Foscolo, Ugo (1778–1827)

Italian author. An intensely patriotic Venetian, he fought with the French against the invading Austrians. Disillusionment with Napoleon inspired his popular novel Le Ultime lettere di Jacopo Ortis/The Last Letters of Jacopo Ortis 1802. His blank-verse patriotic poem ‘Dei sepolchri’/‘Of the Sepulchres’ 1807 made his name and was followed by the political tragedies Aiace/Ajax 1811 and Ricciarda 1812.

Foscolo was born in Zante and educated at Spalato and Venice. From 1796 he was an officer in the armies of various attempted Italian republics, and served in France 1804–06. In 1808 he was appointed to the chair of eloquence at Pavia University. His play Aiace was thought to contain anti-Napoleonic sentiments, and caused him to leave Milan until the decline of Napoleon's power 1813. When the Austrians regained control, Foscolo's patriotism forced him into voluntary exile, first to Switzerland, then to England about 1816, where he spent his last years as a literary journalist and Italian teacher.