The Shadow of Dante in French Renaissance Lyric: Scève's "Délie"

by Alison Baird Lovell

This book presents an interpretation of Maurice Sc ve's lyric sequence D lie, object de plus haulte vertu (Lyon, 1544) in literary relation to the Vita nuova, Commedia, and other works of Dante Alighieri. Dante's subtle influence on Sc ve is elucidated in depth for the first time, augmenting the allusions in D lie to the Canzoniere of Petrarch (Francesco Petrarca). Sc ve's sequence of dense, epigrammatic dizains is considered to be an early example, prior to the Pl iade poets, of French Renaissance imitation of Petrarch's vernacular poetry, in a time when imitatio was an established literary practice, signifying the poet's participation in a tradition. While the Canzoniere is an important source for Sc ve's D lie, both works are part of a poetic lineage that includes Occitan troubadours, Guinizzelli, Cavalcanti, and Dante. The book situates Dante as a relevant predecessor and source for Sc ve, and examines anew the Petrarchan label for D lie. Compelling poetic affinities emerge between Dante and Sc ve that do not correlate with Petrarch.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 150151797X
• ISBN13: 9781501517976
• Release Date: November 2020
• Publisher: Medieval Institute Publications
• Length: 283 Pages
• Weight: 1.01 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.1"