Culture

Italian Literature

Letteratura Italiana

From Dante to Elena Ferrante

Italian literature shaped world culture from the medieval Divine Comedy to today's international bestsellers. Discover the writers who gave voice to the Italian soul.

Literary Periods

Centuries of Italian writing

1200-1600

Medieval & Renaissance

Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Machiavelli

1700-1900

Enlightenment & Risorgimento

Goldoni, Leopardi, Manzoni

1900-Today

Modern & Contemporary

Pirandello, Calvino, Eco, Ferrante

Essential Reading

Must-read Italian classics

Divine Comedy

Dante Alighieri

1320

The Decameron

Giovanni Boccaccio

1353

The Name of the Rose

Umberto Eco

1980

My Brilliant Friend

Elena Ferrante

2011

Explore more Italian culture

Italian Language

The language of Dante and modern Italy

Italian History

The events that shaped Italian literature