Canzoniere: Selected Poems (Penguin Classics)
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Product Description
The 'Canzoniere', a sequence of sonnets and other verse forms, were written over a period of about 40 years. They describe Petrarch's intense love for Laura, whom he first met in Avignon in 1327, and her effect on him after she died in 1348. The collection is an examination of the poet's growing spiritual crisis, and also explores important contemporary issues such as the role of the papacy and religion.
About the Author
Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374), scholar and man of letters, is considered the father of sonnet-writing. Although the majority of his work was composed in Latin, it is his collection of poems in the vernacular entitled 'Canzoniere' for which he is most remembered.
Anthony Mortimer holds the Chair of English Literature at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and has been a Visiting Fellow at Merton College, Oxford. Publications include 'Petrarch's Canzoniere in the English Renaissance'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you're looking for a text of Petrarch without paying a fortune, then it's really a decision between this one and the Oxford. I went for this in the end as it has more of the lyrics/sonnets but doesn't include any of the other poetry or letters.
The book is nicely laid out with the Italian on one side and an easy, flowing translation on the other with lots of room for notes.
The Introduction is quite sparse but for students this kind of general introduction is usually a bit of a waste anyway.
The only irritating thing is that the numbering of the sonnets doesn't match some of the other professional texts so it's a little confusing if you need to cross-reference with scholarly works... but that's a small quibble.
The book is nicely laid out with the Italian on one side and an easy, flowing translation on the other with lots of room for notes.
The Introduction is quite sparse but for students this kind of general introduction is usually a bit of a waste anyway.
The only irritating thing is that the numbering of the sonnets doesn't match some of the other professional texts so it's a little confusing if you need to cross-reference with scholarly works... but that's a small quibble.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Petrarch was a true original who has had great influence on poetry and pop/rock music today (many writers of love songs wouldn't even know it) Petrarch lived around the 1300s (I'm sure)in Italy and suffered a great deal, as he was madly in love with a woman, who was beleived to have already been married.. the point is it was a case of unrequited love.. Poor old Francesco. Though for the sake of beauty he had to suffer this way.
In this book we have a very good selection of the full collection of the conzoniere, and it is a good price. The conzoniere is a collection of sonnets (he invented) and longer poems that deal mostly with his love for Laura. In this edition we have two parts: Part 1 when Laura is alive and part 2 after her death. His love for Laura is the most pure, honest kind of love one could imagine and throughout the poems he is either rapturous over the divine love or in a complete state of hopelessness and despair.
One thing is that when you read Petrarch (Mortimer notes this) it seems that one may have "heard it all before".. This style and imagary seems SO familiar, such as the classic oxymorons ie "Burn in Winter, Freeze in Summer" (It's better in the actual poem of course).. Don't be fooled. This is the real deal. He is one of the most imitated poets of all time, and there is even the old "Petrarchan Tradition" that many poets follow.
This collection is a bilingual edition and Mortimers translation on the opposite page of the original is of the verse variety. It is very buetiful flowing translation that keeps the imagery.. and although he isn't always faithful in a literal sense, the meaning and the rhythem is still completely Petrarchan. I myself prefer the original Italian for the obvious reasons. This would be a good book for people with a fairly good knowledge of Italian or another romance language as one can compare the facing pages.
True lovers of poetry should definately read the original but for those who wish only to read english then I would highly recomend this. It's a good collection for one to flick through and find out how pure and natural true love really is.
In this book we have a very good selection of the full collection of the conzoniere, and it is a good price. The conzoniere is a collection of sonnets (he invented) and longer poems that deal mostly with his love for Laura. In this edition we have two parts: Part 1 when Laura is alive and part 2 after her death. His love for Laura is the most pure, honest kind of love one could imagine and throughout the poems he is either rapturous over the divine love or in a complete state of hopelessness and despair.
One thing is that when you read Petrarch (Mortimer notes this) it seems that one may have "heard it all before".. This style and imagary seems SO familiar, such as the classic oxymorons ie "Burn in Winter, Freeze in Summer" (It's better in the actual poem of course).. Don't be fooled. This is the real deal. He is one of the most imitated poets of all time, and there is even the old "Petrarchan Tradition" that many poets follow.
This collection is a bilingual edition and Mortimers translation on the opposite page of the original is of the verse variety. It is very buetiful flowing translation that keeps the imagery.. and although he isn't always faithful in a literal sense, the meaning and the rhythem is still completely Petrarchan. I myself prefer the original Italian for the obvious reasons. This would be a good book for people with a fairly good knowledge of Italian or another romance language as one can compare the facing pages.
True lovers of poetry should definately read the original but for those who wish only to read english then I would highly recomend this. It's a good collection for one to flick through and find out how pure and natural true love really is.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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1 review
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Canzoniere
25 Feb 2008
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Wonderful collection, but I would still look to either the original Italian or bilingual collections of the complete work. One can get lost in the world Petrarch evokes as he pursues his poetic journey which also is a spiritual one as well.
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