Early Jugoslav Literature; (1000-1800) Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1922 edition. Excerpt: ... OF THE I5TH CENTURY I One of the precursors of the Ragusan poets was SiSko Mencetic (1457-1527). He had an especial talent for composing those love songs which the troubadours and their joglars brought to the world. The Provencal school had declined since the end of the 13th century, but its influence reigned for a long time in the palace of Alphonse V at Milan, where that king spent his exile. In Italy Petrarch was the most illustrious representative of this conventional lyricism, and he had many imitators. As has been pointed out, Ragusa had too extended a commerce and too intimate relationships with distant countries to remain untouched by foreign customs and civilizations. Provencal poetry was not slow in penetrating there. Jagid by a comparison of the poems of Petrarch and his disciples (Petrarchists) with those of the Dalmatian writers has shown the influence which the poetic theory of love has exerted upon the Dubrovnik school, the theory as conceived by the Provencal singers.1 In the writings of Mencetic love is a subject which occurs again and again, and his Pesni Juvezne (Love Poems) form a veritable "Slavonic Canzoniere," in the Provencal-1 talo-Castilian style. The prevailing characteristics of these poems are exaggeration and hyperbolism in emotion and expression. The poet sometimes repeats the same idea varied by allusions and wit, giving to his verses a gem-like form, as an acrostic of his name or the names of his heroines. The motifs of his chansons aVamour are taken from Petrarch, whom he greatly admired, and very often one can find entire stanzas translated from him. The verse is Alexandrine, with rhyme on the caesura, and contains twelve syllables. The contemporary and coadjutor of Mencetid was Dore Dr2id (d. 1510)....