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La Vita Nuova (1292 ?94) has many aspects. Dante ?s libello, or ?little book, ? is most obviously a book about love. In a sequence of thirty-one poems, the author recounts his love of Beatrice from his first sight of her (when he was nine and she eight), through unrequited love and chance encounters, to his profound grief sixteen years later at her sudden and unexpected death. Linked with Dante ?s verse are commentaries on the individual poems ?their form and meaning ?as well as the events and feelings from which they originate. Through these commentaries the poet comes to see romantic love as the first step in a spiritual journey that leads to salvation and the capacity for divine love. He aims to reside with Beatrice among the stars. David Slavitt gives us a readable and appealing translation of one of the early, defining masterpieces of European literature, animating its verse and prose with a fluid, lively, and engaging idiom and rhythm. His translation makes this first major book of Dante ?s stand out as a powerful work of art in its own regard, independent of its ?junior ? status to La Commedia. In an Introduction, Seth Lerer considers Dante as a poet of civic life. ?Beatrice, ? he reminds us, ?lives as much on city streets and open congregations as she does in bedroom fantasies and dreams. ?… (more)
This is a quick little read if you are craving more Dante after his Divine Comedy. I still love the way he (or the translators) write. However, as quick and beautiful this may seem, it's still a little tedious to read. Before reading this one should ask: How much do I care about Dante talking about his love for Beatrice?
For those that don't know the history, Beatrice was Dante's love until she passed. After she died it's clear that Dante never forgot about her. In his Divine Comedy she is his guide when Virgil couldn't enter Heaven and in Vita Nuova she is his poetic muse. Not much is known about Beatrice other than what we know of Dante.
Reading this I started to question their relationship. I know Dante loved Beatrice with all his heart. It's often romantic how he treated her. Did Beatrice love Dante though? Like I have said, she didn't have her own voice, only words Dante put into her's in Heaven (unless Dante actually went to Heaven and meet her there). If only someone found her writings, that is if she even wrote anything.
Been reading Shakespeare and Rossetti too and slowly getting motivated to write some poetry. My poems may be a little on the sloppy side, but it's all about how you write a poem. Now this was also a book about poetry. Kind of a how-to or self-evaluation. I found those parts more interesting than his love for Beatrice.
Overall, I wouldn't recommended this to anyone, but those who like Dante and have read all three parts of the Divine Comedy (not just the Inferno). This is kind of a let down and no were near as well written. You can pretty much avoid this book.
I will note I really like the cover to the Penguin edition. Love the illustration with Dante and Beatrice. The deep blues, golden yellows, and flower pinks really make the book appealing to look at, just wish I could judge a book by it's cover. ( )
One of the most beautiful books I've ever read. I love this book a thousand times more than the Divine Comedy. To me, it seems like something of a prototype of the Comedy. This book changed things for me -- in literary thinking and in spiritual understanding. I can't say enough good things about it. ( )
A wonderful hybrid - part poetry, part prose narrative, part theological treatise, part literary criticism with a fascinating glimpse into the Dante creative process. ( )
This was a great, first-person look at Dante's young life and his exposure to Beatrice- who permeated and influenced much of his work. The passion, trembling and careful, that he espouses onto the pages here is without measure in nearly all accounts that I have seen. This is seeing Dante's world through his own eyes and it is quite a portrait indeed. Through reading this, I was able to understand him a little better and that's a great thing when we are dealing with someone with such an important literary stature and importance.
La Vita Nuova (1292 ?94) has many aspects. Dante ?s libello, or ?little book, ? is most obviously a book about love. In a sequence of thirty-one poems, the author recounts his love of Beatrice from his first sight of her (when he was nine and she eight), through unrequited love and chance encounters, to his profound grief sixteen years later at her sudden and unexpected death. Linked with Dante ?s verse are commentaries on the individual poems ?their form and meaning ?as well as the events and feelings from which they originate. Through these commentaries the poet comes to see romantic love as the first step in a spiritual journey that leads to salvation and the capacity for divine love. He aims to reside with Beatrice among the stars. David Slavitt gives us a readable and appealing translation of one of the early, defining masterpieces of European literature, animating its verse and prose with a fluid, lively, and engaging idiom and rhythm. His translation makes this first major book of Dante ?s stand out as a powerful work of art in its own regard, independent of its ?junior ? status to La Commedia. In an Introduction, Seth Lerer considers Dante as a poet of civic life. ?Beatrice, ? he reminds us, ?lives as much on city streets and open congregations as she does in bedroom fantasies and dreams. ?
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Book description
First Edition thus; fore edge deckled; text in Italian and printed in black and red ink; pages have red decorative borders; numerous black and white illustrated plates; Very Good- in gilt-stamped vellum wraps; minor wear to edges and extrems; vellum wraps are rubbed and very lightly soiled; wraps are bowed (as is common with vellum wraps); wrap shows split in lower left, repaired with tape; green ribbons that originally tied the wraps together are torn at fore edge; gilt text faded; toning to page edges; a few pages are lightly tanned; several pages uncut; very sporadic and light foxing; else a clean and tight copy. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 113 pages
Haiku summary
Blessed was his muse, Adored in painful silence, Deathless now her name. (hillaryrose7)
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For those that don't know the history, Beatrice was Dante's love until she passed. After she died it's clear that Dante never forgot about her. In his Divine Comedy she is his guide when Virgil couldn't enter Heaven and in Vita Nuova she is his poetic muse. Not much is known about Beatrice other than what we know of Dante.
Reading this I started to question their relationship. I know Dante loved Beatrice with all his heart. It's often romantic how he treated her. Did Beatrice love Dante though? Like I have said, she didn't have her own voice, only words Dante put into her's in Heaven (unless Dante actually went to Heaven and meet her there). If only someone found her writings, that is if she even wrote anything.
Been reading Shakespeare and Rossetti too and slowly getting motivated to write some poetry. My poems may be a little on the sloppy side, but it's all about how you write a poem. Now this was also a book about poetry. Kind of a how-to or self-evaluation. I found those parts more interesting than his love for Beatrice.
Overall, I wouldn't recommended this to anyone, but those who like Dante and have read all three parts of the Divine Comedy (not just the Inferno). This is kind of a let down and no were near as well written. You can pretty much avoid this book.
I will note I really like the cover to the Penguin edition. Love the illustration with Dante and Beatrice. The deep blues, golden yellows, and flower pinks really make the book appealing to look at, just wish I could judge a book by it's cover. (