Giacomo Taldegardo Francesco di Sales Saverio Pietro Leopardi was an Italian poet, essayist, philosopher, and philologist, who lived during the 19th Century and whose work influenced the Romantic era.
He was born in Recanati, at that time ruled by the papacy, on June 29, 1798. His father was the count Monaldo Leopardi, a man fond of literature, and his mother was the marquise Adelaide Antici Mattei, a cold and authoritarian woman.
Leopardi began studying under the tutelage of two priests. One of them will later recommend books to Leopardi from his father’s library, which will make Leopardi dive into study in an almost fanatical way. From this experience, Leopardi would develop a weak health that coupled with a weak physical constitution, was going to plague him all his life.
From 1817 to 1822, Leopardi fought against an ever increasing family problems, he tried to escape many times without success. In 1822 he traveled to Rome and found himself disillusioned with the city, because it didn’t quite fit the image he had of it, and that he had created in his mind. During that time, he also was able to visit Milan, Bologna, Florence and Pisa.
In 1824, a bookstore owner called Stella called him to Milan, asking him to write several works. Leopardi worked with him until 1828, when, physically infirm and worn out by work, he returned to Recanati.
Later, he moved to Naples, thanks to the help of his friend Antonio Ranieri, where he hoped to benefit physically from the climate. He died during the cholera epidemic on June 14, 1837. He was 38 years old.
By Hidalgo Socorro
Hidalgo Socorro 