Vita nova

Written in around 1294-1295, the Vita Nova by Dante represents one of the oldest autobiographical, even intimate, works of European literature. Alternating prose and poetry in the “Dolce Stil Novo” (Sweet New Style) which he made his own, the poet describes how his meeting with the young Beatrice changed the course of his life, how his love for her would illuminate his writing and how the premature death of his beloved would be the source of both the most intense distress and the most beautiful consolation, heralding the forthcoming Divine Comedy. Since then, the Vita Nove and its captivating title have continued to draw in readers and inspire writers.