Grice e Leopardi

 

Monaldo Leopardi's reflections on his son Giacomo after 1837 were marked by a tragic disconnect; while he deeply mourned the man, he remained ideologically opposed to the philosopher.

 

• Ideological Denial: A staunch ultra-conservative and papal loyalist, Monaldo spent his final decade (1837–1847) struggling to reconcile his son's fame with his "atheistic" and "pessimistic" philosophy. He often chose to believe—and publicly suggested—that Giacomo had returned to the Catholic faith on his deathbed, a claim largely dismissed by historians and Giacomo’s close friend Antonio Ranieri.
• Literary Rivalry and Legacy: Monaldo had originally groomed Giacomo to be a "great Christian apologist." After Giacomo's death, Monaldo continued his own reactionary writing, but he remained in his son's shadow, often viewing Giacomo’s philosophical "errors" as a personal and religious failure.
• Paternal Grief vs. Principles: Despite their sharp intellectual rift, Monaldo’s personal writings reveal a father’s genuine grief. He had provided the very library where Giacomo formed his "scandalous" ideas, creating a relationship of both "complicity and competition" that haunted Monaldo until his death. 

For further details on their relationship, you can explore the biography of Giacomo Leopardi provided by Britannica.