Francesco Petrarca Libros

Sin duda, una de las obras que más influjo han ejercido en la literatura europea es la de FRANCESCO PETRARCA (1304-1374), destacado representante de la corriente renovadora del saber que se halla en el origen del Renacimiento. Filólogo iniciador de la historia de las letras y de la ciencia de la historia, filósofo y latinista, Petrarca -posterior en sólo una generación al autor de la "Divina Comedia" (L 5569) y contemporáneo de Boccaccio, cuya amistad cultivó- es más conocido en la actualidad por la recopilación de sus composiciones en lengua vulgar, conocida generalmente con el nombre de CANCIONERO, en las cuales volcó la expresión de un amor ya de nuevo signo, puramente humano. Reflejo de la experiencia de toda una vida -no cesó de reordenar y corregir sus poemas a lo largo de su existencia-, biografía espiritual, más que sentimental, los 317 sonetos, 29 canciones, 9 extintas, 7 baladas y 4 madrigales que lo componen son, como apunta en su iluminadora introducción Ángel Crespo -autor también de la traducción-, el "producto orgánico de una experiencia largamente meditada", pero asimismo, en no menor medida, hijos legítimos "no sólo de su amor por Laura, sino también de su sabiduría y erudición".

Petrarca's four Invectives were intended to revive the eloquence of the great Roman orator Cicero, and were directed against the cultural idols of the Middle Ages: against scholastic philosophy and medicine and the dominance of French culture in general.

The collection features 128 letters from Petrarch's later years, many newly translated into English. These letters showcase his reflections on key themes of early Italian humanism, particularly in his correspondence with Boccaccio, his most frequent correspondent. Through their exchanges, readers gain insight into the literary culture of their time and Petrarch's mature perspectives on significant issues.

Petrarch fashioned so many different versions of himself for posterity that it is an exacting task to establish where one might start to explore. . . . Hainsworth's study meets this problem through examples of what Petrarch wrote, and does so decisively and succinctly. . . . [A] careful and unpretentious book, penetrating in its organization and treatment of its subject, gentle in its guidance of the reader, nimble and dexterous in its scholarly infrastructure—and no less profound for those qualities of lightness. The translations themselves are a delight, and are clearly the result of profound meditation and extensive experiment. . . . The Introduction and the notes to each work form a clear plexus of support for the reader, with a host of deft cross-references. --Richard Mackenny, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Durling's edition of Petrarch's poems has become the standard. Readers have praised the translation of the authoritative text as graceful and accurate, conveying a real understanding of what this difficult poet is saying. The literalness of the prose translation makes this book especially useful to students who lack a full command of Italian.

Written by one of the greatest poets of all time, My Secret Book, now in its first English translation, is a profound and deeply personal account of inner suffering and mental anguish. Deeply troubled by his struggle—and failure—to achieve spiritual perfection, Petrarch, considered the forefather of Italian humanism, sought catharsis in the writing of a “secret book.” Only here could he pour out his innermost thoughts, frustrations, and desires. Written in the form of a dialogue between himself and St. Augustine, the book wrestles with the universal themes of suffering, desire, fear, and joy. The result is a rare insight into Petrarch’s life and thought and a remarkable early example of self-revelation and autobiography.

Petrarch deserves to be valued as a real man, a careful thinker, a good poet. This title presents the 14th-century Italian's lyric and love poems. It adds a selection of the poems Petrarch wrote after Laura's death.

Petrarch (1304-74), Italy's greatest lyric poet, was a diplomat, a classical scholar, and poet laureate by the age of 37. His most influential legacy is undoubtedly the "Canzoniere," a collection of 366 outstanding love poems. Their inspiration was the elusive lady Laura, the object of Petrarch's unrequited passion for nearly forty years, and at times a metaphor for his other obsession, worldly glory. It is this other theme, and the conflicts created by the poet's yearning for spirituality, that form the subjects of the two autobiographical prose pieces included here, the "Letter to Posterity" and "The Ascent of Mount Ventoux." The hesitations and choices expressed in these letters illuminate the "Canzoniere," whose elegant sophistication belies the strength of its passion. The delicacy of Petrarch's original has been faithfully preserved in this verse translation by Mark Musa. -- From publisher's description