Ugo Foscolo

Ugo Foscolo, neugr. OUGOS Foskolos ( Ούγος Φώσκολος ), origin. Niccolò Foscolo, ( born February 6, 1778 in Zakynthos, † September 10, 1827 in Turnham Green in London ) was an Italian poet.

Foscolo comes from one of the old families of Venice. He was the son of the physician Andrea Foscolo and his Greek wife Diamantina Spathis. His father ran in 1774, the hospital in Split, when he died in 1788, he left the family in big trouble. Therefore, the mother 1792 Ugo let down again in Venice.

From there Foscolo went to study at the age of 19 at the University of Padua. At the beginning of his own literary creation in 1795 he took his first name and adopted the name Ugo. Two years later he made ​​his debut successful with his tragedy Tieste in his hometown. Politically committed and therefore extremely interested to get rid of the Austrian occupation to Foscolo enthusiastic on the French Revolution. He expected - like many of his compatriots - of Napoleon Bonaparte a renewed liberated Italy. In some of his odes praising Foscolo Napoleon as a liberator.

From Venice he went to Milan, where he made ​​the acquaintance of the writer Giuseppe Parini, and Vincenzo Monti, who thought as he did as well. Because of different political views, Monti and Foscolo later went their separate ways. Foscolo wanted to fight not only at the desk for Italy and therefore joined as a volunteer in the French army, the Cisalpine Legion, a. Under the command of General André Masséna Foscolo was, inter alia, in Genoa; took part in the Battle of Marengo and returned disillusioned and disappointed back to Milan.

There he completed his already launched in Padua Roman Ultime lettere di Jacopo Ortis, who was celebrated immediately after his appearance as the Werther of Italy. Politically still very committed to Foscolo had erected as a deputy of the Cisalpine Republic. As such, he also participated in various meetings; inter alia, in Lyon. After his return he retired to private life and something translated besides the anthem The hair of Berenice of Callimachus and published them with an extensive commentary.

1805 Foscolo graduated with the rank of captain again the French army and was stationed in Bologna. But among did a campaign against Great Britain for political reasons, he returned to Milan. There was under his leadership not only a factory edition of Raimondo Montecuccoli but also in 1807 one of his most beautiful poems I sepolcri. Two years later he was called Foscolo to the Chair of Rhetoric at the University of Pavia. His inaugural lecture was entitled Discorso dell'origine e dell'ufficio della litteratura. But after a few months of this Chair was banned.

Back in Milan, located Foscolo dedicated to his own literary work, he once and published his second tragedy Ajace. The political allusions contained in it earned him expulsion from Lombardy. He settled in Florence where he created his Riccarda. This tragedy was also whether its political content and controversial Foscolo looked again reprisals. Therefore, in 1813 he returned to Milan back. After the seizure of power by the Austrian troops Foscolo emigrated to Switzerland. There in exile, he wrote against Austria the extremely bitter satire Didymi Clerici Prophetae minimi hypercalypseos liber singularis. In 1816 he emigrated to London, where writers were virtually him famous as all the doors open.

In London emerged, in addition to his work at various British magazines and newspapers, Saggi sul sul testo di Petrarca and Discorso Dante and he created a highly regarded editor of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. From 1823 Foscolo also lectured about the Italian language and literature.

Since Foscolo lived beyond his means, he impoverished despite increased revenue more and more. Just playing cards he gave over time from a small fortune. Completely impoverished and lonely death of the once acclaimed writer at the age of 49 years on September 10, 1827 in Turnham Green in London. His final resting place he found in the cemetery of Chiswick. In 1871 his remains were transferred to Italy and buried in the church of Santa Croce in Florence.

Works

  • Ode a Bonaparte liberatore
  • Ajace
  • Tieste (1797 )
  • Per Luigia Pallavicini caduta because cavallo
  • All'amica risanata
  • I Sonetti
  • Ultime lettere di Jacopo Ortis (1802 )
  • I sepolcri (1807 )
  • Didymi clerici Prophetae minimi hypercalypseos liber singularis
  • Discorso sul testo di Dante (London, 1826)
  • Le grazie
  • Laura
  • Orazio a Buonaparte
  • Riccarda
  • Saggi sul Petrarca (London, 1826)
The Sorrows of Young Werther Italian literature Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence Integrated Authority File
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