The Romance of Biography (Vol 1 of 2) / or Memoirs of Women Loved and Celebrated by Poets, from the Days of the Troubadours to the Present Age. 3rd ed. 2 Vols.

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

35382

Title

The Romance of Biography (Vol 1 of 2) / or Memoirs of Women Loved and Celebrated by Poets, from the Days of the Troubadours to the Present Age. 3rd ed. 2 Vols.

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Mrs. Jameson's anthology explores how female beauty and virtue inspired the world's greatest poets. From troubadours to Renaissance masters, this collection reveals the profound influence women exerted on genius, offering romantic anecdotes and critical insights into the lives of legendary figures like Petrarch, Dante, and Milton.

Summary up to 500 words

In this third edition of *The Romance of Biography*, Mrs. Jameson presents a collection of anecdotes illustrating the profound influence of women on men of genius. The work argues that true poetic immortality stems from real passion rather than fiction, asserting that where a woman is exalted by a lover's talent, the passion was genuine and merited. The narrative traverses history, beginning with the medieval troubadours. It highlights the tragic love of Gianfré Rudel for the Countess of Tripoli, a lady he never met but whose fame inspired his final pilgrimage and death. In contrast stands the ferocious Bertrand de Born, a warrior-poet whose life was marked by rebellion and discord, yet who composed songs of sublime tenderness and eventually found forgiveness from the King he had incited to war. The text moves to Italy, detailing the loves of Guido Cavalcanti and Cino da Pistoja, before focusing on the iconic relationships of Dante and Beatrice, and Petrarch and Laura. Jameson expands the scope to include Chaucer, Spenser, and Shakespeare, examining how their works were shaped by their beloved women. A significant portion is dedicated to the English Renaissance and the court of Elizabeth I, featuring figures like Mary Queen of Scots and the poetess Diana de Poictier. The collection culminates with a detailed look at John Milton. Jameson analyzes his admiration for the Italian singer Leonora Baroni and the impact of his three marriages on his life and masterpiece, *Paradise Lost*. She suggests that the reconciliation with his first wife and the memory of his second, Catherine Woodcock, deeply influenced the scenes of Adam and Eve and the lamentations in the epic. Ultimately, Jameson maintains a tone of reverence for female influence, asserting that the 'flowers of Paradise' gathered from history are consecrated to the glory of women and the gallantry of men, proving that truth and good are the basis of all excellence in amatory poetry.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35382.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg35382.epub

Removed after upload

Downloaded at

2026-07-01 00:22 UTC

Categories

• Biography
• Women in literature