Arcadia (poem)

Arcadia is a pastoral poem by Jacopo Sannazaro. He wrote about this in 1480, the final version was first published in 1504 in Naples. With its Italian Arcadia Sannazaro has influenced the literature of the 16th and 17th century (Shakespeare, Philip Sidney, Margaret of Navarre, John Milton ) sustainable.

Content

The literary pastoral landscape Arcadia has been designed especially by Virgil ( Eclogues ). Arcadia was described by Virgil with elements of Italian and Peloponnesian landscapes. Sannazaro other hand, used as a mountain and pastoral landscape be Picentino. The source Vivula, the creek Subucula and the spacious forest constitute Sannazaro ' locus amoenus '. Against the background of this landscape, the story of a boy ( Sincero ) is told of a poet hidden under his clothes, flees because of disappointment in love and the political situation from Naples, to live in an idealized Arcadia. The inhabitants of this landscape are shepherds, poets and friends of Sannazaro represent, although they are called by other names. Meliseus, for example, to identify as Pontano, the head of the Accademia Pontaniana; Antonio Beccadelli, founder and former chairman of the Academy, named Androgeus. Sannazaro itself as another alter ego next to the figure of the poet is called Ergasto. But staying in Arcadia is not of long duration: a frightening dream ( allegory of the passage of Naples under Charles VIII in 1494, with the consequent collapse of the political equilibrium, the strong of Naples, Rome, Urbino and Florence of Lorenzo Il Magnifico was created) brings the poet to return.

Form

Arcadia by Sannazaro can be used as a " prose poem" ( Prosimetrum ), that is a mixture of prose and verse, are defined. The shape of each part differs greatly. Some parts are only descriptive prose, others, especially in the second part, are more narrative. As the prose is also the poetic part varied. " Frottola ", " Barzel letta ", madrigals and canzone are just some poetic forms that are used by Sannazaro. Because of the subject matter and the prose part of Arcadia is considered a genre of pastoral romance. Sannazaro with his novel Arcadia can be regarded as the founder of this genre.

Formation

The History of Arcadia has two editing stages. The first stage follows the tradition of manuscripts, which consist of a preface ( proemio ) and ten units prose verses. Initially this collection Aeglogarum liber Arcadius inscriptus ( Shepherd book called Arcadio ) was called before the name Sannazaro Libro pastoral nominato ( intitulato ) Arcadio chose. Some years it has handled the work again Sannazaro. Only then it was called Arcadia and now consisted of a dedication, a preface, twelve units prose verses and an epilogue a la sampogna ( At the bagpipe ). Three Eclogues of Arcadia were written plan for the pastoral romance of Sannazaro in advance. This is the first, the second and the sixth. He worked at this, as he decided to insert it into the novel. The first version of Arcadia with preface and ten units prose verses was completed in late 1484 and published without the permission of the writer in a faulty output in Venice 1501. This version was published in 1502 by Bernardino da Vercelli in Naples again. The second version was completed by Sannazaro around 1495. This last version was published by Pietro Summonte, humanist and member of the Accademia Pontaniana in Naples in March 1504.

The language

Arcadia represents the first prose in an ex - novo language that was written outside of Tuscany. An originality of the work is also the choice of the Italian language, instead of the usual in the 15th and 16th century Latin or a regional dialect. The mold used in Arcadia Italian language represents a good mix of prose of Boccaccio and Petrarch 's poetry

Reception

As Arcadia appeared in the 16th century, the work became a bestseller. In Italy alone, more than 66 issues were published. Inspired in part by classic authors who described the pastoral world ( Virgil, Theocritus, Ovid, Tibullus ) and partly by Giovanni Boccaccio Ameto, Sannazaro wrote a work that can be considered the first production of the European Renaissance. Arcadia experienced along with Diana of Jorge de Montemayor (Los siete libros de la Diana, 1559 ) an intensive reception in literature throughout Europe until the mid-17th century. From the name of this work is the name of the academy of the same name derives, founded in Rome in the late 17th century.

Expenditure

• Venetia 1524

• Iacopo Sannazaro: Arcadia. Introduzione e commento di Carlo Vecce. Carrocci, Roma, 2013, ISBN 978-88-430-6623-0.
• Iacopo Sannazaro: Arcadia. A cura di Francesco Erspamer. Mursia, Milano 1990, ISBN 88-425-0426-2.