La Vita Nuova

by Dante Alighieri

La Vita Nuova - in English The New Life - is a poem by Dante Alighieri which expresses the virtues of Medieval courtship and love. First published in 1295 during the dawn of the Italian Renaissance period, this work discusses the praiseworthy aspects of courtship which first appeared during the Medieval era. Dante was a great admirer of this practice, feeling that the tradition elevated both love and courteous behaviour in a manner befitting an experience of such emotive depth. Dante first autho...