Dante's Beatrice and Petrarch's Laura
             Dante Alighieri's Beatrice and Francesco Petrarca's Laura influenced the lives and writings of these two great authors.
             Francesco Petrarca, better known to the literary world as Petrarch, met the woman who would become the driving force behind his writing on Good Friday, April 6, 1327. In a Church of Santa Chiara in Avignon, Petrarch first lay eyes on Laura de Sade, wife of Hugues de Sade (Jerrold 19). Though her existence has been doubted, most critics agree that the evidence supports the idea that such powerful words must have had a living, breathing inspiration. When putting together Petrarch's Laura, and Laura de Sade, one notices similarities, such as the same name, suitable age, wealth, illnesses and frequent childbirths, and the burial in a Franciscan church. Petrarch's Laura dies April 6, 1348. Laura de Sade made her will April 3, and died of plague shortly after. Plague commonly killed in three days (Bishop 65).
             Laura's wonderful beauty is certain, as is the fact that the poet felt a certain passion for it (Jerrold 20). She is described mostly in Petrarch's Italian poems, however the descriptions of her beauty are never very detailed and specific. Her hair was golden, her complexion snowy, with ebony eyelashes and black eyes. Her mouth was angelic, full of pearls and roses. From that mouth came a sweet voice, singing thrillingly. Laura, being of noble birth, was fond of finery, especially twined pearls and gems in her hair. She wore then rare and costly silk gloves, and was captivated by her own beauty (Bishop 63). Petrarch regarded her mirror as his chief rival, and warned his love of the fate of Narcissus (Bishop 64).
             From the year 1327, the poet's life is colored by his love, and his actions, motives, and decisions cannot be understood apart from it (Jerrold 20). In order to appreciate his work, one must become acquainted with it...