Petrarca, Francesco

Petrarch: The Canzoniere, or Rerum vulgarium fragmenta

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One of the Best Petrarch Translations
A Must for Anyone who Collects Petrarchan Work
Finally a good English Petrarch!
Should be read as a novel from start to finish
essential to western poetry

Petrarch: The Canzoniere, or Rerum vulgarium fragmenta
Francesco Petrarca
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0253213177

Book Description

"Mark Musa, in editing and translating Petrarch's Canzoniere, has performed a wonderful service to the English-speaking reader. Here, in one volume, are included the poet's own selection of the best lyric verse he wrote throughout his life, accompanied by brief but useful notes . . . " --Chronicles

"As well as skillful and fluent verse renderings of the 366 lyrics that make up this milestone in the development of Western poetic tradition, Musa offers copious and up-to-date annotation to each poem . . . along with a substantial, sensitive, and intelligent introduction that is genuinely helpful for the first-time reader and thought provoking for Petrarch scholars and other medievalists."--Choice

The 366 poems of Petrarch's 1/2Canzoniere represent one of the most influential works in Western literature. Varied in form, style, and subject matter, these "scattered rhymes" contains metaphors and conceits that have been absorbed into the literature and language of love. In this bilingual edition, Mark Musa provides verse translations, annotations, and an introduction co-authored with Barbara Manfredi.

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best Petrarch Translations.......2005-12-13

Petrarch, an Italian poet in the early 1300's, had a major influence on English literature in the 16th and 17th centuries. In a series of sonnets that became known as Canzoniere, Petrarch focused on his idea of love based on the sighting of a woman named Laura in a church. Though she was married, Petrarch confessed his love to her but was rebuked each time. With his love unreturned, he channeled that energy into his poetry and instead of trying to persuade Laura, his poetry idealizes and describes the concepts related to beauty. The poetry of the "lover" to the "beloved" describes Laura with "godly" attributes. The beloved is a woman who has an angelic appearance and a certain grace in her mannerisms. Physically, the beloved has blonde hair, blue eyes and pale white skin with red cheeks. She is radiant in appearance and can strike a man's heart in seconds. In addition, Petrarch's writing mechanics influenced the style in which future poems were written. Petrarch's poetry also followed a distinct meter, usually an octave scale. Petrarch's deliberate style and notion of beauty found in his sonnets set a new standard for writing.

Sidney, Spencer, and even Shakespeare were familiar with, and heavily influenced by, Petrarch's work. Other English poets like Henry Howard and Sir Thoms Wyatt tried to translate Petrarch's poetry. In order to understand this entire time peroid, one should go back to the roots and read the original. Mark Musa's translation includes the original Italian version as well as an excellent English translation. My professors also use this book because the translations stay as close to the original as possible. Though something is always lost in translation, these poems feel as if they are whole, and should be read as one long story. Musa's critical notes at the end of the book provide excellent insight into Petrarch's style, form and meaning. This is a great version of the Canzoniere and I highly recommend it.

A Must for Anyone who Collects Petrarchan Work.......2005-08-11

In addition to one of the finest translations, Musa provides much useful background information. He includes a chronological table that comprises when the poems were written and times when the events occurred in Petrarch's live. The notes and commentary, not footnoted but located separately from the poems in a chapter at the end of the book, are detailed descriptions about the poems and its allegories. Musa tells readers about the name "Laura" and its connection to the laurel. Through the various explanations of Italian lyrics, readers learn how to differentiate between various poetic genres. The book also has the original Italian text as well as the English translation, so that readers can compare them. It is a great way to learn how to read Italian. Another important feature is the works cited because scholars can seek the same readings that Musa used for his book. And also, the index of the first lines is very helpful when one remembers a few beginning words of the poem and wants to know where it is located in the book. This edition is a must for anyone who collects the works of Petrarca.

Finally a good English Petrarch!.......2003-11-07

This edition of Petrarch's Canzoniere (trans. Mark Musa) is the best English rendering I have seen. Durling's edition, while useful in different ways (I would certainly reccommend both to anyone seriously interested in Petrarch), doesn't provide translations that are nearly as poetic or comfortable as these. Musa's experience from translating Dante's Divine Comedy and Vita Nuova, Boccaccio's Decameron, and even, previously, portions of Petrarch's Canzoniere, definitely shines through here - Musa knows his way around the Italian greats, and it shows in this translation.

Should be read as a novel from start to finish.......2003-08-09

While there are other good translations of selections from the Canzoniere, Petrarcch's masterpiece needs to be read as a whole from start to finish in order to be fully appreciated. Petrarch planned and rewrote these poems in order to fit into an overall plan.
Usually I skip introductions to works that I read but I read the first paragraph of the extensive introduction and was quickly drawn in. This introduction was actualy a helpful prologue to the poetry which descibed Petrach's styles and intentions.
A blurb on the book cover says that Musa's treanslations read so well that you are unaware that they are translations. I certainly agree. I do not read Italian but this edition does conain the originals on the adjacent side.
I was surprised at the modernity and musicality of the poems. Petrarch was not just inflouential in his versification but also in his language. Much of his humanistic language has become second nature to us but he invented it.
I rank this book as not only some of the graetest poetry but as one ofthe great works of Western llterature.
These "little songs" are highly readble and like a said before form a sort of novelistic story that I would highly recommend to not just poetry readers but all readers.

essential to western poetry.......2003-04-15

Musa's translations preserve all the brilliant visionary beauty & humble humanness of Petrarch's voice. & where would western literature be without Petrarch? He was one of the main people to bring Europe out of the Middle Ages.

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The Revolution of Cola Di Rienzo
Francesco Petrarca
Manufacturer: Italica Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Medieval | World | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0934977003

Book Description

This book tells the story of the relationship between Cola di Rienzo, a young visionary with a gift for oratory who overthrew the rule of the barons and the pope, and Francesco Petrarch, the poet and Renaissance humanist. Using Petrarch's letters to and about the Roman tribune, it traces his friendship from their first encounter in Avignon in 1343 and the poet's enthusiastic embrace of Cola's revolution in 1347, through his growing doubts and first criticisms, to his bitter disappointment at Cola's fall.

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

Petrarca...en sus propias palabras.......2003-05-20

CCXCIII - Soneto

Si yo hubiese pensado que serían
mis suspiros en rimas celebrados,
desde el primer momento numerosas
y en más sutil estilo las hiciera.

Mas muerta aquella por la cual hablaba,
aquella que ocupó mi pensamiento,
no podré, sin tener la dulce lima,
volver blandas las rimas que son duras.

Todo mi afán, es cierto, entonces era
que el pecho dolorido se expresara
de cualquier forma, y no el obtener fama.

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