Pascoli, Giovanni (1855–1912)

Italian poet and scholar. His first collection of verse, Myricae 1891, contained mostly poems of simple country life. It was followed by Primi poemetti 1897 and Canti di Castelvecchio 1903. Poemi conviviali 1904 are more classical in inspiration, and deal with eternal themes, while Poemi italici 1911 are patriotic poems, evoking events of Italy's past.

He also wrote excellent poetry in Latin, and translated Shelley, Tennyson, and Wordsworth. Pascoli departs from tradition in his use of profuse images, his deliberate symbolism, his unusual rhythms, and his wide vocabulary. His influence on younger poets was immense.

He was born in San Mauro di Romagna, near Rimini. In 1905 he succeeded Giosuè Carducci in the chair of Italian literature at Bologna University.