Literature between metaphysics, phenomenology and anthropology. Structures, dynamics, worlds

The paper aims to investigate how and why literature is particularly effective in constructing relational dynamics within possible worlds, thus managing to bring into dialogue approaches that historically have sometimes struggled to interact productively, such as classical metaphysics, phenomenology, and philosophical anthropology. The essay develops these premises by analysing the evocative and deconstructive power of literature in placing itself at the origin of the crucial metaphysical dichotomy between subject and object. The attention is then focused on one of the most characteristic features of the literary gaze, namely its anthropological significance. Indeed, literary descriptions of character types often bring to light the settling of attitudes, and in so doing infuse depth and, ultimately, life into many phenomenological procedures aimed to let the tacit assumptions of metaphysical concepts emerge. The aim is thus to demonstrate, on the one hand, the mediating role of anthropology between metaphysical conceptuality and phenomenological analysis and, on the other, the ability of literature to become a concrete instrument of this mediation. Finally, the consistency of the proposed model is tested through the analysis of a case study, namely envy, considered in some of its different literary expressions.