Petrarchism in Renaissance Poetry: Michelangelo e Della Casa

Abstract

The present work aims to analyze the continuity of Francesco Petrarca's lyrical tradition during the Italian Renaissance in the poetic works of Michelangelo Buonarroti and Giovanni Della Casa. In both cases, it is possible to perceive continuities and divergences in relation to the author of the Canzoniere: in Michelangelo's case, fragmentation is noticeable (as in Rime 1 and Rime 267), the theme of love (with Love as an interlocutor, as in Rime 23), and the religious sign, the latter being present in the relationship with Vittoria Colonna (as in Rime 159); whereas in Della Casa, the close communication with Cardinal Pietro Bembo and his knowledge of the classics made the author of Il Galateo an experimental poet, but one who cultivated recurring themes in Petrarca (as evident in sonnets XXVII and LXIV and in canzone XLVI). Without creating clear oppositions, the idea of this article is to verify how two renowned names of the 16th century reworked a poetic inheritance that remained canonical for centuries and is still recognized as such today.