DARDANI, Alvise.

by Alvise Dardani

£3,950 · Offered by Sokol Books

A good copy of the first edition of this fascinating defence of women in the Italian vernacular in the form of a trial. This is the only known work of the humanist and politician Alvise Dardani, published posthumously by the author s grandson, Ippolito. Challenging the male structured historical discourse through his forceful female speakers, Dardano wrote a splendidly incisive rereading of history (Panizza). In the 16th century, literature celebrating the moral and intellectual integrity of women written mostly by men flourished in Italy, particularly in Venice. In the introduction to this work, the author states: Both my verse and my prose intend to demonstrate with pretty clear arguments that, even if women s virtues cannot be considered superior to that of men, at least they are not inferior. I consider this effort not only pleasant but also useful for readers, because nowadays the world is full of wicked men who, would like to stain the name of the courageous women They deserve not only repression but also harsh and severe punishment . The work, in seven books, opens with a long poem in which Dardani urges his female audience to disregard male criticism and follow the example of heroic ancient women. The central section of the volume is the most interesting and captivating, ingeniously arranged as a series of orations: the literary scene is set as a fictional court where an allegorical figure, Giustitia, and thiee judges Traiano Imperatore, Carondo Prencipe and Selenco D

• Binding: Hardcover

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