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Francesco Petrarca
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Canzoniere: The Canzoniere, or Rerum vulgarium fragmenta Kindle Edition

by Petrarch (Author), Mark Musa (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 30 ratings

"Mark Musa, in editing and translating Petrarch's Canzoniere, has performed a wonderful service to the English-speaking reader. Here, in one volume, are included the poet's own selection of the best lyric verse he wrote throughout his life, accompanied by brief but useful notes . . . " —Chronicles

"As well as skillful and fluent verse renderings of the 366 lyrics that make up this milestone in the development of Western poetic tradition, Musa offers copious and up-to-date annotation to each poem . . . along with a substantial, sensitive, and intelligent introduction that is genuinely helpful for the first-time reader and thought provoking for Petrarch scholars and other medievalists." —Choice

The 366 poems of Petrarch's Canzoniere represent one of the most influential works in Western literature. Varied in form, style, and subject matter, these "scattered rhymes" contains metaphors and conceits that have been absorbed into the literature and language of love. In this bilingual edition, Mark Musa provides verse translations, annotations, and an introduction co-authored with Barbara Manfredi.

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  1. Print length
    1485 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Indiana University Press
  4. Publication date
    May 22, 1999
  5. File size
    4.1 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Not Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Petrarch's personification of the hapless lover has become one of our major models. Indeed, in many of his poems of the pain and the bitter pleasure of love, we recognize a vivid and timely picture of existential man. Humble sinner, aesthete, contemplative, man of the world, secretly tormented spirit, droll observer, and advocate of life, Petrarch's protagonist in these poems possesses a personality as complex as was the nature of his time.

About the Author

MARK MUSA, Distinguished Professor of Italian at Indiana University, is well known for his translations of the Italian classics, including the works of Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, and Machiavelli. He is editor of Dante's Inferno: The Indiana Critical Edition. BARBARA MANFREDI, an independent researcher, has pursued a lifelong interest in radical poets, with a current focus on Dante.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00CEUK2CU
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Indiana University Press (May 22, 1999)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 22, 1999
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.1 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 1485 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 30 ratings

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  1. Francesco Petrarca

    Francesco Petrarca

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
30 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the poetry quality of this book, with one noting its helpful prologue and detailed notes, while another highlights its major influence on English literature. Moreover, the readability receives positive feedback, with several customers noting that the translations read well, and one mentioning the copious footnotes explaining translation choices.

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6 customers mention "Poetry quality"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the poetry quality of the book, describing it as a scholarly work with detailed notes on the poems, and one customer notes its musicality.

"...There is a fine introduction as well as detailed notes on the poems, but are kept separate from the main text, which has the Italian and English on..." Read more

"Petrarch, an Italian poet in the early 1300's, had a major influence on English literature in the 16th and 17th centuries...." Read more

"...as not only some of the graetest poetry but as one ofthe great works of Western llterature. These "little songs" are highly readble..." Read more

"...His introduction situating Petrarch's thought and addressing relevant concepts is also quite good." Read more

6 customers mention "Readability"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's translations readable, with one mentioning the bilingual edition and another noting the copious footnotes explaining translation choices.

"...includes the original Italian version as well as an excellent English translation...." Read more

"...of Western llterature. These "little songs" are highly readble and like a said before form a sort of novelistic story that I would..." Read more

"...on a separate page from the translation with copious footnotes explaining translation choices and relevant background knowledge...." Read more

"Love the fact that I have the Italian copy along with the English translation. The relationship between Petrarch and Dante is really interesting...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Will Hard
    5.0 out of 5 stars A very readable yet scholarly book
    Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Mark Musa made many translations from Italian into English, but his rendering of Petrarch's Italian poetry may well be the capstone of his career. There is a fine introduction as well as detailed notes on the poems, but are kept separate from the main text, which has the Italian and English on facing pages. Whether read on one's own or with the guidance of a teacher or other form of instruction, this seems to me the edition of choice.
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  • Herschel Greenberg
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Petrarch Translations
    Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2005
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    Petrarch, an Italian poet in the early 1300's, had a major influence on English literature in the 16th and 17th centuries. In a series of sonnets that became known as Canzoniere, Petrarch focused on his idea of love based on the sighting of a woman named Laura in a church. Though she was married, Petrarch confessed his love to her but was rebuked each time. With his love unreturned, he channeled that energy into his poetry and instead of trying to persuade Laura, his poetry idealizes and describes the concepts related to beauty. The poetry of the "lover" to the "beloved" describes Laura with "godly" attributes. The beloved is a woman who has an angelic appearance and a certain grace in her mannerisms. Physically, the beloved has blonde hair, blue eyes and pale white skin with red cheeks. She is radiant in appearance and can strike a man's heart in seconds. In addition, Petrarch's writing mechanics influenced the style in which future poems were written. Petrarch's poetry also followed a distinct meter, usually an octave scale. Petrarch's deliberate style and notion of beauty found in his sonnets set a new standard for writing.

    Sidney, Spencer, and even Shakespeare were familiar with, and heavily influenced by, Petrarch's work. Other English poets like Henry Howard and Sir Thoms Wyatt tried to translate Petrarch's poetry. In order to understand this entire time peroid, one should go back to the roots and read the original. Mark Musa's translation includes the original Italian version as well as an excellent English translation. My professors also use this book because the translations stay as close to the original as possible. Though something is always lost in translation, these poems feel as if they are whole, and should be read as one long story. Musa's critical notes at the end of the book provide excellent insight into Petrarch's style, form and meaning. This is a great version of the Canzoniere and I highly recommend it.
    22 people found this helpful
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  • R. Rockwell
    5.0 out of 5 stars Should be read as a novel from start to finish
    Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2003
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    While there are other good translations of selections from the Canzoniere, Petrarcch's masterpiece needs to be read as a whole from start to finish in order to be fully appreciated. Petrarch planned and rewrote these poems in order to fit into an overall plan.
    Usually I skip introductions to works that I read but I read the first paragraph of the extensive introduction and was quickly drawn in. This introduction was actualy a helpful prologue to the poetry which descibed Petrach's styles and intentions.
    A blurb on the book cover says that Musa's treanslations read so well that you are unaware that they are translations. I certainly agree. I do not read Italian but this edition does conain the originals on the adjacent side.
    I was surprised at the modernity and musicality of the poems. Petrarch was not just inflouential in his versification but also in his language. Much of his humanistic language has become second nature to us but he invented it.
    I rank this book as not only some of the graetest poetry but as one ofthe great works of Western llterature.
    These "little songs" are highly readble and like a said before form a sort of novelistic story that I would highly recommend to not just poetry readers but all readers.
    26 people found this helpful
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  • Joel Dietz
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent commentary and presentation
    Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2013
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    This has exactly the style of presentation I enjoy in translations of difficult texts. The original is presented on a separate page from the translation with copious footnotes explaining translation choices and relevant background knowledge. Petrarch is, of course, difficult to translate into English and Musa does a fairly good job. His introduction situating Petrarch's thought and addressing relevant concepts is also quite good.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Wendy P.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful translation
    Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2024
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    Love seeing it against the original.
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  • Charles M. Bleiberg
    5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing scholarly treasure for the libraries of lovers of poetry
    Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2016
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    An amazing scholarly treasure for the libraries of lovers of poetry, who are not content with "selected poetry" or poetry in translation without parallel texts in original languages.
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  • L. Milligan
    5.0 out of 5 stars In Italian and English
    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Love the fact that I have the Italian copy along with the English translation. The relationship between Petrarch and Dante is really interesting. John Milligan
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  • Ian Breidenbach
    5.0 out of 5 stars quality!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Arrived quickly and in perfect condition! Thank you so much! Can't wait to start reading.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Pablindar
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 13, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Petrarch was a favourite poet of Schopenhauer. I don't know Italian but when you have a good translation you can feel like reading original text. I read Italian text just to catch the music. This translations are very pure, simple and poetic at the same time. I bought a kindle version and navigation to notes at the end of the book is facilitated by highlighted links. Really worth the money!
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  • Giacomo Conserva
    5.0 out of 5 stars an excellent book and edition
    Reviewed in Germany on March 15, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    The translation is sensitive, though learned, modulated to somehow pass on Petrarca's varying tones rhythms emotions thought. The inevitable notes are copious. Moreover, the volume in se looks nice, is solid and massive but can be handled with ease and satisfaction.
    A very good starting point towards understanding Petrarca's role in the change of European consciousness.
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  • Woody
    5.0 out of 5 stars this one is the best!
    Reviewed in Canada on October 31, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Of the many translations I've sampled, this one is the best!
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 22, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Great volume. As a student of Italian, I would have welcomed more in the notes on the original language, given that the translation is not aiming at being literal, and is often a long way from the Italian.
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