Italian Literature

Italy is a country long enriched by the talented contributions of its citizens in the cultural areas of architecture, painting, sculpture, music and literature. The literary works of authors dating back hundreds of years can be found in the rich library collections of most Italian cities.

Manzoni wrote the first great novel in Italian literature in 1840 with Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed), paving the way for writers of the time to follow in his footsteps and use realism to write stories of everyday life. Giovanni Verga is one of many such authors who followed suit with his published book Malavoglia (Reluctance) written in 1880.

Long before these pioneering authors, a more ancient scribe produced great Italian literature. In fact, the earliest literary work is dated back to 1225 with Cantico delle Creature (Song of All Creatures) written by St. Francis of Assisi. During one period of time, lived and worked three of the greatest authors in Italian history: Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio, father of the novel, whose work Decameron reflects merchant-class life of those times. His literature became a model that future generations would follow. Pascoli set the pace for modern Italian poetry with his early writings that revolved around the idea of death.

Information about Italian Literature can also be found at:

Letteratura Italiana

Italia Libri

MIT Libraries