Camões, The Lusiads

Camões, The Lusiads

Portugal First published: 1572     Luis Vaz de Camões, The Lusiads (Os Lusíadas)   Camões’ Os Lusíadas is not technically a New World epic, as it is sometimes called, since most of its action takes place in Africa and India. Yet it clearly exemplifies a...
Tasso, Gerusalemme Liberata

Tasso, Gerusalemme Liberata

Italy Completed in 1575, first published in 1581.       Torquato Tasso, Gerusalemme liberata     Tasso’s heroic poem in twenty ottava rima cantos fictionalizes the vicissitudes of several leading historical figures from the First Crusade as it...
Cervantes, Don Quixote

Cervantes, Don Quixote

Spain Part one published in 1605; part two published in 1615.   Miguel de Cervantes Don Quijote de la Mancha     Please contact me (jac@columbia.edu) if you are interested in writing an introduction to this work.  ​ Author Name Works Cited If applicable.  ...
Marino, Adone

Marino, Adone

Italy / France 1623 Giambattista Marino, Adone (Adonis) Giambattista Marino’s Adone can be characterized as a mythical poem. The well-known love story of Venus and Adonis, featured in Cantos III, VIII, XV, XVII, and XVIII of this poem of 20 cantos, is compounded by...
Leopardi, Paralipomena to the Battle of Frogs and Mice

Leopardi, Paralipomena to the Battle of Frogs and Mice

Italy Completed 1837; first edition 1842. Giacomo Leopardi,   Paralipomeni della Batracomiomachia (Paralipomena to the Battle of Frogs and Mice)   ​ The Paralipomeni della Batracomiomachia began to take shape around 1831 from an idea of Giacomo Leopardi, who...