312 



THE STANDARD DICTIONARY OF FACTS 



Bembo, Paruto, and others, who arranged 

 chronicles or annals of other nation*. 



The romances of chivalry versified hy Pulci 

 and Bojardo became the foundation <>f the 

 romantic epic formed by the genius of Ariosto 

 (1474-1533). His "Orlando Furioso" made 

 wonders and prodigies appear as truths and 

 facts and his descriptions were marked by 

 grace and beauty. The historical epic was the 

 work of Tasso (1644-1606), who Ix-came famous 

 through his poem, "Jerusalem Delivered," the 

 story of the liberation of the Sepulchre by 

 Godfrey of Bouillon in the Eleventh Century. 

 This poem ranks now as the best heroic poem 

 that Italy can show. 



Tasso seems to stand between the high de- 

 velopment of the Renaissance and the period of 

 nee in Italian literature, that began with 

 the Spanish rule in the middle of the Sixteenth 

 Century. The ]>eople of Italy were oppressed, 

 rvery high aspiration was checked, no freedom 

 of word or thought was allowed, and this con- 

 tinued until the war of the Spanish succession. 

 This one hundred and forty years is known in the 

 history of Italian literature as the Secentismo. 

 During this time, however, some independent 

 thinkers, such as Bruno, Campanella, and Va- 

 nani, opened the way for the scientific triumphs 

 of Galileo (1564-1642). He was conspicuous 

 in literature as well as in science, a student of 

 Ariosto, and in his prose is found the poet's 

 ease, clearness, and elegance. The prose of 

 Galileo has been called the best prose ever writ- 

 ten in the Italian language. 



When freed from Spanish dominion in the 

 Eighteenth Century, civil reforms, resulting 

 from ideas quietly working in many parts of 

 Europe, improved the conditions of life in Italy. 

 The first sign in the literature was in historical 

 and scientific prose. In history Muratori col- 

 lected the chronicles for the years 500 to 1500, 

 and wrote his Annali d'ltalia, and Mazzuchelli 

 turned to literary history preparing for a biog- 

 raphy of Italian writers. Everything tended 

 toward improvement and the influence was 

 soon seen in the drama. Metastasio (1689- 

 1782) was one of the most pleasing poets of his 

 day, writing plays, operas and ballets. Gol- 

 doni revived comedy and Alfieri (1749-1803) 

 raised tragedy to a high standard. "Saul" is 

 regarded as his masterpiece. Monti and Foscolo 

 were followers, both inspired by patriotism. 

 Silvio Pellico (1789-1854) also wrote tragedies 

 which were good specimens of modern art, but 

 he is most popular as author of "Lie Mie Pri- 

 gioni," "My Prisons," the story of his ten years' 

 life in the fortress of Spielberg. Manzoni (1784- 



1873) and Niccolini were also popular writers. 

 Giordani, born in 1771, was the last of the 

 writers known as the classicists. 



Scholars in Italy were influenced by the ideas 

 embodied in the movement known as Romanti- 

 cism, especially strong in Germany at the begin- 

 ning of the Nineteenth Century. Silvio Pellico, 

 Breme, Berchet, and Manzoni were prominent 

 among them, but the literary reform opposing 

 the classical studies of the past took more the 

 way of realism in Italy. Manzoni was distin- 

 guished in this and from his "Promessi Sposi " 

 the new form is dated. In this the historical 

 novel grew into a work of art, and the 

 genius that created it was first recognized by 

 Goethe, and placed the author, Manzoni, at the 

 head of Italian literature of the century. Leo- 

 pardi (1798-1837) shared this honor by putting 

 into his poems most realistic pictures of what 

 he saw and felt. Circumstances had given him 

 a dreary life and his poetry has been quoted as 

 the poetry of despair in which he surpassed 

 even Shelley and Byron. He has also been 

 honored by critics as the first poet since Dante 

 and a most perfect writer of prose. Among his 

 poems are "Passero Solitario," "Sabato del 

 Villaggio," and "Genestra." "Operette Mo- 

 rali," a volume of discourses and dialogues, was 

 his greatest prose. 



Botta (1766^-1837) and Colletta (1775-1831) 

 wrote noted histories of their own country and 

 to these Botta added a history of the American 

 Revolution. These were followed by "Vespri 

 Siciliani," a history by Amari, "Storia d'ltalia," 

 by Trpya, and the "Archivio Storico Italiano," 

 established by Vieusseux, all in the renewed 

 spirit of research. Interest in history was in- 

 spired by the noted Italian love of country and 

 patriotism led to literary expression. Among 

 authors connected with the political revolution 

 of 1848 were Guisti with his popular satires, 

 Guerrazzi, writing historical novels, Gioberti 

 in polemics, and Balbo making an epitome of 

 history. 



Political geniuses of this century were Aleardi 

 Prati, Carducci, and Zanella. Arnaboldi, also 

 a poet, has been criticised for writing utilitarian 

 verse. Fiction lists carry the names of Barili, 

 Farina, Giovagnoli, and Bersezio, and biography 

 and history have been made richer by the work 

 of Zini, Capponi, Bartoli, Villari, and Berti, 

 with Florentine, Trezza, Ferrari, and Cossa in 

 general literature. 



Italian fiction has a wide field, description in 

 travels is well done as De Amicis's almost un- 

 equaled works show, and through translations 

 Italy holds a place in the reading world. 



SPANISH LITERATURE 



