Italian literature

Timeline: Italian literature

Years: c. 1260 - 1980	Subject: Literature
Publisher: HistoryWorld	Online Publication Date: 2012
Current online version: 2012	eISBN: 9780191736537

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Year	Event
c. 1260	A new form of poetry is written in northern Italy, described later by Dante as a sweet new style - the dolce stil nuovo Go to dolce stil novo in The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 13th century Literature Poetry Europe Italy
c. 1307	Dante, in exile from Florence, begins work on The Divine Comedy - completing it just before his death, 14 years later Go to Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) in The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 14th century Italian Renaissance Literature Poetry Florence Europe Italy
1327	Petrarch glimpses Laura in a church in Avignon and falls helplessly in love with her - or so he tells us Go to Petrarch (1304–74) in The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 14th century Italian Renaissance Literature Poetry Europe Italy
1341	A laurel wreath is placed on the brow of Petrarch in Rome, in a renewal of interest in the classical world Go to Petrarch (1304–74) in The Oxford Companion to Western Art (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 14th century Italian Renaissance Literature Poetry Europe Italy
1462	In keeping with his personal interest in Plato, Cosimo de' Medici founds a Platonic Academy in Florence Go to Plato (c. 429–c. 347 bc) in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 15th century Italian Renaissance Literature Philosophy Florence Europe Italy
1487	Boiardo publishes a romantic epic, Orlando Innamorato, about Roland's love for a bewitching princess Go to Orlando Innamorato in The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 15th century Italian Renaissance Literature Poetry Europe Italy
1516	Ariosto, in Orlando Furioso, tells of Roland's madness when he is abandoned by the pagan princess Angelica Go to Orlando Furioso in The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 16th century Italian Renaissance Literature Poetry Europe Italy
1581	Tasso, in Gerusalemme Liberata ('Jerusalem Liberated'), turns the first crusade into a romantic epic Go to Tasso, Torquato (1544–95) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 16th century Italian Renaissance Literature Poetry Jerusalem Europe Italy
c. 1740	Italian dramatist Carlo Goldoni makes a success of plays in the ancient commedia dell'arte tradition Go to Goldoni, Carlo (1707–93) in The Oxford Companion to English Literature (7 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Theatre Literature Drama Europe Italy
1821	English poet John Keats dies in Rome at the age of twenty-five Go to Keats, John (1795–1821) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Literature English literature Literature in English Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Rome Europe Italy Britain
1825	Italian author Alessandro Manzoni begins publication (completed 1827) of his novel I Promessi Sposi ('The Betrothed') Go to Manzoni, Alessandro (1785–1873) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Literature Fiction Europe Italy
1921	Within a five-week period the Italian playwright Luigi Pirandello writes two masterpieces, Six Characters in Search of an Author immediately followed by Henry IV Go to Pirandello, Luigi (1867–1936) in The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 20th century Performing arts Theatre Literature Drama Europe Italy
1923	The Italian novelist Italo Svevo has his first great success when The Confessions of Zeno is published in France Go to Svevo, Italo (1861–1928) in The Oxford Companion to English Literature (7 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Literature Fiction Europe Italy
1925	Italian poet Eugenio Montale publishes his first collection, Bones of the Cuttlefish Go to Montale, Eugenio (1896–1981) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Literature Poetry Europe Italy
1928	D.H. Lawrence's new novel, in which Lady Chatterley is in love with her husband's gamekeeper, is privately printed in Florence Go to Lady Chatterley's Lover in The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Literature English literature Literature in English Fiction Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Italy Britain
1929	Italian writer Alberto Moravia wins success with his first novel, The Time of Indifference Go to Moravia, Alberto (1907–1990) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Literature Fiction Europe Italy
1935	Elias Canetti publishes the novel later translated into English as Auto da Fé Go to Canetti, Elias (1905–1994) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Literature Fiction Europe Italy
c. 1942	US poet Ezra Pound, in Italy during the war, broadcasts Fascist propaganda aimed at the United States Go to Pound, Ezra (1885–1972) in A Dictionary of Modern and Contemporary Art (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Literature American literature Literature in English Poetry Europe Italy North America United States
1948	Ezra Pound publishes Pisan Cantos, about his postwar imprisonment in an American detention centre near Pisa Go to Cantos, The in The Concise Oxford Companion to American Literature (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Literature Poetry Europe Italy
1956	Sicilian author Giuseppe de Lampedusa completes his novel The Leopard, but does not live to see it published Go to Tomasi Di Lampedusa, Giuseppe (1896–1957) in The Oxford Companion to Italian Literature (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Literature Fiction Sicily Europe Italy
1968	Ezra Pound publishes his last collection of cantos, Drafts and Fragments of Cantos CX - CXVII Go to Cantos, The in The Oxford Companion to Twentieth-Century Literature in English (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Literature American literature Literature in English Poetry Europe Italy North America United States
1970	Italian playwright Dario Fo's black comedy Accidental Death of an Anarchist has its premiere in Milan Go to Accidental Death of an Anarchist in The Oxford Dictionary of Plays (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Theatre Literature Drama Europe Italy
1980	Italian academic Umberto Eco publishes The Name of the Rose, a medieval murder mystery Go to Eco, Umberto (1932– ) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Literature Fiction Europe Italy

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date: 16 March 2025