Veronica franco 15461591 was an italian poet and courtesan in 16th century venice. Biography veronica franco usc dana and david dornsife. Rosenthal published by university of chicago press 19930201 1993. Veronica franco, citizen and writer in sixteenthcentury venice, margaret f. Our word courtesan derives via french from the italian cortigiana, but the term was originally used with various modifiers to mean virtually any puttana. The venetian courtesan has long captured the imagination as a female symbol of sexual license, elegance, beauty, and unruliness. The books the honest courtesan university of chicago, 1992 examines veronica francos life and literary production. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the honest courtesan. Veronica franco, citizen and writer in sixteenthcentury venice. Veronica franco, historys favorite renaissance prostitute poet.
The venetian courtesan has long captured the imagination as a. Jul, 2012 veronica franco 15461591 was such a woman, a writer and citizen of venice, whose published poems and familiar letters offer rich testimony to the complexity of the honest courtesan s position. Veronica franco, citizen and writer in sixteenthcentury venice by margaret f. Rosenthal, combines biography, history, art and literature to speak about one courtesans life as an act of literary selfcreation and a response to the social forces and cultural conditions that restricted womens activities in the renaissance. Veronica franco, citizen and writer in sixteenthcentury venice women in culture and society 9780226728124 by rosenthal, margaret f. Veronica franco 15461591, a venetian courtesan poet, was born in venice, the daughter of a procuress, paola fracassa, and a merchant, francesco franco. Veronica franco was born in venice into a family who were nativeborn citizens with hereditary rights. Nov 01, 2007 veronica franco 15461591 was such a woman, a writer and citizen of venice, whose published poems and familiar letters offer rich testimony to the complexity of the honest courtesan s position. It was, in fact, this distinction that made franco a cortigiana honesta, or honest courtesan. Veronica franco, citizen and writer in sixteenthcentury venice women in culture and society margaret f. Veronica franco became an icon for women to leave the confines of the home and enter the world of men.
A true renaissance woman, franco, like other courtesans, attracted suitors through the art of conversation, music, dance, and painting. I have read all 4 books of the fifty shades series and have got to say they are pretty tame compared to veronica courtesan. This book, also about a courtesan in venice, is told from the point of view of. Life as a courtesan renaissance venetian society recognized two different classes of courtesans. Veronica franco 15461591 was such a woman, a writer and citizen of venice, whose published poems and familiar letters offer rich testimony to the complexity of the honest courtesans position. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. The books veronica franco usc dana and david dornsife.
Franco, veronica 15461591, venetian courtesan poet. Veronica franco author of poems and selected letters. Catherine mccormack portrayed veronica franco in the 1998 movie dangerous beauty released as a destiny of her own in some countries, based on rosenthals book. The venetian courtesan has long captured the imagination as a female symbol of sexual license, elegance, beauty and unruliness. It was only after reading margaret rosenthals an honest courtesan that i really got to know veronica francoand she is a woman worth getting to know, now more than ever.
To be a courtesan in 16 th century italy meant you were as charming and intelligent as you were beautiful. Veronica franco 15461591 was an italian poet and courtesan in 16thcentury venice. Read the honest courtesan veronica franco, citizen and writer in sixteenthcentury venice by margaret f. Jan 02, 2018 ive always found stories of the venetian courtesans fascinating since i saw the marvelous film dangerous beauty, based on the biography the honest courtesan, which details the life and literary ambitions of veronica franco, a poet and courtesan in the late 1500s. Veronica franco, citizen and writer in sixteenthcentury venice margaret f rosenthal the venetian courtesan has long captured the imagination as a female symbol of sexual license, elegance, beauty, and unruliness. The honest courtesan university of chicago, 1992 examines veronica francos life and literary production. In the case of the hardtoobtain poems, the volume includes transcriptions of the complete italian texts with facing translations. In the company of the courtesan by sarah dunant food in books.
Veronica franco, citizen, and writer in sixteenthcentury venice university of chicago press, 1992, by margaret f. What then to make of the cortigiana onestathe honest courtesan who recast virtue as intellectual integrity and offered wit and refinement in return for patronage and a place in public life. The honest courtesan is a 1992 biographical book by margaret rosenthal about a 16thcentury venetian courtesan named veronica franco. Unlike some of the other books ive featured on this blog, written by the courtesan or mistress herself, the honest courtesan is a highly literary, almost academic book and its not just about veronica franco, but takes a look at women in 16th century venice, italy, the world she lived in, when cortesans were both accepted and denounced and. Veronica franco 15461591 was such a woman, a writer and citizen of venice, whose published poems and familiar letters offer rich testimony to the complexity. Veronica franco 15461591 was such a woman, a writer and citizen of venice, whose published poems and familiar letters offer rich testimony to the complexity of the honest courtesan s position. Veronica franco was a prostitute, an accomplished poet, and a hero for her people, and also one of the most fascinating characters to emerge from renaissance venice. In conclusion, veronica franco was the treasure of venice for she helped it when it was glorious in literature, decadent in its customs, and diseased with the plague. This first fulllength study in english of venetian courtesan and writer veronica franco s life and work is an adaptation of rosenthals italian, univ. Her family had a coat of arms because they were nativeborn citizens who belonged by hereditary right to a professional caste that made up the government bureaucracy and venetian confraternities. Rosenthal draws a compelling portrait of veronica franco in her cultural social, and economic world. The honest courtesan is a 1992 biographical book by margaret rosenthal about a 16thcentury venetian courtesan named veronica franco description. Unfortunately, in those days the only real way to do so was to become a prostitute.
You certainly dont need to let your imagination do the work for you in this book as the author goes into great detail when it comes to the action parts. Portrait biographic details digitized texts editions of works. I first became aware of veronica francos story after becoming a call girl myself, through the movie dangerous beauty based on margaret rosenthal s book the honest courtesan. Veronica franco, citizen and writer in sixteenthcentury venice u of chicago p, 1992, a study of franco s life and social milieu. For me the power of this movie rests in its faithfulness to margaret rosenthals book the honest courtesan. Its certainly not jane austen, but producers are hoping the honest courtesan currently filming in rome will will inspire the same frenzy as the recent glut of hot austen pics. In the venetian renaissance, in the splendor of the noble palaces, between music and dance, loves and intrigues of power are consumed. Poems and selected letters by veronica franco books on. Dangerous beauty is a 1998 american biographical drama film directed by marshall herskovitz and. Veronica francos life suggests both the possibilities and limitations for an educated woman in renaissance italy and also highlights the ways in which intellectual connections and literary or artistic talents occasionally worked to offset a life that otherwise went against convention. Mar 21, 2018 like so many hollywood biopics about women, dangerous beauty took the life of its subject and reduced it to eye candy in a gondola. Veronica franco 15461591 was such a woman, a writer and citizen of.
Read the honest courtesan veronica franco, citizen and writer in sixteenth century venice by margaret f. This project nicely complements rosenthals earlier book, the honest courtesan. In renaissance venetian society the cortigiana onesta, was an intellectual courtesan, and cortigiana di lume, were lowerclass prostitutes. Franco s life was recorded in the 1992 book the honest courtesan, by us author margaret f. The honest courtesan download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Veronica franco, citizen and writer in sixteenthcentury venice ebook written by margaret f. Veronica franco, citizen and writer in sixteenthcentury venice women in. The honest courtesan veronica franco usc dana and david.
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