DR PATRICK BOYDE , Lecturer in Italian at Cambridge University, talks about the Dolce Stil Novo - the Sweet New Style, which is how Dante himself described the lyric poetry in the Vita Nova, or New Life. in which he celebrated his love for Beatrice.
Dr Boyde shows, by examination of one of the most famous poems of this group ' Tanto gentile e tanto onesta pare.' that when Dante talked of the Sweet New Style he meant exactly what he said - something new of outstanding sweetness.
Produced by ROBERT FOX