The Italian

Renaissance:
Visages of Human Love
 The Italian Renaissance:
Florence in Italy is acknowledged as the birthplace of
the Renaissance in Europe. Beginning around the end
of the 14th century AD and lasting about two centuries,
the Italian Renaissance was an era of wealth that
allowed wealthy and prominent families to become
patrons and supporters of artists like Leonardo da
Vinci, Michaelangelo, Botticelli, and Raphael, and
writers and thinkers notably the philiospher Niccolo
Machiavelli and the great poets Petrarch and Boccacio
 The Italian Renaissance:
Petrarch’s and Boccacio’s represents the collections
of writings which, together consisted not only of poems
but of letters, essays, tales, stories, and biographies.
Centering on romantic love , convey the humanist
spirit of the Renaissance. Portraying human love and
human conflicts and struggles it entails celebrate
humanity.
Sonnet
 Sonnet
A sonnet is a one stanza poem of
fourteen lines. One of the most popular
sonnet form is the Petrarchan sonnet
which was developed and popularized by
the Italian poet Francisco Petrarca
 Sonnet
The Petrarchan sonnet is divided into two
parts-an octave, or the first eight line and the
sestet, or the last six lines.
The octave has a rhyme pattern of abbaabba,
while the sestet usually rhymes cdcdcd, cdecde,
cddcdd, or cddece
 Sonnet
The first eight lines present a question,
problem or dilemma. The volta, or the turn,
which happens at the beginning of the
sestet(i.e,the ninth line) marks a change of
thought or a switch of mood or outlook
leading to the solution or answer presented
in the sestet
 EXPLAINING
PARADOX
How can something burning freeze or
something frozen burn?
 EXPLAINING PARADOX
Paradox is a figure of speech that uses
contradiction. Petrarch’s “Sonnet 104”
contains examples of paradox
 EXPLAINING PARADOX
Paradox
I find no peace, and all my war is
done
I burn and freeze like ice
I desire to perish, and yet I ask
health
Meaning
Peace results from having a war.
Yet, despite the war being over,
the persona is not at peace
Something burning does not
freeze, or something frozen does
not burn
How can one who wants to die
also want to be healthy?
 Recognizing Caesuras
and End-stopped Lines
Where do caesuras and end-stopped lines occur in a
poem?
 Recognizing Caesuras and End-
stopped Lines
• 
A caesura is a pause occurring between the
beginning and end of a line of a poem. It
may coincide with punctuation or with
natural breath units. The symbol marks
caesura.
Recognizing Caesuras and End-
stopped Lines
Note the caesura in the following lines from “Of Fiammeta Singing”.

“ A nymph, a goddess, or an angel sings

Until herself, within this chosen place,
Of ancient loves,” so said I at that sound
And there my lady, ‘ mid the shadowings
Of myrtle-trees, mid flowers and grassy space,
Singing I saw, with others who sat around
 Recognizing Caesuras and End-
stopped Lines
Lines of poem that end with punctuation are called end-stopped-
lines are marked with symbols I as in the following lines from
“Sonetto”:
BESIDE a fountain in a little grove
That fresh green fronds and pretty flowers did grace, I
Three maidens sat and talked methinks of love. I
For coolness was entwined a leaf-green spray, I
And all the while a gentle zephyr played
Through green and golden in a tender way, I
Weaving a web of sunshine and of shade. I