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Italian Didactic Poetry in the Sixteenth Century PDF

333 Pages·16.335 MB·English
by  SenaDante S
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Preview Italian Didactic Poetry in the Sixteenth Century

r FORDHAM UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL Jay...!!?*...... ...51 19 This dissertation prepared under my direction by .........................................................................S.* Sena.................................... entitled ITALIAN DIDACTIC POETRY IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY has been accepted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the- Degree of P.?.c^or Philosophy Alexander Ausili (Faculty Adviser) ITALIAN DIDACTIC POETRY IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY By DANTE S. SENA H*A»* Fordhsoa UniTersity, *40 - DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF-THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ROMANCE LANGUAGES AT FQKDHAM UNI-VERSITY NEW YORK 1951 ProQuest Number: 10992719 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10992719 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION............................................................................... 1 The Revived Interest for Didactic Works in the Cinquecento Prose Works Latin Poems II. THE AGRICULTURAL POEMS IN ITALIAN.............................. 56 Luigi Alamannis La coltivazione Giovanni Rucellai: Le api Alessandro Tessauros Sereide Luigi Tansillo: II podere III. THE MORAL POMS.............................. 165 Luigi Tansillo: La balia IY. LITERARY CRITICISM.. .......................... 174 Gerolamo Muzi o s Arte poetioa V. THE RECREATIONAL POEMS.................................. 200 Erasmo di Yalvason: La oaccia Tito Giovanni Scandianese: Caccia Bernardino Baldi: Nauti ca Gregorio Ducchi: Scaocheide VI. CONCLUSION..... ................ 303 APPENDIX...................................... 305 Excerpts BIBLIO GRAPH! .............................................. 322 L -J ITALIAN DIDACTIC POETRY IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY L 1 r i CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION In a period such as the Renaissance it was quite natural that / the scholars and litterateurs, who were imbued with the classical spirit of the ancients, should have a passionate predilection for even the minor genres of Graeco-Roman literary endeavour. Besides this all-pervading love for elegant foxm and consummate finesse there was a keen desire of displaying one’s virtuosity in coping with abstruse, even prosaically arid, scientific subjects practic­ ally unknown to the ancient world* This is best exemplified in the didactic works of the Cinquecento both in prose and poetry* Among the didactic prose works dealing with morals the Galateo of the Florentine, Giovanni Della Casa, is of prime importance; it is a treatise on Renaissance etiquette. The author uses as his sources the moral and rhetorical works of Cicero, Plutarch, Aris­ totle and Theophrastus. Della Casa, however, by no means possessed a ll the qualities which he over-scrupulously describes, having led the life of a carefree Epicurean at Rome before writing his book* The Galateo is in the form of a treatise which describes the instructions of an illiterate old man to his ward. Among the first suggestions is the exhortation to please others by good manners in view of the fact that man cannot be a hermit. In doing this, how­ ever, the golden mean is to be kept. If one tries to please others exclusively he becomes adulatory or buffoonish in manner. Any act or thought displeasing to the senses is to be avoided and allusions to objects which disgust the imagination are to be 2 r ~i completely suppressed. One is to refrain from grinding one*s teeth, whistling and shrieking; he is not to sing unless he has a pleasant voice. Coughing and sneezing should be disguised as much as possible. In yawning one is not to bray like an ass or indulge in inarticulate vociferations like those produced by a mute who is attempting to speak. Smelling or tasting food which others are to eat is most un­ desirable. The author imagines that a certain bishop named Giovanni Matteo Giberti charges one of his most experienced servants, Galateo (a nom de plume for Galeazzo Florimonte), to advert gently a noble knight, Count Ricciardo, whom he has entertained, of a displeasing noise which he is in the habit of making with his mouth while at table. The count receives the counsel graciously and determines to amend this defect. Here Della Casa indignantly reproaehes those who make disgusting noises while eating, just as if they were swine in the swill: Ora che crediamo noi, che avesse il Vescovo, e la sua nobile brigata detto a coloro, che noi veggiamo talora, a guisa di porci, col grifo nella broda tu tti abbandonati, non levar mai alto il viso, e mai non rimuover gli occhi, e mol to meno le mani dalle vivande, e con ambedue le gote gonfiato, come se essi sonassero la tromba, o soffiassero nel fuoco, non mangiare, ma trangugiare? . . A Further, one is not to sleep or be restless in company; neither should one read letters or cut fingernails in the presence of others. 1. Giovanni.' Della Casa, Opere, 3 vols., Firenze, Hanni, 1707, II, 12. L Care mast be taken not to turn one’s back to people and not to nudge them constantly with the elbow. In apparel one is to conform to the general fashion. One should adapt himself to a moderate degree to the desires of others and is not to be excessively punctilious. Good subjects of conversation are to chosen. Religious matters are not to be taken lightly. Sad subjects are to be avoided, as also continuous reference to one's family and dreams. Moderation is desirable in formal greetings. Deliberate contradiction of another's opinions is a sign of enmity: . . . il porsi volentieri al contrario ad a ltri ^ opera di nimist£, e non d'amieizia . . .1 People should not always be intent upon avid victory in conversa­ tion. Mockery of others is also an evil. Gentle joking with friends is more amiable and desirable than not joking at all with them. One's vocabulary should be clear at all times. Archaic words are to be avoided. The author discusses jargon and words so special to Florence as to be understood exclusively by Florentines. Obscene language is to be completely absent from conversation. Della Casa objects to some realistic passages in Dante. Rhetoric is to be studied carefully. In speaking one's voice should have a moderate volume; people who stammer should try to correct their de­ fect. Enunciation is to be very clear; superfluous pomposity in language is to be avoided. Some people always take the floor and do not give others an opportunity to speak. The author describes beauty and ugliness. Beauty is propor­ tion of different parts among themselves in an harmonious whole; 1. Della Casa, £. c it., p. 1*2. 0

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