If you're interested in this writer don't just look at this post but I can hopefully start a spark of interest for you.
Francesco Petrarch was literary celebrity in his time and is credited as the founder of Renaissance Christian humanism. He was born in 1304 and died in 1374 (pretty long life for those times). Most of his family died in the plague except for his parents who died shortly before. After his father's death he left his schooling in law (father wanted him to be in law) and joined the Catholic Church and became a scholar. Petrarch traveled around Europe as an ambassador and celebrity with the nobility. In 1341 he received the poet's laurel crown in the Capitol of Rome. Petrarch had an impact on several writers like Boccaccio and his poetic model was used by many future writers around a 1000 years later (Shakespeare).
From Visions
Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374)
Being one day at my window all alone,
So manie strange things happened me to see,
As much as it grieveth me to think thereon.
At my right hand a hynde appear'd to mee,
So faire as mote the greatest god delite;
Two eager dogs did her pursue in chace.
Of which the one was blacke, the other white:
With deadly force so in their cruell race
They pincht the haunches of that gentle beast,
That at the last, and in short time, I spide,
Under a rocke,where she alas, opprest,
Fell to the ground, and there untimely dide.
Cruell death vanquishing so noble beautie
Oft makes me wayle so hard a desire.
Francesco Petrarch was literary celebrity in his time and is credited as the founder of Renaissance Christian humanism. He was born in 1304 and died in 1374 (pretty long life for those times). Most of his family died in the plague except for his parents who died shortly before. After his father's death he left his schooling in law (father wanted him to be in law) and joined the Catholic Church and became a scholar. Petrarch traveled around Europe as an ambassador and celebrity with the nobility. In 1341 he received the poet's laurel crown in the Capitol of Rome. Petrarch had an impact on several writers like Boccaccio and his poetic model was used by many future writers around a 1000 years later (Shakespeare).
I tried researching my sonnet to figure out what it meant but I could find no source for this information so I can only assume based on my knowledge of Petrarch.
The sonnet is talking about some kind of beauty but I'm not sure if its about an animal being hunted or if its about Laura. Laura is Petrarch's love and most of his poems and sonnets are dedicated to her (hundreds). The interesting part is that she might not even be a real person and if she was its not clear if they ever even met. I have a feeling its about Laura because that was one of his main inspirations and she died in the plague which explains the element of death and sorrow in the sonnet. I also wonder if the dogs represent good and evil (I know very cliche) because their black and white.
Here are some useful links for any research you'd like to do.
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