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

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 ofevidence 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.