RENAISSANCE IN ITALY

ITALIAN LITERATURE

IN TWO PARTS

BY

JOHN ADDINGTON SYMONDS

AUTHOR OF

6

STUDIES OF THE GREEK POETS SKETCHES IN ITALY AND GREECE

SMITH, ELDER, & CO.

NEW YORK: CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

Add to Lib.

GIFT

'Orlando Furioso' and 'Divina Commedia '-Ariosto expresses the
Renaissance as Dante the Middle Ages-Definition of Romantic,
Heroic, Burlesque, Heroic-comic, and Satiric Poems-Ariosto's
Bias toward Romance-Sense of Beauty in the Cinque Cento-
Choice of Boiardo's Unfinished Theme-The Propriety of this
Choice-Ariosto's Irony and Humour-The Subject of the
'Furioso '-Siege of Paris-Orlando's Madness-Loves of Rug-
giero and Bradamante-Flattery of the House of Este-The
World of Chivalry-Ariosto's Delight in the Creatures of his
Fancy-Close Structure of the Poem-Exaggeration of Motives
-Power of Picture-painting-Faculty of Vision-Minute De-
scription-Rhetorical Amplification-Rapidity of Movement—
Solidity-Nicety of Ethical Analysis-The Introductions to the
Cantos-Episodes and Novelle-Imitations of the Classics-
Power of Appropriation and Transmutation-Irony-Astolfo's
Journey to the Moon-Ariosto's Portrait-S. Michael in the
Monastery―The Cave of Sleep-Humour-Pathos and Sublimity
-Olimpia and Bireno-Conception of Female Character-The
Heroines-Passion and Love-Ariosto's Morality-His Style-
The Epithet of 'Divine'-Exquisite Finish-Ariosto and Tasso-
Little Landscape-painting-Similes-Realism-Adaptation of
Homeric Images-Ariosto's Relation to his Age..

PAGE

. 1

836

Boccaccio's Legacy-Social Conditions of Literature in Italy-Im.

portance of the Novella-Definition of the Novella-Method

of the Novelists-Their Style-Materials used-Large Numbers

of Novelle in Print-Lombard and Tuscan Species-Introduc-

tions to Il Lasca's Cene,' Parabosco's 'Diporti '-Bandello's

Dedications-Life of Bandello-His Moral Attitude-Bandello

as an Artist-Comparison of Bandello and Fletcher-The Tale

of Gerardo and Elena'-'Romeo and Juliet'-The Tale of

"Nicuola-The Countess of Salisbury'-Bandello's Apology

for his Morals and his Style-Il Lasca-Mixture of Cruelty and

Lust-Extravagant Situations-Treatment of the 'Parisina '

Motive-The Florentine Burla-Apology for Il Lasca's Re-

pulsiveness-Firenzuola-His Life-His Satires on the Clergy-

His Dialogue on Beauty-Novelettes and Poems-Doni's Career

-His Bizarre Humour-Bohemian Life at Venice-The Pelle-

grini-His Novelle-Miscellaneous Works-The 'Marmi'-

The Novelists of Siena-Their Specific Character-Sermini-

Fortini-Bargagli's Description of the Siege of Siena-Illicini's

Novel of 'Angelica '-The Proverbi of Cornazano-The

'Notti Piacevoli' of Straparola-The Novel of 'Belphegor '—

Straparola and Machiavelli-Giraldi Cinthio's 'Hecatommithi'

-Description of the Sack of Rome-Plan of the Collection-

The Legend of the Borgias-Comparison of Italian Novels and

English Plays

PAGE

44

CHAPTER XI

THE DRAMA

First Attempts at Secular Drama-The 'Orfeo' and 'Timone'—

General Character of Italian Plays-Court Pageants and

Comedies borrowed from the Latin-Conditions under which a

National Drama is Formed-Their Absence in Italy-Lack of

Tragic Genius-Eminently Tragic Material in Italian History—

The Use made of this by English Playwrights-The Ballad and

the Drama-The Humanistic Bias in Italy-Parallels between

Greek and Italian Life-Il Lasca's Critique of the Latinising