A History of Poetry in Italy: 1200-1600

This book offers a new way of reading Italian poetry that goes beyond the traditional overview of the canonical authors and their works. With a focus on plurality and diversity of language, genre, and forms, including not just written texts but also those presented in performance, the editors enlarge the scope of what we understand Italian premodern poetry to be. Alongside this more inclusive framing, the book pays close attention to the social, cultural, linguistic and material settings of poetry, giving equal weight to context, container and content. The single chapters offer original insights into current debates and discoveries, with expert contributions from sixteen international experts. The innovative theoretical and methodological framework complements the enlarged repertoire of poetic activity in the Italian peninsula over these four centuries, from the first manuscript experiments in verse right through to sophisticated print productions and elaborate performance media.