Esercizi di stile sul Falkenlied di Der von Kürenberg

Der von Kürenberg’s "Falcon Song" is arguably one of the most studied poems of the German Middle Ages. Its poetic ambiguity and strong allegorical connotation have given rise to a rich tapestry of interpretations, some of which have significantly enlightened the original text’s obscurity. The study begins with a comprehensive overview of the most accredited interpretative trajectories. It continues with the author’s analysis of five Italian translations of this short poem, embarking on a thrilling quest for textual clues that reveal the translators’ more or less 'intrusive' demeanours. Inspired by Raymond Queneau’s "Exercices de Style" and its Italian translation edited by Umberto Eco, this research opens up a window on the complex issue of the limits of translation: what are the criteria for translability 'faithfulness/unfaithfulness'? How should a translation address textual ambiguity? In an effort to answer these questions, the study also presents three original exercises in hermeneutics ‒ rather than in style ‒ for further exploration.