Abstract
This article deals with the relation that exists between Freemasonry and Italian literature between the 19th and 20th centuries. During this historical period the long and complex process of Italian unification was finished (1861) and Italian Freemasonry was implicated in it performing a very first role (Giuseppe Garibaldi the best example at this respect).
As bearers of the ideals of liberty, tolerance, fraternity, progress and secularism, Freemasonry attracted, as their own members, a good deal of intellectuals who were convinced to find in the masonic lodges illustrated minds who were in favour of a change of ideas and freedom of thought. As well lots of writers and educated men were initiated at the masonic lodges and the masonic ideals had an important part in their literary creations of the new Italian society after the Italian unification.
In this writing has been analysed some authors through which had been certain proofs of their belonging to the lodges or some of them who openly mentioned the masonic craft in their works. We mention as well some other authors that we don't have a concrete proof of their belonging to Freemasonry, but whose masonic inspiration is quite clear.