Literature
Letterature · 872 articles · Principal contributors · All subjects-
Capuana, Luigi
CAPUANA, LUIGI. - Writer, b. at Mineo on 28 May 1839, d. at Catania on 29 Nov. 1915. He studied at Mineo at the Jesuit schools, then from… -
Carcano, Giulio
CARCANO, GIULIO. - Writer, b. in Milan on 7 Aug. 1812, d. on 29 Aug. at Lesa in 1884. Having graduated at Pavia, he took part in the… -
Cardim, Fernão
CARDIM, FERNÃO. - Portuguese missionary, b. at Viana de Alvito (Alemtejo) in 1550, entered the Society of Jesus at Evora on 8 February… -
Carducci, Giosuè
CARDUCCI, GIOSUÈ. - Poet, b. at Val di Castello (Pietrasanta) on 28 July 1835, d. at Bologna on 16 Feb. 1907. He spent his childhood in… -
Carlyle, Thomas
CARLYLE, THOMAS. - Scottish writer, b. at Ecclefechan on 4 Dec. 1795 and d. in London on 4 Feb. 1881. After failed attempts to devote… -
Caro, Annibale
CARO, ANNIBALE. - Born at Civitanova in the Marche in 1507. He flourished at a moment particularly favorable to his genius as a refined… -
Caro, Rodrigo
CARO, RODRIGO. - Spanish priest, scholar and poet, b. at Utrera in 1573 and d. at Seville on 10 Aug. 1647. Particularly devoted to the… -
Carrara, Ubertino
CARRARA, UBERTINO. - Born at Sora in 1642, he entered the Society of Jesus in 1656 and taught rhetoric for 23 years at the Roman College,… -
Carrer, Luigi Arminio
CARRER, LUIGI ARMINIO. - Born in Venice on 12 February 1801; in his youthful years he improvised tragedies in the manner of Sgricci; he… -
Cassia (CASSIA (ΚΑΣΊΑ, ΙΚΑΣΊΑ, ΕΛΑΣΊΑ TUTTE FORME FACILMENTE RIDUCIBILI ALL'UNICA, PREFERIBILE: ΚΑΣΣΊΑ. GLI INSULANI DI ΚΆΣΟΣ LA VORREBBERO LORO CONCITTADINA, DONDE ΚΑΣΣΙΑΝΉ, PERALTRO SENZA FONDAMENTO))
CASSIA (Κασία, Ικασία, Ελασία, all forms easily reducible to the single, preferable one: Κασσία. The islanders of Κάσος would like her to… -
Castellani, Castellano De'
CASTELLANI, CASTELLANO de'. - Priest, poet, author of sacred plays, b. probably in Prato in 1461, d. perhaps in 1519. He held the… -
Castelvetro, Ludovico
CASTELVETRO, LUDOVICO. - Born in 1505 and raised in Modena, where the Reformation did not lack supporters, he appears to have been among… -
Casti, Giovanni Battista
CASTI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. - Born at Acquapendente on 29 Aug. 1724; he studied at the seminary of Montefiascone and remained there teaching… -
Castiglione, Baldassarre
CASTIGLIONE, BALDASSARRE. - Man of letters, b. at Casatico near Mantua on 6 Dec. 1478 to Cristoforo and Luigia Gonzaga. He served at the… -
Castro Y Bellvís, Guillén
CASTRO Y BELLVÍS, GUILLÉN. - Spanish playwright, b. at Valencia in 1569, d. at Madrid on 28 July 1631, one of the founders of the Academia… -
Cather, Willa
CATHER, WILLA. - American writer, b. near Winchester (Virginia) on 7 Dec. 1876, d. in New York on 25 Apr. 1947. She emigrated as a child to… -
Cavalca, Domenico
CAVALCA, DOMENICO. - Born at Vicopisano between 1260 and 1270 into a family of notaries. It is not known precisely what his early education… -
Cavalcanti, Guido
CAVALCANTI, GUIDO. - Poet, true founder of the dolce stil novo, b. in Florence ca. 1255, son of Cavalcante de' C., noble and Guelph; he… -
Cavallotti, Felice
CAVALLOTTI, FELICE. - Writer, politician, orator, b. in Milan on 6 Nov. 1842, d. in Rome on 6 March 1898. He took part in the second… -
Cebà, Ansaldo
CEBÀ, ANSALDO. - Poet, b. in Genoa in 1565, d. there in 1623. A pupil of the Jesuits and later of Speroni at the University of Padua, he… -
Cecchi, Giovanni Maria
CECCHI, GIOVANNI MARIA. - Man of letters, b. in Florence, according to the most reliable date, on 15 March 1518. Following the family… -
Cecco d'Ascoli
CECCO d'ASCOLI. - Francesco Stabili, b. at Ascoli in 1269, was a physician, astrologer, naturalist, poet, presumptuous and eccentric.… -
Celle, Giovanni Delle
CELLE, GIOVANNI delle. - Ascetic writer and translator into the vernacular. Florentine, son of Gano, a nobleman of Catignano, b. ca. 1310… -
Cellot, Louis
CELLOT, LOUIS. - French Jesuit, b. in Paris in 1588, d. there on 20 Oct. 1658. A novice in 1605, he taught letters and Sacred Scripture,… -
Cena, Giovanni
CENA, GIOVANNI. - Poet, journalist and critic, b. at Montanaro Canavese on 12 Jan. 1870, d. at Rome on 7 Dec. 1917. He studied at Turin, a… -
Centos (CENTONI POETICI)
CENTOS. - A cento is a poetic composition made up of verses and parts of verses by some well-known poet, stitched together so as to express… -
Cereseto, Giambattista
CERESETO, GIAMBATTISTA. - Born at Ovada (Alessandria) on 15 June 1816; a Piarist on 15 Apr. 1833; died in his native city on 14 May 1858. A… -
Cerlogne, Jean-Baptiste
CERLOGNE, JEAN-BAPTISTE. - Valdostan dialect poet, b. at St-Nicolas on 6 March 1826, d. there on 4 Oct. 1910. He was a chimney sweep and… -
Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de
CERVANTES SAAVEDRA, MIGUEL de. - Spanish writer, b. in 1547 (perhaps Sept. 29) at Alcalá de Henares, d. at Madrid on Apr. 23, 1616. It is… -
Cesareo, Giovanni Alfredo
CESAREO, GIOVANNI ALFREDO. - Poet and critic, b. at Messina on 14 Jan. 1861, d. at Palermo on 6 May 1937. After a stormy youth, from 1898… -
Cesari, Antonio
CESARI, ANTONIO. - Writer, b. in Verona in 1760. He was a priest of the local Congregation of the Oratory. He devoted himself intensely to… -
Cesarotti, Melchiorre
CESAROTTI, MELCHIORRE. - Writer, b. in Padua in 1730, d. at his villa in Selvazzano, near Padua, in 1808. Living amid political turmoil,… -
Chanson de Roland
CHANSON DE ROLAND. - This title, though others more or less suitable might be found for it, designates the oldest Chanson de geste known to… -
Chansons de Geste
CHANSONS DE GESTE. - Bertran de Bursur-Aube, an epic poet of the 13th century, proposed the division of the French "chansons de geste" into… -
Chartier, Alain
CHARTIER, ALAIN. - Canon of Notre-Dame from 1420; loyal subject and secretary of the dauphin and later King Charles VII; he lived in a… -
Chateaubriand, François-René de
CHATEAUBRIAND, FRANÇOIS-RENÉ de. - Writer and diplomat. Born at St-Malo on 4 September 1768, into a family of minor but ancient nobility.… -
Chaucer, Geoffrey
CHAUCER, GEOFFREY. - English poet, b. around 1340, d. probably in 1400. He served at court, as a soldier in the Hundred Years' War, during… -
Chesterton, Gilbert Keith
CHESTERTON, GILBERT KEITH. - English writer, b. in London on 29 May 1874, d. at Beaconsfield on 14 June 1936. After his early studies at… -
Chiabrera, Gabriello
CHIABRERA, GABRIELLO. - Poet, b. at Savona in 1552, d. there in 1638. He was a student at the Roman College; in Rome he also had contacts… -
Chiari, Pietro
CHIARI, PIETRO. - Priest, playwright, novelist, b. in Brescia in 1711, d. there in 1785. He was first a Jesuit and teacher of eloquence at… -
Chrétien (Chrestien) de Troyes
CHRÉTIEN (CHRESTIEN) de TROYES. - Little biographical information is available about this famous courtly poet, who lived at the court of… -
Ciamcian, Michele
CIAMCIAN, MICHELE. - Armenian Mechitarist monk of Venice, b. in Constantinople in 1738, d. there in 1823. A distinguished figure as a… -
Ciampoli, Giovanni
CIAMPOLI, GIOVANNI. - Scholar and man of letters, b. in Florence in 1589, d. in Iesi on 8 Sept. 1643. He began his studies with the Jesuits… -
Cicognini, Iacopo (CICOGNINI, IACOPD)
CICOGNINI, IACOPD. - Writer, b. at Castrocaro in 1557, d. at Florence in 1633. Having earned a degree in jurisprudence at Pisa in 1600, he… -
Cid
CID. - With this name (Arabic sajjid = lord) given to him by the defeated enemy, Rodrigo Díaz de Bivar is consecrated by history, the… -
Cino da Pistoia
CINO da PISTOIA. - C. de' Sighibuldi, b. around 1270, studied grammar in his homeland and law in Bologna and in France; he was a jurist and… -
Claudius, Matthias
CLAUDIUS, MATTHIAS. - Protestant poet and writer, b. at Reinfeld on 15 Aug. 1740, d. at Hamburg on 21 Jan. 1815. After completing his… -
Clément, François
CLÉMENT, FRANÇOIS. - Born at Bèze in 1714, died on 29 March 1793 in Paris, he was called a Maurist Benedictine; he devoted his life to… -
Cloud of Unknowing ('Nube della Non Conoscenza')
CLOUD OF UNKNOWING ('Nube della non conoscenza'). - Mystical text, anonymous, composed in England in the Midland dialect, around the middle… -
Coleridge, Samuel Taylor
COLERIDGE, SAMUEL TAYLOR. - English poet, b. at Ottery St Mary on 21 Oct. 1772, d. in London on 25 July 1834. He studied at Cambridge,… -
Colletta, Pietro
COLLETTA, PIETRO. - Historian, b. in Naples on 23 Jan. 1775, d. at Verramista, in the villa of the Capponi, on 11 Nov. 1831. He took part… -
Collodi, Carlo
COLLODI, CARLO. - Pseudonym of Carlo Lorenzini, b. in Florence on 24 Nov. 1826, d. there on 26 > (from M. Parenti, Rarità bibliografiche… -
Colocci, Angelo
COLOCCI, ANGELO. - Humanist, b. at Iesi in 1467, d. at Rome on 1 May 1549. There he studied, devoting himself in particular to the ancient… -
Coloma, Luis
COLOMA, LUIS. - Celebrated Spanish Jesuit and novelist, b. at Jérez de la Frontera on 9 Jan. 1851. He attempted various careers before… -
Colonna, Francesco
COLONNA, FRANCESCO. - Dominican and writer, b. at Treviso ca. 1432 or 1433, d. ca. 1527. From an acrostic: Poliam frater Franciscus Colonna… -
Compagni, Dino
COMPAGNI, DINO. - Born around 1260 in Florence, died February 26, 1324. Enrolled in the Arte della Lana, he upheld the democratic… -
Constant de Rebecque, Benjamin-Henri
CONSTANT DE REBECQUE, BENJAMIN-HENRI. - Writer, polemicist, orator, b. at Lausanne on 25 Oct. 1767 to a Protestant family, d. at Paris on 8… -
Conti, Antonio
CONTI, ANTONIO. - Scholar of mathematics and philosophy, man of letters and poet. A Venetian patrician and abbot, born in Padua on 22… -
Coppée, François-Édouard-Joachim (COPPÉE, FRANÇOIS-EDOUARD-JOACHIM)
COPPÉE, FRANÇOIS-ÉDOUARD-JOACHIM. - French poet, b. in Paris on 12 Jan. 1842, d. there on 23 Jan. > (from Album Nikolaja Kopernika,… -
Corazzini, Sergio
CORAZZINI, SERGIO. - Poet, b. in Rome on 6 Feb. 1886, d. there on 18 June 1907. The same friends who comforted him during his life, after… -
Corelli, Maria
CORELLI, MARIA. - English writer, adoptive daughter of Ch. Mackay, b. at Bayswater in 1864, d. at Stratford-on-Avon in 1924. She wrote many… -
Coresi
CORESI. - Romanian deacon, b. ca. 1525 and d. 1600, from an Italo-Greek family that came from Chios to Wallachia. He was the father of the… -
Corneille, Pierre
CORNEILLE, PIERRE. - Tragic poet, b. at Rouen on June 6, 1606, d. at Paris on Sept. 30, 1684. His biography, with few external events,… -
Corner, Luigi (Alvise) (CORNARO, LUIGI (ALVISE))
CORNER, LUIGI (ALVISE). - He belonged to the illustrious Corner family. Born in Venice in 1475 and died in Padua on 8 January 1566.… -
Costa y Llobera, Miquel (COSTA Y LLOBERA, MIGUEL)
COSTA Y LLOBERA, MIQUEL. - Priest, one of the most representative contemporary Catalan poets, b. at Pollensa (Balearic Islands) on 10 March… -
Coverdale, Miles
COVERDALE, MILES. - English religious writer, b. at Coverdale (Yorkshire) in 1488, d. in February 1568. He was an Augustinian friar at… -
Cowper, William
COWPER, WILLIAM. - English poet, b. at Great Berkhamstead in 1731, d. at East Dereham in 1800. He studied at Westminster School (1741) and,… -
Crashaw, Richard
CRASHAW, RICHARD. - English poet, b. in London in 1612, d. at Loreto on 21 Aug. 1649. Son of an anti-papist preacher, after the victory of… -
Craven, Pauline-Marie
CRAVEN, PAULINE-MARIE. - French writer, b. in London on 12 Apr. 1808, from the noble de La Ferronays family, d. in Paris on 1 Apr. 1891.… -
Crepuscular, Poetry (CREPUSCOLARE, POESIA)
CREPUSCULAR, POETRY. - The movement of the "crepuscolari" poets (the label was used for the first time by G. A. Borgese), besides immediate… -
Crescimbeni, Gian Mario
CRESCIMBENI, GIAN MARIO. - Man of letters and scholar, b. at Macerata on 9 Oct. 1663, d. at Rome on 8 March 1728. A canon and archpriest of… -
Crisolora, Manuel (CRISOLÓRA, MANUELE)
CRISOLORA, MANUEL. - Greek humanist of the 14th-15th century, b. at Constantinople around 1350, d. at Constance during the Council on 15… -
Cunich, Raimondo
CUNICH, RAIMONDO. - Jesuit, b. at Ragusa on 17 Jan. 1719, d. at Rome on 22 Nov. 1794; member of the Academy of Arcadia; he taught rhetoric… -
Cynewulf
CYNEWULF. - English poet, probably from Northumbria, who lived in the closing years of the 8th century. Author of four poems: Ascension,… -
Dacier, Anne-Lefèvre
DACIER, ANNE-LEFÈVRE. - French writer, b. at Saumur in March 1654, d. at Paris on 17 Aug. 1720. Among the many translations from Greek and… -
Dahn, Julius Sophus Felix
DAHN, JULIUS SOPHUS FELIX. - German writer, historian and jurist, b. in Hamburg on 9 February 1834, d. in Breslau on 3 January 1912. A… -
Dall'Ongaro, Francesco
DALL'ONGARO, FRANCESCO. - Writer, b. at Mansuè (Treviso) on 19 June 1808, d. at Naples on 10 Jan. 1873. He completed his theological… -
D'Ancona, Alessandro
D'ANCONA, ALESSANDRO. - Jewish critic and journalist, b. in Pisa on 20 Feb. 1835, d. in Florence on 9 Nov. 1914. Together with Carducci he… -
D'Annunzio, Gabriele
D'ANNUNZIO, GABRIELE. - Poet, b. at Pescara on 12 March 1863, d. at Gardone (Lake Garda) on 1 March 1938. His life often had a resonance… -
Dante, Alighieri
DANTE, ALIGHIERI. - The greatest poet of Catholicism. SUMMARY: I. The man. - II. The minor works. - III. The Comedy. I. THE MAN. Born in… -
Da Ponte, Lorenzo
DA PONTE, LORENZO. - Man of letters, b. at Ceneda (Belluno) in 1749. A Jew, he was baptized by Bishop Da Ponte, who had taken him in out of… -
Dati, Leonardo
DATI, LEONARDO. - Humanist Dominican bishop, b. in Florence in 1408. Secretary first to Cardinals G. Orsini and F. Condulmer, then to… -
Daudet, Léon
DAUDET, LÉON. - Writer and politician, son of Alphonse, b. in Paris on 16 Nov. 1867, d. at St-Rémy (Paris) on 30 June 1942. > (from Sœur… -
Davanzati, Bernardo
DAVANZATI, BERNARDO. - Scholar, b. in Florence on 31 Aug. 1529, d. there on 29 March 1606. He was a member of the Florentine Academy, then… -
Davanzati, Chiaro
DAVANZATI, CHIARO. - Florentine versifier of the second half of the 13th century. Nearly 200 poems by him survive, most of them love poems,… -
Davila, Enrico Caterino
DAVILA, ENRICO CATERINO. - Born at Piove di Sacco (Padua) on 30 Oct. 1576; in 1583 he was in France as page to Queen Catherine; at 18 he… -
De Amicis, Edmondo
DE AMICIS, EDMONDO. - Writer and journalist, b. at Oneglia on 31 Oct. 1846, d. at Bordighera on 11 March 1908. He attended the Military… -
Decadentism (DECADENTISMO)
DECADENTISM. - Decadentism, as a spiritual attitude in which the pessimism of Schopenhauer, the taste of Baudelaire (fascination with… -
De Foe, Daniel
DE FOE, DANIEL. - English writer, b. perhaps in Sept. 1660 in London, d. there on 26 Apr. 1731. He began as a merchant and publicist; a… -
Delaporte, Victor
DELAPORTE, VICTOR. - French Jesuit and man of letters, b. at St-Wandrille (Orne) on 6 Nov. 1846, d. at Rennes on 25 Apr. 1910. A Jesuit in… -
Deledda, Grazia
DELEDDA, GRAZIA. - Writer, b. at Nuoro on 27 Sept. 1871, d. at Rome on 15 Aug. 1936. An island soul, even in her more than thirty-year… -
Delfino, Giovanni
DELFINO, GIOVANNI. - Cardinal, born in Venice on 22 April 1617 to Nicola D., general of the Republic, and Elisabetta Priuli, nephew of a… -
Della Casa, Giovanni
DELLA CASA, GIOVANNI. - Born in Mugello on June 28, 1503, died at Montepulciano on Nov. 14, 1556. He was buried in the church of S. Andrea… -
Della Porta, Giambattista
DELLA PORTA, GIAMBATTISTA. - Playwright and polymath, b. in Naples in 1535, d. there on 4 February 1615. He occupied himself with magic,… -
Della Valle, Federico
DELLA VALLE, FEDERICO. - Tragic poet, b. at Asti around 1565, d. in 1628 or 1629, brought back to light by Croce, who reprinted his… -
Del Lungo, Isidoro
DEL LUNGO, ISIDORO. - Man of letters, b. at Montevarchi on 20 Dec. 1841, d. at Florence on 4 May 1927. A pupil of the Scolopi, and one of… -
De Marchi, Emilio
DE MARCHI, EMILIO. - Novelist, b. in Milan on 31 July 1851, d. there on 6 Feb. 1901. He was secretary of the scientific-literary Academy of… -
Denina, Carlo
DENINA, CARLO. - Scholar and historian, priest and teacher of literature, b. at Revello on 27 February 1731, d. at Paris on 5 December… -
Der Stricker (STRICKER, DER)
DER STRICKER. - German wandering poet, of whom it is known only that he came from Franconia and that he lived in Austria around 1250.… -
De Sanctis, Francesco
DE SANCTIS, FRANCESCO. - Literary critic and politician, b. at Morra Irpina (Avellino) on 28 March 1817, d. at Naples on 19 Dec. 1883.… -
Desbordes-Valmore, Marceline
DESBORDES-VALMORE, MARCELINE. - Poet, b. at Douai on 20 June 1786, d. at Paris on 23 July 1859, after a difficult life. An actress of… -
Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin, Jean
DESMARETS DE SAINT-SORLIN, JEAN. - French poet and writer, b. in Paris in 1595, d. there on 28 Oct. 1676. In the preface to the poem Clovis… -
Des Périers, Bonaventure
DES PÉRIERS, BONAVENTURE. - Born in 1498 (or 1518?) at Arnay-le-Duc (?), died in 1544 (?). He is the author of the Cymbalum mundi (1537),… -
Diamante, Juan Bautista
DIAMANTE, JUAN BAUTISTA. - Spanish playwright, priest and knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, prior of the convent of Morón, b.… -
Dias, Baltasar
DIAS, BALTASAR. - Portuguese playwright of the 16th century, the best known and still today the most beloved among the people. A native of… -
Di Breme, Lodovico Arborio Gattinara
DI BREME, LODOVICO ARBORIO GATTINARA. - Born in Turin in 1780, died there on 15 August 1820. Almoner of the viceroy of Italy Eugène de… -
Dickens, Charles
DICKENS, CHARLES. - English novelist, b. at Portsea on 7 Feb. 1812, d. near Chatham-Rochester on 9 June 1870. The early hard years of his… -
Di Giacomo, Salvatore
DI GIACOMO, SALVATORE. - Dialect poet, b. in Naples on 12 March 1860, d. there on 4 April 1934. Having abandoned the faculty of medicine,… -
Dolce, Ludovico
DOLCE, LUDOVICO. - Born in Venice in 1508 and died there in 1569, he was a versatile writer with varied interests, even if not profound; he… -
Dolet, Étienne (DOLET, ETIENNE)
DOLET, ÉTIENNE. - Born in Orléans on Aug. 3, 1509, he studied in Paris and Padua. In Toulouse, where he had gone to complete his studies,… -
Doni, Anton Francesco
DONI, ANTON FRANCESCO. - Polymath, b. in 1513 in Florence, d. at Monselice in Sept. 1574. He was a Servite friar and later a secular priest… -
Donne, John
DONNE, JOHN. - English poet and preacher, b. in London in 1573, d. there on 31 March 1631. Educated in the Catholic religion (his mother… -
Dosoftei (Dosofheiu)
DOSOFTEI (DOSOFHEIU). - Metropolitan of Moldavia, the first Romanian writer of literary verse. Born around 1624, perhaps… -
Dossi, Carlo
DOSSI, CARLO. - Pseudonym of Pisani Dossi Alberto, writer, b. at Zenevredo (Pavia) on 27 March 1849, d. at Cardina (Como) on 16 Nov. 1910.… -
Dostoevskij, Fedor Mikhajlovič (DOSTOJEVSKIJ, FEDOR MICHAJLOVIČ)
DOSTOEVSKIJ, FEDOR MIKHAJLOVIČ. - The greatest Russian novelist, b. to a military doctor, in straitened economic circumstances, in Moscow… -
D'Ovidio, Francesco
D'OVIDIO, FRANCESCO. - Man of letters, b. at Campobasso on 5 Dec. 1849, d. at Naples on 24 Nov. 1925. President of the Lincei, senator and… -
Dreves, Lebrecht
DREVES, LEBRECHT. - German poet, b. in Hamburg on 12 Sept. 1816, d. in Feldkirch on 19 Dec. 1870. Editor of the Neue Hamburger Blätter,… -
Droste-Hülshoff, Annette von
DROSTE-HÜLSHOFF, Annette von. - German Catholic poet and writer, b. at Hülshoff Castle (Münster), 10 January 1797, d. at Mersburg Castle… -
Drumont, Édouard
DRUMONT, ÉDOUARD. - Writer, b. in Paris on 3 May 1844, d. there on 3 Feb. 1917. Converted to Catholicism, he began the antisemitic… -
Dryden, John
DRYDEN, JOHN. — The most representative poet of Restoration England, b. at Aldwinkle, in Northamptonshire, in the second half of 1631, d.… -
Dumas, Alexandre (Father) (DUMAS, ALEXANDRE (PADRE))
DUMAS, Alexandre (Father). - Novelist and playwright, b. at Villers-Cotterets on 24 July 1803, d. at Puys (Dieppe) on 5 Dec. 1870. He left… -
Dumas, Alexandre (Son) (DUMAS, ALEXANDRE (FIGLIO))
DUMAS, Alexandre (Son). - Novelist and playwright, b. 27 July 1824 in Paris, d. 27 Nov. 1895 at Marly-le-Roi. The natural son of the author… -
Dunbar, William
DUNBAR, WILLIAM. - Scottish poet, b. 1460 (?), d. 1520 (?). Of noble family, he belonged for some time to the Franciscan Order. He spent a… -
Durych, Václav Fortunat
DURYCH, VÁCLAV FORTUNAT. - Minim friar, b. at Turnov (Bohemia) on 28 Sept. 1735, d. there in 1802. A Bohemian man of letters, lecturer in… -
Eça de Queiroz, José Maria de
EÇA DE QUEIROZ, JOSÉ MARIA de. - Portuguese novelist, b. in Povoa de Varzim on 25 Nov. 1845, d. at Torigi on 16 Aug. 1900. A keen observer,… -
Edda
EDDA. - It is the title of the two most famous monuments of ancient Nordic literature, whose most probable meaning is that of "poetic art"… -
Eichendorff, Joseph
EICHENDORFF, JOSEPH. - The last German Romantic poet, b. at Lubowitz on 10 March 1788, d. at Neisse on 27 Nov. 1857. He is great because of… -
Eliot, George
ELIOT, GEORGE. - Pseudonym of Mary Ann Evans, English writer, b. at Arbury Farm (Warwickshire) on 22 Nov. 1819, d. at Chelsea on 22 Dec.… -
Emiliani-Giudici, Paolo
EMILIANI-GIUDICI, PAOLO. - Man of letters, b. at Mussomeli (Caltanissetta) on 3 June 1812, d. at Ore (Hastings) on 14 Aug. 1872. A… -
Eminescu, Mihai (EMINESCU, MIRAI)
EMINESCU, MIHAI. - The greatest Romanian poet, b. at Ipotești (Botoșani) on 15 Jan. 1850, d. at Bucha-rest on 15 June 1889. At sixteen he… -
Encina, Juan del
ENCINA, JUAN del. - Spanish playwright, b. in 1469 at Salamanca, d. probably in 1529 at León. A student at Salamanca and later in the… -
Epic of Gilgamesh (GILGAMES, EPOPEA DI)
EPIC OF GILGAMESH. - Alongside the Enūma eliš the Babylonians and Assyrians had another national poem, whose central figure was G.… -
Ercilla y Zúñiga, Alonso de
ERCILLA y ZÚÑIGA, ALONSO de. - Spanish poet, b. in Madrid in 1533, d. there in 1594; between 1558 and '63 he took part in the campaign for… -
Esenin, Sergei Aleksandrovich (ESENIN, SERGEJ ALEKSANDROVIĆ)
ESENIN, SERGEI ALEKSANDROVICH. - Russian lyric poet, b. in the village of Kozminsk on 21 Feb. 1895. He is without doubt the best known -… -
Espinosa, Pedro
ESPINOSA, PEDRO. - Spanish poet, b. at Antequera in 1578, d. at Sanlúcar de Barrameda on 21 Oct. 1650. After a disappointment in love, he… -
Eyb, Albrecht Von
EYB, ALBRECHT von. - German writer, b. near Ansbach on 24 Aug. 1420 and d. at Eichstätt on 24 July 1475. After studying at the University… -
Ezzolied (Anagengge) (EZZOLIED (ANEGENGE))
EZZOLIED (ANAGENGGE). - A song in Old German (c. 1060) on Christ and the redemption of the world, composed by Ezzo, canon of the cathedral… -
Fabio, Epistle Moral to (FABIO, EPISTOLA MORAL A)
FABIO, EPISTLE MORAL TO. - A Spanish poetic composition of the 18th century in tercets of hendecasyllables, attributed to B. L. de… -
Faludi, Ferenc
FALUDI, FERENC. - Hungarian poet and man of letters, Jesuit, b. 25 March 1704 at Köszeg, d. 18 Dec. 1779 at Rohoncz, after having lived… -
Farina, Salvatore
FARINA, SALVATORE. - Sardinian novelist, b. at Sorso on 19 Jan. 1846, d. at Milan on 15 Dec. 1918. While he was editing the Gazzetta… -
Fauriel, Claude-Charles
FAURIEL, CLAUDE-CHARLES. - Writer, b. at St-Etienne, 21 Oct. 1772, d. at Paris 15 July 1844. He had cultural ties with the leading French… -
Fava (Faba), Guido
FAVA (FABA), GUIDO. - Born before 1190, died around 1250. Along with Buoncompagno he was the most authoritative voice of the grammar school… -
Feliu Y Montenegro, Benito Jerónimo (FELIÓO Y MONTENEGRO, BENITO JERÓNIMO)
FELIU Y MONTENEGRO, BENITO JERÓNIMO. - Benedictine and Spanish writer, b. 8 Oct. 1676 in Casdemero (Orense), d. 26 Dec. 1764 in Oviedo,… -
Fénelon, François de Salignac de La Mothe
FÉNELON, FRANÇOIS de SALIGNAC de la MOTHE. - Writer, b. of a noble family on 6 Aug. 1651 in the castle of Fénelon (Périgord), d. 7 Jan.… -
Fernández de Minaya, Lope
FERNÁNDEZ DE MINAYA, LOPE. - Augustinian of Toledo, who lived in the 15th century. A skilled orator, he is a classic of literature for his… -
Fernandez, Lucas
FERNANDEZ, LUCAS. - Spanish poet, b. in Salamanca ca. 1474, d. there in 1542. He held musical posts in the Cathedral and in the University… -
Ferrara, Antonio da
FERRARA, ANTONIO da. - Poet, b. in Ferrara in 1315, d. there between 1371 and 1374. He is also known as A. Beccari or Del Beccaio. Of his… -
Ferrari, Paolo
FERRARI, PAOLO. - Playwright, b. in Modena on 5 April 1822, d. in Milan on 9 March 1899. He was the first in Italy to perceive the need for… -
Ferrar, Nicholas
FERRAR, NICHOLAS. - Protestant theologian, b. in London in 1592, d. there in 1637. A Member of Parliament in 1624, he soon withdrew from… -
Féval, Paul
FÉVAL, PAUL. - French novelist and playwright, b. in Rennes on 27 Sept. 1817, d. in Paris on 8 March 1887. The first novels Le club des… -
Fiacchi, Luigi
FIACCHI, LUIGI. - Priest, fabulist, known in Greek as Clasio. Born at Scarperia di Mugello on June 4, 1754, died at Florence on May 25,… -
Ficino, Marsilio
FICINO, MARSILIO. - Platonic philosopher and restorer of Platonism, b. at Figline in Valdarno on 19 Oct. 1433, to Ficino (an abbreviation… -
Fidati, Simone da Cascina, Blessed (FIDATI, SIMONE DA CASCIA, BEATO)
FIDATI, Simone da Cascina, Blessed. - Born at Cascia ca. 1295, died, it is not known whether at Florence or at Rome, on 2 February 1348. A… -
Filicaja, Vincenzo Da (FILICAIA, VINCENZO DA)
FILICAJA, Vincenzo Da. - Poet, b. in Florence on 30 Dec. 1642. Educated by the Jesuits, he attended law studies in Pisa, cultivated… -
Finn, Francis
FINN, FRANCIS. - American Jesuit and storyteller, b. in St. Louis (United States) on 4 Oct. 1859, d. in Cincinnati on 2 Nov. 1928. After a… -
Fiorenzuola, Agnolo (FIRENZUOLA, AGNOLO)
FIORENZUOLA, AGNOLO. - Man of letters, b. in Florence in 1493, d. at Prato on 27 June 1543. A friend of Aretino, then a Vallombrosan monk… -
Fischart, Johann
FISCHART, JOHANN. - Writer, b. in Mainz (?) in 1546, d. in Strasbourg in 1590. He was the most vigorous and free German personality of the… -
Fishta, Gjergj (FISHTA, GIORGIO)
FISHTA, GJERGJ. - Albanian Franciscan and poet, b. in Zadrima on 13 Oct. 1871, d. at Shkodër on 30 Dec. 1940. In Bosnia he attended courses… -
Flaminio, Marco Antonio
FLAMINIO, MARCO ANTONIO. - Humanist, b. at Serravalle (now Vittorio Veneto) in 1498, son of the humanist Giannantonio. Dear to Leo X, to… -
Flaubert, Gustave
FLAUBERT, GUSTAVE. - French writer, b. at Rouen on 12 Dec. 1821, d. at Croisset on 8 May 1880. After a youth devoted to romantic impulses… -
Fléchier, Esprit (FLECHIER, ESPRIT)
FLÉCHIER, ESPRIT. - Writer and sacred orator, b. at Pernes on 10 June 1632, d. at Montpellier on 16 Feb. 1710. Having devoted himself… -
Florian, Jean-Pierre-Clarie de
FLORIAN, JEAN-PIERRE-CLARIE de. - French writer, b. at Sauve on 6 March 1755, d. at Sceaux on 13 Sept. 1794. In 1782 he published the… -
Fogazzaro, Antonio
FOGAZZARO, ANTONIO. - Writer, b. at Vicenza on 25 March 1842, d. there on 5 March 1911. In 1863 he published his first, weak poetic… -
Folengo, Teofilo
FOLENGO, TEOFILO. - Poet, b. at Mantua on 8 Nov. 1491, d. at Campese di Bassano on 9 Dec. 1544. As a boy he studied under a priest in the… -
Fontana, Fulvio
FONTANA, FULVIO. - Jesuit, sacred orator, b. at Modigliana (Florence) in 1648, d. at Fermo in 1723. For a decade he was, together with… -
Fontanes, Louis de
FONTANES, LOUIS de. - French man of letters and statesman, b. at Niort on 6 March 1757, d. at Paris on 17 March 1821. He was a member of… -
Fontenelle, Bernard
FONTENELLE, BERNARD. - Writer and philosopher, b. at Rouen on 11 Feb. 1657, d. at Paris on 9 Jan. 1757. More than to frigid poems, his fame… -
Fornaciari, Luigi
FORNACIARI, LUIGI. - Magistrate and philologist, b. at Lucca on 17 Dec. 1798, d. there on 23 Nov. 1858. President of the criminal Rota,… -
Foscolo, Ugo
FOSCOLO, UGO. - Poet, b. in Zante on 6 Feb. 1778, d. at Turnham Green on 10 Sept. 1827. His father, Andrea, was a physician of a Venetian… -
Fournier, Henri-Alain
FOURNIER, HENRI-ALAIN. - Born on 3 Oct. 1886 at Chapelle d'Angillon, died near Verdun on 22 Sept. 1914. He is among the most evocative… -
Fracastoro, Girolamo (FRACASTORO, GEROLAMO)
FRACASTORO, GEROLAMO. - Humanist physician, b. in Verona in 1478, d. there in his villa at Incaffi on 8 Aug. 1553. In Padua he had… -
France, Anatole (Anatole-François-Thibaut)
FRANCE, Anatole (Anatole-François-Thibaut). - Writer, b. in Paris on 16 April 1844, d. at La Béchellière (Tours) on 12 October 1924. A… -
Franceschi Ferrucci, Caterina
FRANCESCHI FERRUCCI, CATERINA. - Woman of letters, b. at Narni on 26 Jan. 1803, d. at Florence on 26 Feb. 1887. From Geneva, where she had… -
Francis of Barberino (Francesco di Neri di Ranuccio) (FRANCESCO DA BARBERINO (FRANCESCO DI NERI DI RANUCCIO))
FRANCIS OF BARBERINO (Francesco di Neri di Ranuccio). - Poet, b. at Barberino in 1264, d. at Florence in 1348. He practiced the profession… -
Frediani, Francesco
FREDIANI, FRANCESCO. - Franciscan, scholar and philologist, b. at Pruno (Lucca) in Dec. 1804, son of the famous traveler Domenico, d. at… -
Frezzi, Federico
FREZZI, FEDERICO. - Dominican, theologian and man of letters, b. at Foligno in the mid-fourteenth century; he taught theology at Florence,… -
Froissart, Jean
FROISSART, JEAN. - Chronicler and poet, b. at Valenciennes in 1337 (?), d. in Hainaut after 1404. He is famous for his Chroniques, a… -
Froude, James Anthony
FROUDE, JAMES ANTHONY. - English historian and essayist, b. at Dartington on 23 April 1818, d. there on 20 October 1894. He took part in… -
Frugoni, Carlo Innocenzo
FRUGONI, CARLO INNOCENZO. - Poet, b. in Genoa on 21 Nov. 1692, d. in Parma on 20 Dec. 1768. He spent most of his life at the Farnese court,… -
Fucini, Renato
FUCINI, RENATO. - Novelist, b. April 18, 1843 at Monterotondo (Pisa), d. at Empoli on Feb. 25, 1921. First noted for I cento sonetti in… -
Futurism (FUTURISMO)
FUTURISM. - It is a common opinion that F., a literary and artistic movement that burst forth clamorously with the Manifesto published by… -
Gabriel y Galán, José María (GABRIEL Y GALÁN, JOSÉ MARIA)
GABRIEL Y GALÁN, JOSÉ MARÍA. - Spanish poet, b. June 28, 1870 at Frades de la Sierra, d. at Guijo de Granadilla on Jan. 6, 1905. A profound… -
Galeotti, Leopoldo
GALEOTTI, LEOPOLDO. - Writer and politician, b. at Pescia on 13 Aug. 1813, d. at Florence on 28 Aug. 1884. He is among the most balanced of… -
Galiani, Ferdinando
GALIANI, FERDINANDO. - Writer and economist, b. at Chieti on 2 Dec. 1728, d. at Naples on 30 Oct. 1787. Secretary of the Neapolitan Embassy… -
Gallego, Juan Nicasio
GALLEGO, JUAN NICASIO. - Spanish poet, b. at Zamora on 14 Dec. 1777, d. at Madrid on 9 Jan. 1853. He studied the humanities in Salamanca,… -
Gallina, Giacinto
GALLINA, GIACINTO. - Playwright, b. in Venice on 31 July 1852, d. there on 13 Febr. 1897. From boyhood he lived in the Venetian theatrical… -
Gambara, Veronica
GAMBARA, VERONICA. - Poet, born at Pratalboino in the Brescia area on 30 Nov. 1485, died on 13 June 1550 in a suburban villa she had… -
Garzoni, Tommaso
GARZONI, TOMMASO. - Writer, b. at Bagnacavallo di Romagna in March 1549, d. there on 8 June 1589. In 1566 at Porto di Ravenna he took the… -
Gautier de Coincy
GAUTIER de COINCY. - French Benedictine and poet, b. at Amiens in 1177, d. at Soissons in 1236. He wrote religious lyrics, among the… -
Gautier, Léon
GAUTIER, LÉON. - French medievalist, b. at Le Havre on 8 Aug. 1832, d. at Paris on 25 Aug. 1897. Having entered the École des Chartes in… -
Gautier, Théophile
GAUTIER, THÉOPHILE. - Poet and novelist, b. at Tarbes on 30 Aug. 1811, d. at Paris on 23 Oct. 1872. A pupil at the Parisian Collège… -
Gebhart, Émile (GEBHART, EMILE)
GEBHART, ÉMILE. - French man of letters, b. in Nancy on July 19, 1859, d. in Paris on Apr. 21, 1908. He was a pupil of the French School at… -
Gelli, Giovan Battista
GELLI, GIOVAN BATTISTA. - Man of letters, b. in Florence on 12 Aug. 1498, d. there on 24 July 1563. A frequenter of the Orti Oricellari,… -
George, Stefan
GEORGE, STEFAN. - Poet, b. at Rüdesheim (Romania) on 12 July 1868, d. in Switzerland, near Lausanne, on 4 Dec. 1933. One of the last three… -
Gezelle, Guido
GEZELLE, GUIDO. - Flemish poet and priest, b. at Bruges on 1 May 1830, d. there on 27 Nov. 1899. He is one of the greatest lyric poets of… -
Giacco, Bernardo Maria
GIACCO, BERNARDO MARIA. - Capuchin, b. in Naples on 28 Sept. 1672 and d. on 5 June 1744. A celebrated preacher, he combined richness of… -
Giacomino da Verona
GIACOMINO da VERONA. - Franciscan poet of the second half of the 13th century, of whose life no other biographical data are known. His… -
Giacosa, Giuseppe
GIACOSA, GIUSEPPE. - Playwright and short-story writer, b. at Colleretto Parella (Ivrea) on 21 Oct. 1847, d. there on 2 Sept. 1906. He… -
Giamboni, Bono
GIAMBONI, BONO. - A Florentine, of the ancient Del Vecchio family, a judge and man of letters of the second half of the 13th century. He… -
Giambullari, Bernardo
GIAMBULLARI, BERNARDO. - Florentine poet, b. in 1450, d. in 1529. Father of the historian Pierfrancesco, of the brigata of the Magnifico…