Perch' Io t' Abbia Guardato DI Menzogna
The poem explores the speaker's emotional turmoil and inner conflict after being deceived by a loved one. The speaker recounts how they were misled by false appearances and deceitful words, which led to their downfall. They express feelings of shame, anger, and sorrow, lamenting the loss of innocence and trust.
By Francesco Petrarca · First published 1343 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Sonnet · 1,767 words
First lines
IN HER PRESENCE HE CAN NEITHER SPEAK, WEEP, NOR SIGH.
Although from falsehood I did thee restrain / With all my power, and paid thee honour due, / Ungrateful tongue; yet never did accrue / Honour from thee, but shame, and fierce disdain: / Most art thou cold, when most I want the strain / Thy aid should lend while I for pity sue; / And all thy utterance is imperfect too, / When thou dost speak, and as the dreamer's vain.
What this Textopian page supports
Perch' Io t' Abbia Guardato DI Menzogna is listed on Textopian as a poem by Francesco Petrarca, dated 1343 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Francesco Petrarca
- Date: 1343 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Sonnet, Elegy, Philosophical Poetry
- Length: 1,767 words
- Structure: 1 section, 25 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Perch' Io t' Abbia Guardato DI Menzogna by Francesco Petrarca
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Similar titles
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- Hatem by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — The work is characterized by personal emotions and reflections, typical of lyric poetry.
- Romanticism — Themes of unrequited love and deep emotional expression align with Romantic ideals.
- Sonnet — The structure and style suggest it may be part of a sonnet sequence, common in Petrarchan poetry.
- Elegy — The tone of mourning and lamentation indicates elements of elegiac poetry.
Tags
Italian Literature · Renaissance Poetry · Love Sonnets · Philosophical Themes · Deception · Truth · Lies · Honesty · Morality · Ethics · Relationships · Romance
More by Francesco Petrarca
- Fifteen sonnets of Petrarch (1350)
- Voi, Ch' Ascoltate in Rime Sparse Il Suono (1343)
- Per Far Una Leggiadra Sua Vendetta (1343)
- Era 'L Giorno Ch' Al Sol Si Scoloraro (1343)
- Quel Ch' Infinita Providenza Ed Arte (1343)
- Quand' Io Movo I Sospiri a Chiamar Voi (1344)
- Si Traviato E 'L Folle Mio Desio (1343)
- La Gola E 'L Sonno E L' Oziose Piume (1344)
- All works by Francesco Petrarca