Campanella and the Disciplines from Obscurity to Concealment

Abstract

During 27 years in prison, Tommaso Campanella became a European celebrity by publishing natural philosophy, political philosophy, and more. What was it like to write in prison in the 17th century, and did those conditions leave any traces in his books? By comparison with the chaotic style of his earlier career, Campanella usually became clearer and more appealing, relying much less on books and more on original argument. On the other hand, his abiding interest in republican political thought demanded an alert and even sympathetic reader as Campanella ostensibly opposed republicanism with disputations and authorities that recalled his youth.