Dante's Beatrice and Petrarch's Laura

Dante Alighieri’s Beatrice and Francesco Petrarca’s Laura influenced the lives and writings of these two great authors.

Francesco Petrarca, better known to the literary world as Petrarch, met the woman who would become the driving force behind his writing on Good Friday, April 6, 1327. In a Church of Santa Chiara in Avignon, Petrarch first lay eyes on Laura de Sade, wife of Hugues de Sade (Jerrold 19). Though her existence has been doubted, most critics agree that the evidence supports the idea that such powerful words must have had a living, breathing inspiration. When putting together Petrarch’s Laura, and Laura de Sade, one notices similarities, such as the same name, suitable age, wealth, illnesses and frequent childbirths, and the burial in a Franciscan church. Petrarch’s Laura dies April 6, 1348. Laura de Sade made her will April 3, and died of plague shortly after. Plague commonly killed in three days (Bishop 65).

Laura’s wonderful beauty is certain, as is the fact that the poet felt a certain passion for it (Jerrold 20). She is described mostly in Petrarch’s Italian poems, however the descriptions of her beauty are never very detailed and specific. Her hair was golden, her complex

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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 946
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)