoughts and imagination, but also he comes to understand that the characterization of nature as a sanctuary also refers to the environment that it provides for him to think and imagine. For instance, nature provides "an all encompassing silence and a deeply profound quiet / to the point that my heart is almost overwhelmed" (6,7). Thus, nature not only gives him the desire to think and imagine, but also the comfort in which to make those thoughts and imaginations fruitful. Like a church, nature is a sanctuary that inspires creativity and provides the environment to incubate it, the silence to contemplate it, and the haunting environment to give it significance. For Leopardi, that haunting is manifested through the wind's rustling. That voice that Leopardi compares to "infinite silence," allows him to think of eternity, an ocean of thoughts in which he enjoys floundering. Thus, while Leopardi had always seen nature as something important, he experiences an awakening and growth when he understands that nature is more than just something to enjoy, but the impetus for his creativity.