Byron and the rhetoric of Italian nationalism
By: Arnold Anthony Schmidt
Edition: 1st ed.
Series: Nineteenth-century major lives and letters
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Published: 2010
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover, eBook to libraries
Number of pages: 206
ISBN-13: 9780230616004
Description: "Schmidt's book shows with impressive detail and thorough argument that the mythical image of Byron was an important to the development of the Italian nationlist ideal as it had been to the Greek. From Pellico via Cavour and Garibaldi to (whisper it) Mussolini himself, Byron's Preparedness to sacrifice himself of Italian freedom and nationhood was an example to them all. A tour-de-force of documentation and analysis."--PETER COCHRAN, Cambridge University.

"Byron and the Rhetoric of Italian Naionalism is a fascinating and expertly-researched addition to our understanding of Byron not just as a British Romantic poet but as an international cultural phenomenon. Positioning Byron in the context of European liberal nationalism, Schmidt demonstrates how although Byron's scandalous lifestyle and Provocative writings tended to overshadow his liberal leanings in Britain, he became an inspiration to the emergent nationalist movement in Italy ... The book will be of value not just to Byron scholars scholars but to anyone interested in the cultural impact of Romanticism."--CLARE A. SIMMONS, Department of English, The Ohio State University.

Making extensive use of untranslated texts, Byron and the Rhetroric of Italian Nationalism analyzes the incorporation of Byron's life and works into Italian political discourse during the risorgimento, unification, and the two world wars. Italian authors appreciated his celebration of liberty and nationalism so much that between 1818 and 1948, they referred to Byron more than to any other non-Italian poet. Arnold Anthony Schmidt explores the intellectual milieu of Byron's Italian years, his participation in Grand Tour and salon culture, his influence on Italian Classicists and Romantics, and his importance in constructing Italy's national identity. --Book Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.