Il “principio dell’immersione”: realismo letterario e storicismo in Erich Auerbach

Abstract

This article examines a key methodological principle in Erich Auerbach’s theorization of literary realism and explores its significance in relation to his conception of history. By tracing a terminological and conceptual trajectory within Auerbach’s own writings – from his early study on Dante to his magnum opus Mimesis – and situating it within the broader framework of the German philosophical tradition, particularly Hegel’s Aesthetics, the study identifies what may be termed the principle of immersive insertion [das Prinzip des Hineinsenkens] as a foundational aspect of realism. This principle refers to the process by which individual, concrete life stories are deeply embedded within a larger horizon of meaning. Finally, the essay investigates the connection between realism and historicism, highlighting both thescientific and ethical motivations underpinning Auerbach’s methodological approach.