Petrarch''s Humanism and the Care of the Self

In this book, Gur Zak examines two central issues in Petrarch's works - his humanist philosophy and his concept of the self.

List of contents

Introduction; 1. The indeterminate self: writing, desire, and temporality in Petrarch's Rerum vulgarium fragmenta; 2. The crisis of the narrative self; 3. Petrarch's humanism and the ethics of care of the self; 4. Ovid, Augustine, and the limits of the ethics of care of the self; Conclusion.

About the author

Gur Zak is Lecturer in Comparative Literature at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Summary

Gur Zak examines Petrarch's humanist philosophy and his concept of the self, and argues that both are defined by Petrarch's idea of care for the self. Examining his vernacular poetry and his Latin works from both literary and historical perspectives, Zak explores Petrarch's attempts to use writing as a spiritual exercise.

Product details

• Authors: Gur Zak, Gur (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) Zak, Zak Gur
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 20.02.2014
• EAN: 9781107689596
• ISBN: 978-1-107-68959-6
• No. of pages: 190
• Subjects: Fiction > Poetry, drama; Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > English linguistics / literary studies; History of Ideas, European History, HISTORY / Europe / General, Italian, Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700, Literary studies: ancient, classical and medieval, Literary studies: poetry and poets