Petrarch

“David Young’s version of Petrarch will refresh our images of the West’s crucial lyric poet. We are given a Petrarch in our own vernacular, with echoes of Wyatt, Shakespeare, and many who come after.” --Harold Bloom

Ineffable sweetness, bold, uncanny sweetness
that came to my eyes from her lovely face;
from that day on I'd willingly have closed them,
never to gaze again at lesser beauties.
--from Sonnet 116

Petrarch was born in Tuscany and grew up in the south of France. He lived his life in the service of the church, traveled widely, and during his lifetime was a revered, model man of letters.

Petrarch's greatest gift to posterity was his Rime in vita e morta di Madonna Laura, the cycle of poems popularly known as his songbook. By turns full of wit, languor, and fawning, endlessly inventive, in a tightly composed yet ornate form they record their speaker's unrequited obsession with the woman named Laura. In the centuries after it was designed, the "Petrarchan sonnet," as it would be known, inspired the greatest love poets of the English language-from the times of Spenser and Shakespeare to our own.

David Young's fresh, idiomatic version of Petrarch's poetry is the most readable and approachable that we have. In his skillful hands, Petrarch almost sounds like a poet out of our own tradition bringing the wheel of influence full circle.

This book is a major achievement by one of the best translators, and poets, that we have in America. If you are not familiar with Petrarch, or David Young, a wonderful treat awaits you!

Selections from the Canzoniere and Other Works

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"One of the Greatest Poets of All Time"

Selections from the Canzoniere and Other Works
Francesco Petrarch
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Italian | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0192839519

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. Foreword by Germaine Greer.

Yet one must remeber that this is not a critical edition. Durlings commentary (if one can call it that) leaves much to be desired. Suprising also is the fact that Durling completely ignores the division in two parts (traditionally called "in life", 1-263 and "in death" 264-366. Petrarch clearly intended there to be a division, leaving blank pages in the Vatican manuscript, Vat. Lat. 3195. For those who desire a critical edition I would recomend Marco Santagata's 1996 edition (Mondadori), however it is entirely in Italian.

Among Europe's most famous and influential books of lyrics, this large collection focuses on Petrarch's lifelong love for the mysterious Laura, but the themes he treats are many. Showing why Petrarch is often regarded as the first modern man to emerge from a medieval world, this book reveals the man in all of his perplexities, uncertainties, and hesitancies.

The Canzoniere of Petrarch (1304 74) is among Europe's most famous and influential books of lyrics. The focus of this large collection (7,500 lines) is Petrarch's love for the mysterious Laura, but the themes he treats are many and various. One of the first modern men to emerge from a medieval world, he remains modern in his perplexities and uncertainties, in the hesitancies and diffidence he reveals, and paradoxically, with assured artistry. J.G. Nichols brings out his obsessive passion, but also his wit and serious humor.