Literature
Letterature · 872 articles · Principal contributors · All subjects-
Mascheroni, Lorenzo
MASCHERONI, LORENZO. - Priest, poet and mathematician, b. at Castagneta (Bergamo) on 13 May 1750, d. at Paris on 14 July 1800. He taught… -
Masuccio Salernitano, Tommaso
MASUCCIO SALERNITANO, TOMMASO. - A nobleman of the Guardati family, born in Salerno, died there in the 15th century; but he lived for a… -
Mather, Cotton
MATHER, COTTON. - American Protestant writer, b. in Boston on Feb. 12, 1664, d. there on Feb. 13, 1728. He studied at Harvard College, of… -
Matthew Cigalas (MATTEO CIGALAS)
MATTHEW CIGALAS. - Greek writer, d. ca. 1642. Of Italian origin, born on the island of Cyprus. From 1630 he is found as parish priest of… -
Mazzuchelli, Giammaria
MAZZUCHELLI, GIAMMARIA. - Brescian patrician, scholar and bibliophile, b. 28 Oct. 1707, d. 19 Nov. 1765 (not 1768, as is sometimes… -
Meli, Giovanni
MELI, GIOVANNI. - Poet, b. in Palermo on 6 March 1740, d. there on 20 Dec. 1815. A pupil of the Jesuits, a district physician at Cinisi for… -
Melville, Herman
MELVILLE, HERMAN. - American novelist and poet, b. in New York City on Aug. 1, 1819, d. there on Sept. 28, 1891. The fruit of his… -
Mena, Juan de
MENA, Juan de. - Spanish poet, b. at Cordova in 1411, d. at Torrelaguna in 1456. He studied for some time in Rome, where he was initiated… -
Menéndez y Pelayo, Marcelino
MENÉNDEZ y PELAYO, MARCELINO. - Spanish scholar and critic, b. at Santander on 3 November 1856, d. there on 19 May 1912. A brilliant shaper… -
Menzini, Benedetto
MENZINI, BENEDETTO. - Priest, poet, b. in Florence on 29 March 1646, d. in Rome on 7 Nov. 1704. Of lively intellect and solid classical… -
Meredith, George
MEREDITH, GEORGE. - English novelist and poet, b. at Portsmouth on 13 Feb. 1828, d. on 19 May 1909 at Box Hill (Surrey). He married the… -
Merezhkovsky, Dmitry Sergeyevich (MEREZKOVSKIJ, DMĪTRIJ SERGĒEVIC)
MEREZHKOVSKY, DMITRY SERGEYEVICH. - Russian poet, writer and essayist, b. in St. Petersburg on 14 [sg.] 1865, d. in Paris on 15 Dec. 1941.… -
Metastasio, Pietro
METASTASIO, PIETRO. - Poet, b. in Rome on 3 January 1698, d. in Vienna on 12 April 1784. His surname Trapassi was Hellenized into M. by his… -
Meung, Jean de
MEUNG, JEAN de. - In the spelling of the period, J. de Meun. French poet, b. in the small town of Meung-sur-Loire (Orléans) ca. 1260, d. in… -
Meynell, Alice
MEYNELL, ALICE. - English writer, b. in London in 1847 and d. on 27 Nov. 1922. A strong personality, converted at a very young age to the… -
Michael Apostolios (MICHELE APOSTOLIOS)
MICHAEL APOSTOLIOS. - Byzantine writer, b. in Constantinople ca. 1422, d. ca. 1480. He had a very unfortunate life, following the fall of… -
Michelet, Jules
MICHELET, JULES. - Historian, b. at Ménilmontant (Paris) on 21 Aug. 1798, d. at Hyères on 9 Feb. 1874. The son of a printer, after a very… -
Mickiewicz, Adam
MICKIEWICZ, ADAM. - Polish poet, b. at Zaosie on 24 Dec. 1798, d. at Constantinople on 26 Nov. 1855. He spent his childhood and adolescence… -
Mignosi, Pietro
MIGNOSI, PIETRO. - Philosopher, b. in Palermo on 28 June 1895, d. in Milan on 15 July 1937. He conceived of art as a reflection of… -
Milton, John
MILTON, JOHN. - English poet, b. in London on 9 Dec. 1608, d. there on 8 Nov. 1674. Even before going to the University of Cambridge, the… -
Minzoni, Onofrio
MINZONI, ONOFRIO. - Sacred orator and poet, b. at Ferrara in 1734, d. there in 1817. He took part in the polemics against the Jansenists… -
Mira de Amescua, Antonio
MIRA DE AMESCUA, ANTONIO. - Spanish poet, b. at Guadix around 1574, d. there on 8 September 1644. He was impatient of discipline in his… -
Missirini, Melchiorre
MISSIRINI, MELCHIORRE. - Abbot and writer, b. at Forlì on 15 June 1773, d. at Florence on 18 Dec. 1849. After spending his youth in Romagna… -
Mistral, Frédéric
MISTRAL, FRÉDÉRIC. - Provençal poet, b. at Maillane on 8 Sept. 1830, d. there on 25 March 1914. A disciple and friend of Joseph Roumanille,… -
Molière, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, detto
MOLIÈRE, JEAN-BAPTISTE POQUELIN, detto. - Playwright, b. in Paris in Jan. 1622, d. there on 17 Feb. 1673. Into the artisanal and popular… -
Molitor, Wilhelm
MOLITOR, WILHELM. - German writer and theologian, b. at Zweibrücken on 24 Aug. 1819, d. at Speyer on 11 Jan. 1890. He studied theology at… -
Molza, Francesco Maria
MOLZA, FRANCESCO MARIA. - Man of letters, b. at Modena on 18 June 1489, d. there on 28 Feb. 1544. Besides Latin and Greek he also knew… -
Montesino, Ambrosio
MONTESINO, AMBROSIO. - Franciscan, orator and writer, b. at Huete (year unknown), d. probably at Madrid on 29 Jan. 1514. The scanty… -
Monti, Vincenzo
MONTI, VINCENZO. - Poet, b. 19 Feb. 1754 at Alfonsine (Ravenna), d. in Milan 13 Oct. 1828. From 1778, for about 20 years, he lived in Rome… -
More, Henry
MORE, HENRY. - He was the principal representative of the Cambridge Neoplatonists (who also influenced the poet Crashaw), b. at Grantham on… -
Moreto y Cavaña (Cabaña), Agustín (MORETO Y CAVANA (CABAÑA), AGUSTÍN)
MORETO Y CAVAÑA (CABAÑA), AGUSTÍN. - Spanish playwright of Italian origin, b. in Madrid on April 9, 1618, d. there between October 26 and… -
Multatuli
MULTATULI. - Pseudonym of Eduard Douwes Dekker, man of letters, b. in Amsterdam on 2 March 1820, d. at Nieder-Inghelheim on 19 Feb. 1887. A… -
Muspilli
MUSPILLI. - Title of a poetic fragment of 105 alliterative verses, in the 9th-century Bavarian dialect, from the monastery of St. Emmeram… -
Musset, Alfred de
MUSSET, ALFRED de. - French Romantic poet, b. 11 Dec. 1810 in Paris, d. there 1 May 1857. He identified love as the ideal of life and of… -
Narbone, Alessio
NARBONE, ALESSIO. - Jesuit, historiographer and scholar, b. at Caltagirone (Catania) on 9 Aug. 1789, d. at Palermo on 13 Dec. 1860. Having… -
Nardi, Jacopo
NARDI, JACOPO. - Writer, b. in Florence in 1476, d. in Venice in March 1563. He was the most sugge- > NARDÒ, DIOCESE of - Interior of the… -
Negri, Ada
NEGRI, ADA. - Poet, b. of a humble family at Lodi on 3 Feb. 1870, d. at Milan on 11 Jan. 1945. She entrusted to the novel Stella matutina… -
Newman, John Henry
NEWMAN, JOHN HENRY. - Cardinal and distinguished writer, b. in London on 22 Feb. 1801, d. in Birmingham on 11 Aug. 1890. I. LIFE. - From a… -
Nibelungen, Saga of the (NIBELUNGI, SAGA DEI)
NIBELUNGEN, Saga of the. - It is a complex of epic legends spread during the Middle Ages throughout the whole Germanic territory, from… -
Niccoli, Niccolò
NICCOLI, NICCOLÒ. - Humanist, b. in Florence in 1364, d. there on 3 February 1437. A tireless researcher of codices, he vied with his… -
Niccolini, Giambattista
NICCOLINI, GIAMBATTISTA. - Man of letters, b. at Bagni di S. Giuliano (Pisa) on 29 Oct. 1782, d. at Florence on 20 Sept. 1861. He was a… -
Nievo, Ippolito
NIEVO, IPPOLITO. - Writer, b. in Padua on 30 Nov. 1831. Inspired early on by the ideas of the Risorgimento, he took part in the war of '59,… -
Nihilism (NICHILISMO)
NIHILISM. - Under the term n. is commonly understood that vast revolutionary movement made up for the most part of young intellectuals… -
Novalis (Pseudonym of Friedrich Leopold von Hardenberg) (NOVALIS (PSEUDONIMO DI FRIEDRICH LEOPOLD VON HARDENBERG))
NOVALIS (Pseudonym of Friedrich Leopold von Hardenberg). - Born at Wiederstedt on 2 May 1772, died at Weissenfels on 25 March 1801. A most… -
Novaro, Angelo-Silvio
NOVARO, ANGELO-SILVIO. - Writer and poet, b. at Diano Marina on 12 Nov. 1868, d. at Imperia on 10 March 1938. N. began his activity very… -
Novellino
NOVELLINO. - A collection of 99 novellas and a proem, as preserved in cod. Vat. lat. 3214 (by Bembo, 1513), in the Gualteruzzi print… -
Oriani, Alfredo
ORIANI, ALFREDO. - Writer and historian, b. 22 Aug. 1852 at Faenza, d. 18 Oct. 1909 at Casola Valsenio. From birth the family environment,… -
Osvald, Franko Richard
OSVALD, FRANKO RICHARD. - Priest, archbishop's vicar of Trnava and writer, b. at Hodruša on 3 Oct. 1845, d. at Trnava on 14 Apr. 1926. He… -
Otfrid of Weissenburg (OTFRIDO DI WEISSENBURG)
OTFRID OF WEISSENBURG. - Benedictine monk, b. in Alsace around 790, d. 870. A disciple of Rabanus Maurus, then head of the monastic school… -
Otto of Passau (Passau) (OTTONE DI PASSAVIA (PASSAU))
OTTO OF PASSAU (PASSAU). - Franciscan, moralist writer. Very few facts about his life are certain. He was a lector in the convent of Basel.… -
Padilla, Juan de
PADILLA, JUAN de. - Spanish poet, b. at Seville in 1468, d. probably in 1522. He professed in his native city at the charterhouse of S.… -
Palmieri, Matteo
PALMIERI, MATTEO. - Man of letters, b. in Florence of a plebeian family on 13 Jan. 1406, d. there on 13 Apr. 1475. He held high offices in… -
Panziera, Ugo
PANZIERA, UGO. - Franciscan, writer, b. in Prato, the year is not known, d. in Tartary ca. 1330. Already a doctor of theology, he entered… -
Panzini, Alfredo
PANZINI, ALFREDO. - Writer, b. at Senigallia on 31 Dec. 1863, d. at Rome on 10 Apr. 1939. A disciple of Carducci and of Acri at the… -
Parini, Giuseppe
PARINI, GIUSEPPE. - Poet, b. at Bosisio (Brianza) on 23 May 1729, d. at Milan on 15 Aug. 1799. He studied at Milan in the Arcimboldi… -
Parnassianism (PARNASSIANESIMO)
PARNASSIANISM. - A literary movement of the second half of the nineteenth century. The poets who more or less deserve the name of… -
Paruta, Paolo
PARUTA, PAOLO. - Politician and writer, b. in Venice on May 14, 1540, d. on Dec. 9, 1598. He studied in Padua. His political life follows… -
Parzanese, Pietro Paolo
PARZANESE, PIETRO PAOLO. - Canon, orator and poet, b. at Ariano di Puglia on 11 Nov. 1809, d. at Naples on 29 Aug. 1852. After a tormented… -
Pascarella, Cesare
PASCARELLA, CESARE. - Poet, b. in Rome on 28 Apr. 1858, d. there on 8 May 1940. He made his debut as a poet with Romanesco sonnets, which… -
Pascoli, Giovanni
PASCOLI, GIOVANNI. - Poet, b. 31 Dec. 1855 at S. Mauro di Romagna, d. at Bologna 6 Apr. 1912 and buried in the chapel, near the house, at… -
Pasquier, Étienne (PASQUIER, ETIENNE)
PASQUIER, ÉTIENNE. - Jurist and historian, b. in Paris on 7 April 1529, d. there on 31 Aug. 1615. He pleaded various cases of political… -
Passavanti, Jacopo
PASSAVANTI, JACOPO. - Dominican, orator, writer, b. in Florence around 1302 to Banco and Francesca Tornaquinci, died there on 15 June 1357.… -
Passeroni, Gian Carlo
PASSERONI, GIAN CARLO. - Priest, poet, b. at Condamine di Lantosca (Nice) on 8 March 1713, d. at Milan on 26 Dec. 1803. A friend of Parini,… -
Pater, Walter
PATER, WALTER. - English critic and novelist, founder of the school of decadent aestheticism, b. at Shadwell on 4 Aug. 1839, d. at Oxford… -
Patmore, Coventry
PATMORE, COVENTRY. - English poet, b. at Woodford on 23 July 1823, d. at Lamington on 26 Nov. 1896. He converted to Catholicism in 1864. He… -
Patrizi, Francesco Da Cherso
PATRIZI, FRANCESCO da CHERSO. - Scholar and philosopher, b. 25 April 1520, d. in Rome in February 1597. He studied in Venice, in Ingolstadt… -
Pecock, Reginald
PECOCK, REGINALD. - Theologian, b. in Wales around 1395, d. at Thorney around 1460. He was bishop of St. Asaph (1444) and of Chichester… -
Péguy, Charles
PÉGUY, CHARLES. - Writer, b. at Orléans on 7 January 1873, d. in combat at Villeroy on 5 September 1914. In 1894, a first-year student at… -
Pellico, Silvio
PELLICO, SILVIO. - Writer and patriot, b. at Saluzzo on 25 June 1789, d. at Turin on 31 Jan. 1854. The second-born of the numerous children… -
Pérez Bayer, Francisco
PÉREZ BAYER, FRANCISCO. - Spanish scholar and polygraph, b. at Valencia in 1711, d. there in 1794. After brilliant studies undertaken at… -
Pérez de Montalbán, Juan
PÉREZ de MONTALBÁN, JUAN. - Spanish poet and playwright, b. in Madrid in 1602, d. there on 25 June 1638. He studied theology at Alcalá and… -
Pérez Galdós, Benito
PÉREZ GALDÓS, BENITO. - Writer, b. at Las Palmas (Canary Islands) on 10 May 1843, d. at Madrid on 4 Jan. 1920. He lived almost always in… -
Périer, Gilberte
PÉRIER, GILBERTE. - Elder sister of B. Pascal, born at Clermont in 1620, died in Paris in 1687. In 1641 she was married to a magistrate of… -
Perticari, Giulio
PERTICARI, GIULIO. - Man of letters, b. at Savignano (Rimini), 15 Aug. 1779, d. at S. Costanzo (Pesaro) 26 June 1822. Son-in-law and… -
Peter of Eboli (PIETRO DA EBOLI)
PETER OF EBOLI. - Poet of the second half of the 12th century. He is the author of a trilogy in verse on the model of Virgil and Ovid, in… -
Peter the Painter (Petrus Pictor) (PIETRO PITTORE (PETRUS PICTOR))
PETER THE PAINTER (Petrus Pictor). - Poet and theologian, of whom biographical details are lacking. He lived between the end of the 11th… -
Petrarch, Francesco (PETRARCA, FRANCESCO)
PETRARCH, FRANCESCO. - I. LIFE. - He was born in Arezzo on July 20, 1304, to ser Petraccolo di ser Parenzo and Eletta Canigiani. His was an… -
Philology (FILOLOGIA)
PHILOLOGY. - Philology is a discipline that seeks to restore historically the spiritual unity of a people through the manifestations of its… -
Piccolomini, Alessandro
PICCOLOMINI, ALESSANDRO. - Philologist and man of letters, b. at Siena on 13 June 1508, d. there on 12 March 1578, after having lived for a… -
Pignotti, Lorenzo
PIGNOTTI, LORENZO. - Poet and fabulist, b. at Figline on 9 Aug. 1739, d. at Pisa on 5 Aug. 1812. After completing his studies at the… -
Pindemonte, Ippolito
PINDEMONTE, IPPOLITO. - Poet, b. at Verona on 13 Nov. 1753, d. there on 18 Nov. 1828. He studied at Modena. When barely more than twenty,… -
Pirandello, Luigi
PIRANDELLO, LUIGI. - Writer of short stories, novels and plays, b. in Agrigento on 28 June 1867, d. in Rome on 1 Dec. 1930. Nobel Prize… -
Pitrè, Giuseppe
PITRÈ, GIUSEPPE. - The greatest scholar of folk traditions that Italy can boast of, and one of the most distinguished in Europe, b. at… -
Poe, Edgar Allan
POE, EDGAR ALLAN. - American poet and storyteller, b. in Boston on Jan. 9, 1809, d. in Baltimore on Oct. 7, 1849. After a failed attempt at… -
Poliziano, Angelo (POLIZIANO, ANGIOLO)
POLIZIANO, ANGELO. – From Montepulciano, where he was born on 14 July 1454 and from which he later took the name Politianus, Agnolo… -
Pöllmann, Ansgar
PÖLLMANN, ANSGAR. - German Benedictine writer, b. 21 Sept. 1871 at Hechingen (Hohenzollern), lived for many years in the monastery of… -
Pontano, Giovanni
PONTANO, GIOVANNI. - Humanist, poet, who later called himself Gioviano after the planet under which he was born and because of the… -
Pope, Alessandro
POPE, ALESSANDRO. - English poet, b. in London on 21 May 1688, d. at Twickenham on 30 May 1744. He began his poetic career very young with… -
Porta, Carlo
PORTA, CARLO. - Poet, b. in Milan on June 15, 1776, d. there on Jan. 5, 1821. He always lived in his city, employed at the Finance… -
Porzio, Camillo
PORZIO, CAMILLO. - Historian, b. in Naples ca. 1526, d. there in 1580. He wrote La congiura dei baroni del Regno di Napoli contra il re… -
Pozzetti, Pompilio
POZZETTI, POMPILIO. - Born at Mirandola on 17 January 1760; a Piarist on 17 September 1775, died at Bologna on 18 April 1815. An… -
Prati, Giovanni
PRATI, GIOVANNI. - Poet, b. Jan. 27, 1814 at Campomaggiore near Dasindo (Trento), d. in Rome on May 9, 1884. His poetic activity can be… -
Prevost d'Exiles, Antoine-François (PRÉVÔST D'EXILES, ANTOINE-FRANÇOIS)
PREVOST D'EXILES, ANTOINE-FRANÇOIS. - French writer, b. at Hesdin in Artois on 1 April 1697, d. at St-Firmin near Chantilly on 29 November… -
Proclus, Saint (PRÓCLO, SANTO)
PROCLUS, Saint. - Bishop of Constantinople, d. 446; in 426 he was appointed bishop of Cyzicus, but had to remain in Constantinople because… -
Proust, Marcel
PROUST, MARCEL. - Writer, b. in Paris on 10 July 1871, d. there on 18 Nov. 1922. His life can be summed up in his assiduous visits to the… -
Provençal, Language and Literature (PROVENZALE, LINGUA E LETTERATURA)
PROVENÇAL, LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE. - Strictly speaking, there is no longer today a Provençal language, but only a system of dialects of… -
Prudentius (PRUDENZIO)
PRUDENTIUS. - Latin Christian poet (b. 348, d. after 405). Between Saragossa and Calahorra, which both claim the honor of his birth,… -
Prudenzani, Simone (Simone di Golino di Prudenzano)
PRUDENZANI, SIMONE (SIMONE di GOLINO di PRUDENZANO). - From Prodo (Orvieto), he took part in the public life of Orvieto from 1387 to about… -
Psichari, Ernest
PSICHARI, ERNEST. - French writer, b. 29 Sept. 1883 in Paris, d. in the war on 22 Aug. 1914 at Rossignol (Belgium), nephew of Ernest Renan.… -
Pulci, Luigi
PULCI, LUIGI. - Poet, b. in Florence on 15 Aug. 1432, d. in Padua in Nov. 1484. He soon entered into personal relations of affectionate… -
Quevedo y Villegas, Francisco Gómez de
QUEVEDO Y VILLEGAS, FRANCISCO GÓMEZ de. - Polymath, b. in Madrid on 17 Sept. 1580, d. in Villanueva de los Infantes on 8 Sept. 1645. Of a… -
Quinet, Edgar
QUINET, EDGAR. - French historian and politician, b. at Bourg-en-Bresse on 17 Feb. 1803, d. at Paris on 27 March 1875. In 1839 he was… -
Rabelais, François
RABELAIS, FRANÇOIS. - Writer, b. probably at La Devinière (Touraine) ca. 1494, d. in Apr. 1555 (?). In 1521 he is a Franciscan friar at… -
Racine, Jean
RACINE, JEAN. - Poet, b. at La Ferté-Milon, in Valois, on 21 Dec. 1639, d. in Paris on 21 Apr. 1699. A scion of the petty bourgeoisie,… -
Rapin, René (RAPIN, RÉNÉ)
RAPIN, RENÉ. - Jesuit, humanist and theologian, b. at Tours on 3 Nov. 1621, d. at Paris on 27 Oct. 1687. Having entered the Order in 1639,… -
Rapisardi, Mario
RAPISARDI, MARIO. - Poet, b. in Catania on 25 Feb. 1844, d. there on 4 Jan. 1912. He taught Italian literature at the university of his… -
Ratpert of Saint Gall (RATPERTO DI SAN GALLO)
RATPERT OF SAINT GALL. - German writer, a native of Zurich, who lived in the second half of the 9th century, d. around 895. He composed in… -
Renan, Ernest
RENAN, ERNEST. - Orientalist, b. at Tréguier in Brittany on 17 Feb. 1823, d. at Paris on 2 Oct. 1892. Orphaned of his father at the age of… -
Report of the Literary, Cultural and Artistic Activity of Catholics in Italy, The (RAGGUAGLIO DELL'ATTIVITÀ LETTERARIA, CULTURALE E ARTISTICA DEI CATTOLICI IN ITALIA, IL)
SURVEY OF THE LITERARY, CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC ACTIVITY OF CATHOLICS IN ITALY, THE. - Annual review of such activities, begun in 1930 by M.… -
Retté, Adolphe
RETTÉ, ADOLPHE. - French poet, b. in Paris in 1863, d. at Beaune on 8 Dec. 1930. He belonged to the first Symbolist group, along with Jean… -
Reuss, Francesco Saverio
REUSS, FRANCESCO SAVERIO. - Redemptorist, poet, b. at Bergheim (Strasbourg) on 9 Nov. 1842, d. at Rome on 13 Feb. 1924. His Latin poems… -
Reymont, Władysław Stanisław (REYMONT, WLADYSLAW STANISLAW)
REYMONT, WŁADYSŁAW STANISŁAW. - Polish writer, b. at Kobiele Wielkie on 7 May 1867, d. at Warsaw on 5 Dec. 1925. Nobel Prize in 1924. He… -
Ricci, Mauro
RICCI, MAURO. - Writer, b. in Florence on 14 June 1826; a Piarist on 17 Sept. 1843, d. in Rome on 27 Jan. 1900. He was in contact with the… -
Rilke, Rainer Maria
RILKE, RAINER MARIA. - Bohemian poet of a German family, b. in Prague on 4 Dec. 1875, d. at Muzot (Switzerland) on 29 Dec. 1926. From an… -
Rimbaud, Jean-Arthur
RIMBAUD, JEAN-ARTHUR. - French poet, b. at Charleville on 20 Oct. 1854, d. at Marseilles on 10 Oct. 1891. Forced to grow up in a… -
Ringwaldt, Bartholomäus
RINGWALDT, BARTHOLOMÄUS. - German poet, b. in Frankfurt an der Oder in 1530, Lutheran pastor of Langenfeld in der Neumark, where he d. in… -
Roberti, Giovanni Battista
ROBERTI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. - Jesuit, polygraph, b. at Bassano on 4 March 1719, d. there on 29 July 1786. Having entered the Order in 1736,… -
Robortello, Francesco
ROBORTELLO, FRANCESCO. - Humanist, b. at Udine on Sept. 9, 1516, d. at Padua on March 18, 1567. After studying at Bologna, he held the… -
Rodolfo of Ems (RODOLFO DI EMS)
RODOLFO OF EMS. - German epic poet, of Swiss origin, b. around 1200, d. around 1254 in Italy in the retinue of Conrad IV, the best among… -
Romanticism (ROMANTICISMO)
ROMANTICISM. - By R. is meant that movement of a literary, artistic, philosophical, political and social character which arose in Europe in… -
Romanus the Melodist (ROMANO IL MELÒDE)
ROMANUS THE MELODIST. - Born in Syria to an Israelite family, in the last quarter of the 5th century: having gone to Constantinople in the… -
Ronsard, Pierre de
RONSARD, PIERRE de. - French poet, b. at the château de la Poissonnière (Vendôme), 11 Sept. 1525, d. 27 Dec. 1585 at the priory of… -
Rosegger, Peter
ROSEGGER, PETER. - Austrian writer, b. at Alpl (Styria) on 31 July 1843, d. at Krieglach (Styria) on 26 June 1918. Itinerant tailor, then… -
Rossetti, Cristina Georgina
ROSSETTI, CRISTINA GEORGINA. - Poet, b. in London on 5 Dec. 1830, d. there on 29 Dec. 1894, sister of D. G. Rossetti. She refused two… -
Round Table (TAVOLA ROTONDA)
ROUND TABLE. - Symbol of the perfect equality of rights and duties of the knights who gathered at the legendary Breton court of King Arthur… -
Ruiz, Juan (Archpriest of Hita) (RUIZ, JUAN (ARCIPRESTE DE HITA))
RUIZ, Juan (Archpriest of Hita). - Spanish writer, b. at Alcalá de Henares toward the end of the 13th century (1283?), d. around the middle… -
Rumor, Sebastiano
RUMOR, SEBASTIANO. - Priest, brother of the preceding, scholar, bibliographer and historian, b. at Vicenza on 30 May 1862, d. at Jerusalem… -
Saavedra y Ramírez de Baquedano, Ángel de (SAAVEDRA Y RAMÍREZ DE BAQUEDANO, ANGEL DE)
SAAVEDRA Y RAMÍREZ DE BAQUEDANO, ÁNGEL DE. - Spanish writer and politician, b. at Cordova on 10 May 1791, d. at Madrid on 22 June 1865. An… -
Sacchetti, Franco
SACCHETTI, FRANCO. - Poet, b. perhaps at Ragusa ca. 1330, d. ca. 1400. His name appears among those of the oldest and most illustrious… -
Sachs, Hans
SACHS, HANS. - German poet, the most famous of the "meistersingers", b. in Nuremberg on 5 Nov. 1494, d. there on 19 Jan. 1576, author,… -
Sainte-Beuve, Charles-Augustin de
SAINTE-BEUVE, CHARLES-AUGUSTIN de. - French writer, b. at Boulogne-sur-Mer on 23 Dec. 1804, d. at Paris on 4 Oct. 1869, where he had lived… -
Saint-Pierre, Jacques-Henri-Bernardin de
SAINT-PIERRE, JACQUES-HENRI-BERNARDIN de. - French writer, b. at Le Havre on 19 Jan. 1737, d. at Eragny on 21 Jan. 1814. He pursued… -
Saint-Quentin, Simone of (SIMONE DI SAINT-QUENTIN)
SAINT-QUENTIN, SIMONE OF. - Dominican writer, d. around 1250. He is credited with the Iter Persicum fratris Ascelini et sociorum suorum,… -
Salimbene da Parma
SALIMBENE DA PARMA. - Chronicler, Franciscan, b. at Parma in 1221, d. after 8 Sept. 1287. Son of a certain Guido de Adam of the town… -
Sallustius (SALLUSTIO)
SALLUSTIUS. - Neoplatonic philosopher of the school of Pergamon, who lived in the 4th century A.D. He dissuaded the emperor Julian, whose… -
Salutati, Coluccio (SALUTATI, LINO COLUCCIO)
SALUTATI, COLUCCIO. - Humanist and politician, b. at Stignano in Valdinievole on 16 February 1331, d. at Florence on 4 May 1405. At… -
Salvadori, Giulio
SALVADORI, GIULIO. - Writer, poet and critic, b. at Monte S. Savino in Val di Chiana (Arezzo) on 14 Sept. 1862, d. at Rome on 7 Oct. 1928.… -
Sand, George
SAND, GEORGE. - Pseudonym of Amandine-Lucie-Aurore Dupin, French writer, b. in Paris on 1 July 1804, d. at Nohant on 7 June 1876. Born of a… -
Sannazaro, Jacopo
SANNAZARO, JACOPO. - Poet, b. in Naples on 28 July 1456, d. there on 24 April 1530. He belonged to the Accademia del Pontano under the name… -
Sarbievskii, Matthias Kasimierz (SARBIEWSKI, MATTHIAS KASIMIERZ)
SARBIEVSKII, MATTHIAS KASIMIERZ. - Jesuit, humanist, called "the Polish Horace", b. at Sarbiawo, the family castle near Plonsk, on 24… -
Sardinha, António
SARDINHA, ANTÓNIO. - Portuguese writer and politician, b. at Monforte (Alentejo) in 1888, d. at Elvas on 1 January 1925. After the fall of… -
Sarmiento, Martín
SARMIENTO, MARTÍN. - Spanish Benedictine, b. at Villafranca del Bierzo on 6 March 1695, d. at Madrid on 7 Dec. 1772. He was the best… -
Saxo Grammaticus
SAXO GRAMMATICUS. - Medieval Danish historiographer, b. probably in the 2nd half of the 12th century. He was in the retinue of Bishop… -
Scammacca, Obtensio
SCAMMACCA, OBTENSIO. - Jesuit, playwright, b. at Lentini in 1562, d. at Palermo on 16 February 1648. After studying jurisprudence at… -
Scapigliatura
SCAPIGLIATURA. - An Italian literary movement whose center was in Milan between 1860 and 1870. It arose as a reaction to the languors and… -
Schiller, Friedrich
SCHILLER, FRIEDRICH. - German lyric poet and playwright, b. at Marbach, in Württemberg, on 10 Nov. 1759, d. at Weimar on 9 May 1805. His… -
Schirò, Giuseppe
SCHIRÒ, GIUSEPPE. - Sicilian-Albanian writer and poet, b. at Piana dei Greci on 10 Aug. 1865 and d. at Naples on 17 Feb. 1927. From his… -
Schlegel, August Wilhelm von
SCHLEGEL, AUGUST WILHELM VON. - German critic, philologist and poet, b. at Hannover on 5 Nov. 1767, d. at Bonn on 12 May 1845. He first… -
Sedulius Scotus (The Younger) (SEDULIO SCOTO (IL GIOVANE))
SEDULIUS SCOTUS (THE YOUNGER). - Writer of the 9th century, scholar and theologian, called Scotus or Scottus from his native land, Ireland,… -
Seeber, Josef
SEEBER, JOSEF. - Tyrolean poet, b. at Bruneck in 1856, d. at Enns (Austria) in 1919. A priest in 1878, he was a professor at the minor… -
Ségur, Gaston de
SÉGUR, GASTON de. - Apologetic and ascetic writer, b. to the counts of S. in Paris on 15 April 1820, d. there in the odour of sanctity on 9… -
Sermini Gentile, da Siena
SERMINI GENTILE, DA SIENA. - Traditional but not certain author of "uno paneretto d'insalatella", a kind of miscellany and book of… -
Serrano y Pineda, Luciano
SERRANO y PINEDA, LUCIANO. - Spanish Benedictine and historian, b. 7 Jan. 1879 at Castroceniza (Burgos), d. 17 July 1944 at Burgos. A… -
Serra, Renato
SERRA, RENATO. - Literary critic, b. at Cesena on 5 Dec. 1884, d. on the Podgora on 20 July 1915. In 1908 he was a teacher at the normal… -
Settembrini, Luigi
SETTEMBRINI, LUIGI. - Writer, b. in Naples on 17 April 1813, d. there on 3 Nov. 1876: a protagonist of the insurrectionary events against… -
Sévigné, Marie de Rabutin Chantal, Marquise de (SÉVIGNÉ, MARIE DE RABUTIN CHANTAL, M.ME DE)
SÉVIGNÉ, Marie de Rabutin Chantal, Marquise de. - French writer, b. in Paris on 5 Feb. 1626, d. at Grignan on 17 Apr. 1696. Left an orphan… -
Shakespeare, William
SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM. - Poet, b. at Stratford-on-Avon (England) in 1564 (he was baptized on April 26), d. there on April 23, 1616. His… -
Shaw, George Bernard
SHAW, GEORGE BERNARD. - Irish playwright, b. in Dublin on 26 July 1856, d. at Ayot Saint Lawrence (London), on 2 Nov. 1950. He began his… -
Shelley, Percy Bysshe
SHELLEY, PERCY BYSSHE. - English Romantic poet, b. in London on 4 Aug. 1792, d. drowned in the bay of Lerici on 8 July 1822. A radical… -
Shorthouse, Joseph Henry
SHORTHOUSE, JOSEPH HENRY. - English writer, b. in Birmingham on 9 Sept. 1834, d. at Lansdowne on 4 March 1903. S., although he wrote others… -
Sidney, Philip, Sir
SIDNEY, PHILIP, sir. - Writer, b. at Penshurst on 30 Nov. 1554, d. at Arnhem (Netherlands) on 17 Oct. 1586. He is regarded as the typical… -
Sienkiewicz, Henryk
SIENKIEWICZ, HENRYK. - Polish writer, b. at Wola Okrzejska on 6 May 1846, d. at Vévey on 15 Dec. 1916. Of a noble family, he lived on his… -
Siger of Brabant (SIGIERI DI BRABANTE)
SIGER OF BRABANT. - Belgian philosopher, perhaps a disciple of Albert the Great, a contemporary of St. Thomas, whose adversary he was in… -
Sigoli, Simone
SIGOLI, SIMONE. - Born in Florence in the early decades of the 14th century. His coat of arms displays, on an azure field, three "ségoli"… -
Sigonio, Carlo
SIGONIO, CARLO. - Historian, b. at Modena in 1523 (?), d. at his villa at Ponte Basso near Modena on 28 Aug. 1584. He taught at Modena… -
Skelton, John
SKELTON, JOHN. - English satirical poet, b. perhaps at Diss around 1460, d. at Westminster on 21 June 1529. He belongs to an age of… -
Sordello
SORDELLO. - Italian troubadour, b. at Goito ca. 1200, d. ca. 1269. After an adventurous and turbulent youth (at Verona he abducted the wife… -
Spenser, Edmund
SPENSER, EDMUND. - English poet, b. in London in 1552, d. there on 16 January 1599, after having spent a great part of his life in Ireland… -
Staël, Anne-Louise-Germaine de
STAËL, ANNE-LOUISE-GERMAINE DE. - Of a Calvinist family of Genevan origin, daughter of the famous minister of Louis XVI, J. Necker, born in… -
Stampa, Gaspara
STAMPA, GASPARA. - Poet, b. in Padua in 1523, d. in Venice on 23 April 1554. Daughter of a Paduan jeweler, on his death she moved with her… -
Stendhal
STENDHAL. - Pseudonym of Henry Beyle, French writer, b. at Grenoble on 23 Jan. 1783, d. at Paris on 23 March 1842. Of a good bourgeois… -
Stephen the Melodist (STEFANO IL MELODE)
STEPHEN THE MELODIST. - He lived from the beginning of the fourth decade to the end of the 11th century approximately. A native of southern… -
Sterne, Laurence
STERNE, LAURENCE. - Novelist, b. at Clonmel (Ireland) on 24 Nov. 1713 to an English father and an Irish mother, d. in London on 18 March… -
Stevenson, Robert Louis
STEVENSON, ROBERT LOUIS. - Scottish narrator, b. in Edinburgh on 13 Nov. 1850, d. in Samoa on 3 Dec. 1894. He is one of those rare writers… -
Stil Nuovo
STIL NUOVO. - Also dolce stil nuovo, an expression that Dante, Purg., XXIV, 57, puts in the mouth of Bonagiunta Orbicciani, to indicate a… -
Stoddard, Charles Warren
STODDARD, CHARLES WARREN. - American writer, b. 7 Aug. 1843 in Rochester (New York), d. 23 Apr. 1909 in Monterey (California). After having… -
Stolberg, Friedrich Leopold
STOLBERG, FRIEDRICH LEOPOLD. - Poet, b. at Bramstedt (Holstein) on 7 Nov. 1750, d. at Sondermühle near Osnabrück on 5 Dec. 1819. Together… -
Strindberg, Johan August
STRINDBERG, JOHAN AUGUST. - Swedish writer, b. in Stockholm on 22 Jan. 1849, d. there on 14 May 1912. He established himself in his youth… -
Sturm und Drang
STURM UND DRANG. - A literary movement of German youth around 1770-80, so named after a drama by Klinger (1776). It takes its cue from… -
Suda (Gr. Σουίδα) (SUIDA (GR. ΣΟΥΈΔΑ))
SUDA (Gr. Σουίδα). - A common name, dating back to Eustathius in his commentary on Homer (1175), for the supposed compiler of a Lexicon,… -
Sue, Eugène
SUE, EUGÈNE. - French writer b. in Paris on 20 Jan. 1804, d. at Annecy on 3 Aug. 1857. After some works set in a maritime milieu, he… -
Sully Prudhomme, René-François-Armand Prudhomme, detto (SULLY PRUDHOMME, REMÉ-FRANÇOIS-ARMAND PRUDHOMME, DETTO)
SULLY PRUDHOMME, René-François-Armand Prudhomme, detto. - French poet, b. in Paris on 16 May 1839, d. at Chatenay on 7 Sept. 1907. Toward… -
Swift, Jonathan
SWIFT, JONATHAN. - Irish writer, b. in Dublin on 30 Nov. 1667, d. there on 19 Oct. 1745. Although he had received orders in the Anglican… -
Swinburne, Algernon Charles (SWINBURNE ALGERNON, CHARLES)
SWINBURNE, ALGERNON CHARLES. - English poet, b. in London on 5 Apr. 1837, d. at Putney Hill on 10 Apr. 1909. He made his debut by… -
Symonds, John Addington
SYMONDS, JOHN ADDINGTON. - English aesthete, b. in Bristol on 5 Oct. 1840, d. in Rome on 19 Apr. 1893. He lived for a long time in Italy… -
Tacitism (TACITISMO)
TACITISM. - This name can sum up, if not actually the whole literature of "reason of state," as it flourished after the third decade of the… -
Taine, Hippolyte (TAINE, HYPPOLITE)
TAINE, HIPPOLYTE. - Philosopher, historian, man of letters and art critic, b. at Vouziers on 21 Apr. 1828, d. at Paris on 5 March 1893.… -
Tansillo, Luigi
TANSILLO, LUIGI. - Born of a Nolano family, and probably at Nola and not at Venosa, in 1510, d. at Teano on 1 Dec. 1568. A poet, courtier… -
Tarozzi, Vincenzo
TAROZZI, VINCENZO. - Humanist and ascetical writer, b. at Castelfranco Bolognese on 11 June 1849, d. in Rome on 17 Dec. 1918. Having… -
Tassoni, Alessandro
TASSONI, ALESSANDRO. - Poet, b. at Modena on 28 Sept. 1565, d. there on 25 Apr. 1635. After his studies at Bologna and Ferrara, he moved to… -
Tasso, Torquato
TASSO, TORQUATO. - Born at Sorrento on 11 March 1544 to Bernardo and Porzia de' Rossi, he spent his early childhood in Naples with his… -
Tebaldeo, Antonio
TEBALDEO, ANTONIO. - Humanist, b. in Ferrara in 1456 to a family of distant French origin, the Tebaldi (a surname he Latinized as T. or… -
Tennyson, Alfred
TENNYSON, ALFRED. - English poet, b. at Somersby on 6 Aug. 1809, d. in London on 6 Oct. 1892. He was the most conspicuous and in every… -
Testi, Fulvio
TESTI, FULVIO. - Politician, poet, b. at Ferrara on 23 Aug. 1593, d. at Modena on 28 Aug. 1646. He was in the service of the Este Court at… -
Theatre (TEATRO)
THEATRE. - I. DEFINITIONS: ELEMENTS OF THEATRICS. THE COMPONENTS OF THE SPECTACLE. RITE. MIME. DRAMA. - T. means spectacle: a thing seen,… -
Theodore Prodromos (TEODORO PRODBOMO)
THEODORE PRODROMOS. - Byzantine writer of the first half of the 12th century. Under his name circulates (Ist. Enc. Catt.) TEODORO PRODBOMO.… -
The Ormulum (ORMULUM, THE)
THE ORMULUM. - It is a long didactic poem in English, composed in the first half of the 13th century by the Augustinian monk Orm (hence the… -
The Pearl (PEARL, THE)
THE PEARL. - Anonymous allegorical poem in alliterative verse, composed in the second half of the 14th century and included in the same… -
Thiers, Adolphe
THIERS, ADOLPHE. - French statesman and historian, b. in Marseille on 18 Apr. 1797, d. in Paris on 3 Sept. 1877. He studied law at Aix,… -
Thompson, Francis
THOMPSON, FRANCIS. - English Catholic poet, b. at Preston on 16 Dec. 1859, d. at London on 13 Nov. 1907. After his attempts to become a…