The Dream Vision and Medieval Incubation in the Hypnerotomachia P. Epistemological Reflections on the Dream in Literature

Resumen

Attributed to Francesco Colonna, the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (HP) —The Strife of Love in a Dream— wrote in the Renaissance’s threshold: 1499. From our perspective, in spite of the date of its publication, it is a novel deeply rooted in the medieval tradition which, in turn, was nourished of Patristic Literature sources. In consequence, will be demonstrated that Colonna adopted, in a one hand, the Christian dream vision perspective (the medieval dream-book and incubation), to access the knowledge of the [him]self. In another hand, monastic composing strategies —about prayer and spiritual healing— were adopted, by the author, as a cognitive tool intended for reflection the imaginary creation process. The present research aims to demonstrate that hp is a monastic and literary exercise with redeeming goals. For this reason, will apply the medieval taxonomy of dream-visions. We will expose like pieces of
evidence certain passages from the HP and determined iconographic materials. The selected contents express medieval dream-vision concerns, metacognitive reflections of the author about literary practice, and his epistemological approaching about the meaning of the dreambooks like cultural devices.