italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
Umberto,
In regards to your "messere" question, I refer you to Santagata's
introduction to the Canzoniere in which he writes:
"'Messere' (mes sire, mio signore) nel Duecento era un titolo onorifico
attribuito ai giuristi, ai giudici e ai notai e poi esteso a persone di
riguardo. Nella corrispondenza in versi a lui diretta Cino e' quasi sempre
chiamato 'messere', 'ser' o 'sire'. Dante nelle sue rime riserva
l'appellativo al notaio Brunetto Latini e, appunto, a Cino (Perch'io non
trovo 12; Io mi credea 2). Anche se in altri ambiti letterari o discorsivi
'messere' puo' essere titolo ironico o semplicemente di riguardo (a
cominciare da 'messor lo frate sole' del Cantico di san Francesco), nella
lirica profona ducentesca il suo uso appare appropriato e pertinente. Nel
Trecento, invece, quel titolo e' ormai un normale equivalente del nostro
'signore' (per sincerarsene e' sufficiente uno sguardo alle cronache o al
Decameron). Se allora Petrarca ne insignisce Cino, e solo lui, e' perche'
nella memoria storica la figura del poeta di Pistoia si era
inestricabilmente congiunta a quella del legista e cio' aveva creato una
sorta di automatismo per cui Cino era 'messer' allo stesso modo che Marino
sarebbe stato nei secoli il 'Cavalier Marino'. Ma e' anche vero che sull'uso
petrarchesco di quel titolo sembra stesa una patina arcaizzante: cio' che
era normale per Dante ha l'aria del recupero di una convenzione
sclerotizzata per Petrarca" (pp. xiv-xv). (F. Petrarca, Canzoniere, a cura
di Marco Santagata, Mondadori 'I Meridiani', Milano, 1997).
As you can see, all three titles ("messere", "ser" and "sire") have been
used to refer to Cino. I do not think there is any significant difference
between the three.
I would get my hands on Santagata's introduction to get a better feel for
the contest of this citation. It wouldn't hurt to check out Santagata's
other works for he may have analyzed this problem elsewhere.
Buona lettura!
-Jimmy Mc
----- Original Message -----
From: "Umberto Taccheri" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2003 3:09 PM
Subject: Query: ser / messere
> italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
>
> Dear all,
> I know that "ser" was used in the Italian Middle Ages as a title
> for notaries and priests (ser Brunetto in Dante, Ser Ciappelletto in
> Boccaccio...). It seems to me that "messere" was used more widely, as a
> generic title of distinction. Am I correct in my assumption? Is anybody
> able to shed some light or provide some bibliographic references with
> regard to the eventual differences in the use of these two terms?
>
> Many thanks in advance,
>
> Umberto Taccheri
>
>
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------
> Dr. Umberto Taccheri
> Dept. of Modern Languages
> 104 South Regina Hall
> Saint Mary's College
> Notre Dame, Indiana 46556-5001
>
> Tel.(574) 284-5385
> Fax (574) 284-4111
> Internet [log in to unmask]
> -----------------------------------------------
>
> **********************************************************************
> To join the list, send the message: join italian-studies YOUR NAME
> to: [log in to unmask]
> To send a message to the list, address it to:
> [log in to unmask]
> To leave the list, send the message: leave italian-studies
> to: [log in to unmask]
> In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
> [log in to unmask]
> For further information, visit our web site:
> http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/italian-studies.html
>
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join italian-studies YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave italian-studies
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/italian-studies.html
|