Petrarch

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= Petrarch =

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Petrarch was born in 1304 in the city of Arezzo. He was the son of a notary. he spent most of his early in a village near Florence. His father was then expelled from Florence when the Black Guelfs took power. Petrarch and his family moved to Avignon. This is where Petrarch spent most of his early life. Petrarch studied at Montpellier from 1319 to 1323. He then moved to Bologna, where he studied law from 1323 to 1325. He was most interested in writing and Latin Literature. Petrarch's father died in 1326. After his father died, Petrarch moved back to Avignon, where he worked different clerical jobs. The turning point in his life was when he met Laura in a church in Avignon, in 1327. She became the main focus of his poetry. While in Avignon Petrarch wrote many sonnets that became popular. Petrarch then became famous as a scholar and a poet, and in 1341 he was crowned as a poet laureate in Rome. He then was given diplomatic missions. Petrarch started looking for Latin classics and manuscripts. In search of these, he went to France, Germany, Spain, and Italy. He spent the latter part of his life wandering from city to city as a celebrity. Petrarch then settled in Padua in 1367, where he focused on his religion. Petrarch died on July 18, 1374.

He was an Italian scholar, humanist, and poet. He was a major force in the development of the Renaissance. Petrarch is most famous for his poems about Laura. Often referred to as the "Father of Humanism". He was also contributed with being one of the first people to develop the cobcept of the "Dark Age".

Below is a list of his works: http://petrarch.petersadlon.com/his_writings.html

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=Sonnet 169= (Podcast) Sonnet 169 Petrarch media type="file" key="Untitled (2).wma" width="169" height="141" align="left"

Rapt in the one fond thought that makes me stray from other men and walk this world alone, sometimes I have escaped myself and flown to seek the very one that I should flee;

so fair and fell I see her passing by that the soul trembles to take flight again, so many armed sighs are in her train, this lovely foe to Love himself and me!

And yet, upon that high and clouded brow I seem to see a ray of pity shine, shedding some light across the grieving heart:

so I call back my soul, and when I vow at last to tell her of my hidden pain, I have so much to say I dare not start.

Questions: 1. What is the sonnet talking about? 2. Who is Petrach talking about in the last stanza? 3. What does "clouded brow" mean? 4. Interpret line 14 of the sonnet.