Biblioteca Estense Universitaria
Modena
Italy
The commentary focuses on a wide selection of RVF poems (1-6, 9-10, 12-23, 25, 28-31, 33, 35-38, 41-46, 48, 53-54, 56, 59-60, 64, 66, 71, 73, 77-78, 80, 84-86, 90-91, 93, 96, 101-102, 107-113, 115-117, 121, 125-127, 129-131, 135, 139, 142-143, 148, 154, 159, 161-162, 164-165, 176-177, 180, 183, 189, 190-191, 197, 200, 208, 221, 228, 237-238, 251-252, 259, 261, 263 for the first part, and 271, 280, 323, 325, 337, 360, 366 for the second part). The extension of the commentary on each poem varies considerably, from six lines (RVF 54) to eight fols. (RVF 164: fols. 42r-49r). Gioia’s commentary covers four main areas of interest: 1) appreciation and explanation of Petrarch’s language, with annotations mostly concerned with grammar; 2) philosophical and natural-philosophical observations; 3) discussion of how RVF is linked to moments in Petrarch’s life or episodes in his love story with Laura; 4) explanations of some obscure passages.