Evolution of Italian Women's Lyric Poetry of the 16th Century: From Vittoria Colonna to Laura Terracina

The subject of the study is the work of Vittoria Colonna, Veronica Gambara, Tullia d'Aragona, Laura Terracina, and Veronica Franco. The analysis examines the motif of insecurity in one's own talent, characteristic of early women's lyric poetry, and its gradual overcoming in the works of Terracina and Franco, where women emerge as defenders of their intellectual and creative rights. A special focus is placed on the involvement of the poetesses in the querelle des femmes (the “debate about women”), their polemics with traditional views on female nature and societal roles. It is shown how women's lyric poetry evolves from imitating Petrarch to a distinct expression of the female voice, including themes of gender equality and the defense of women's dignity. Socio-cultural factors that contributed to the increasing number of women poets are considered: the spread of printing, the influence of female audiences on the book market, as well as the Enlightenment initiatives of the Church. Particular attention is given to identifying connections with the traditions of Petrarch and Ariosto and the historical-literary context (the influence of the development of printing and the spread of gender discussions). A comparative method (contrasting feminine and masculine receptions of Petrarch) and a gender approach (studying the self-representation strategies of the poetesses) are employed. The literary sources examined, while important for understanding the gender aspects of Renaissance culture, remain relatively unknown to the Russian reader and have not been translated into Russian. The theoretical framework of the research primarily relies on the works of Italian and American authors (T. Pleban, C. Stella, D. Shemek, V. Cox, T. Crivelli), while this topic is practically underdeveloped within the framework of domestic literary studies. The study of women's authorship strategies allows for a new perspective on the processes of forming the literary canon of the Renaissance era. The main findings of the research indicate significant changes in the literary status of women by the end of the 16th century. The topos of humility gradually gave way to open manifestos of gender equality. The text analysis revealed an evolution in the perception of Petrarch’s work: from direct imitation to a rejection of the Platonic tradition. Women not only established themselves in the literary canon but also became active participants in cultural discussions. The study contributes to the examination of Renaissance poetics and the history of women's authorship, opening up prospects for comparative analysis with other national literary traditions.

female lyric poetry, Italian poetry, Petrarchism, gender studies, querelle des femmes, Renaissance poetics, Vittoria Colonna, Veronica Gambara, Laura Terracina, literary canon