THE LOVE SONGBOOK OF LUDOVICO PASCHALE

Abstract

In this article, we engaged in the analytical extraction of the structure of the love novel in verse by the 16th-century poet Ludovico Paschale, from the Bay of Kotor. We employed a comparative and literary-historical method to reconstruct Paschale's Canzoniere. This poetic anthology was published in 1549 in the capital city of the Republic of Venice and comprises a total of 209 poems. The majority of the poems are sonnets, but alongside this demanding poetic form, the anthology also contains madrigals, canzoni, capitoli, and stanzas. In addition to Paschale's poems, the author preserved one poem by his father in his only published collection of poetry during his lifetime. The collection is divided into two parts. In our work, we analyzed lyrical poems with a love theme from the first, longer part of the anthology, preceded by a dedication addressed to Martija Grizogono from Zadar. We then extracted elements of the love novel from Paschale's canzoniere, starting from the initial encounter with the beloved through the transformation of his love into divine love. The analysis encompassed both the macrostructure of the collection and the microstructure of individual texts. In the macrostructure, we identified which poems realize the individual elements of the love novel, while the microanalysis concerned linguistic-stylistic and poetic aspects as well as general themes. We additionally explored influences that shaped Ludovico Paschale as an author, including influences from Petrarchan literature, Bemboism, and troubadour lyricism. A significant part of our article focused on determining the authentic characteristics of Paschale's love novel in verse that successfully set him apart from his models, as well as numerous cold imitators. We concluded that Ludovico Paschale adheres to the stylistic and thematic conventions of his era but adds his own authenticity.