Arendt e le “immagini di pensiero”. Sulla funzione ipotipotica della letteratura

The paper defines a hypotypotical function of literature. First, it provides a philo- sophical definition of hypotyposis found in § 59 of Kant’s "Critique of Judgment." Second, it attempts to apply this function to Arendt’s use of literature in order to demonstrate the specific theoretical dimension of this use. In particular, the paper analyzes Arendt’s reading of Kafka as a “constructor” of mental models, i.e., Denkbilder. Finally, two examples of the application of this hypotypotical function of literature in Arendt’s works are examined: "The Origins of Totalitarianism," which focuses on Conrad’s "Heart of Darkness" and Kipling’s "Kim," and "On Revolution," which examines Melville’s "Billy Budd" and Dostoyevsky’s "The Legend of the Grand Inquisitor."