Laura Terracina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Laura Terracina
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Laura Terracina, 1584
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| Born | 1519 Chiaia
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| Died | c. 1577 |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Spouse(s) | Polidoro Terracina |
Laura Terracina (born in 1519, died around 1577) was an amazing Italian poet from Naples. She lived during a time called the Renaissance, which was a period of great art and learning. Laura was one of the most published Italian poets of her century, meaning her books were printed and read by many people!
Her Early Life
Laura Terracina was born in a place called Chiaia, which is a part of Naples. Her mother was Diana Anfora, and her father was Paolo Terracina. Laura had at least one sister and two brothers.
It's thought that a famous poet named Vittoria Colonna might have encouraged Laura. Vittoria may have even sent Laura a short poem praising her writing skills!
In 1545, Laura joined a special group in Naples called the Academia of the Incogniti. This was a club for smart people who loved literature. She met and wrote letters to many other writers and thinkers there. Even after this academy closed down in 1547, Laura was still known by her special club name, Febea.
Laura married her relative, Polidoro Terracina. She even wrote some poems just for him! She also became friends with many important people, like Giovanna d'Aragona, who supported artists, and the writer Angelo di Costanzo.
Her Published Works
Laura Terracina published nine books of her poems! These books were printed in different cities like Florence, Venice, Naples, and Lucca between 1548 and 1567.
One of her most famous works was a long poem called Discorso sopra il Principio di Tutti I Canti di Orlando Furioso. This poem was connected to another very popular story called Orlando Furioso by Ludovico Ariosto. Laura's poem was so popular that it was reprinted thirteen times! In this work, she stood up for women and wished more of them would pursue writing and learning.
Laura often wrote poems praising others, especially those she met at the Academia of the Incogniti. In these poems, she would often humbly say that she wasn't a very good poet herself. She also exchanged poems with another poet named Laura Battiferri. They would praise each other's talents while making light of their own.
During her lifetime, Laura Terracina was highly praised for her writing. In some of her poems, she wrote about social problems and political troubles of her time. She also strongly believed that women should seek fame for their work. She even dedicated her seventh book of poems to the widows of Naples.
Today, the National Library of Florence has more than two hundred of her poems that were never collected into books. These poems are in a manuscript dated 1577.
See also
In Spanish: Laura Terracina para niños
