Original scientific paper
A COLLECTION OF LOVE POETRY (»CANZONIERE«) BY MARIN DRŽIĆ
Rafo Bogišić
; Zagreb
Abstract
Marin Držić’s love poetry has only recently drawn attention. The time of originating of the »Canzoniere« is considered as a particularly interesting question. It was printed in Venice, with some other works by Držić, in 1551. The question is important since it is directly connected with the problem of Držić’s literary development, with his poetical status, and with the complex problem of the author’s poetical orientation.
Only twenty love poems written by Držić have survived. While preparing his book, the author made a rigorous selection from Držić’s love poetry. When were those poems written? The poems themselves may in some measure answer that question. There are places in them referring to »early youth«, but there are also allusions and clear indications showing that others were of a later date, from the time immediately before the printing of the book. The fact alone that the love poems were taken into consideration at the time of printing, confirms how much one part of Držić’s being was deeply influenced by Petrarchism.
There is another reason why Držić, »even now«, when in his literary development and in the view of some known biographical facts he was considerably inspired by some other and different ideas and not Petrarchist amorous preoccupations, wants to introduce himself as a poet of love. Having considered his Petrarchist poems to be true poetry, he performed, by printing this love poems, an act within the framework of his personal poelmic towards those who did not appreciate him, emphasizing at the same time his own poetical excellence. He revealed that his leaving Dubrovnik was bua an episode; he perfected his craft, has learned »piping«, has returned and has continued an intensive literary work. When, after the pubblication of his »Tyrene« the critics and slanderers reemerged, Držić, now quite self-confident, retorted with writing poetry, occasional declarations about himself, and, finally, by letting his works be printed.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
161858
URI
Publication date:
24.12.1980.
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