An Exploding Canon: Petrarch and the Petrarchists in Renaissance France‪.‬

In the sixteenth century, Petrarch came to be seen as the prime model aspiring authors should use in writing their own poetry. In reaction to this tendency, however, a more eclectic understanding of imitation was developed, one that suggested that several lesser figures were also suitable models. This effort was aided by the proliferation of lyric anthologies that included many very minor poets, published by Giolito and his rivals. At precisely this time, the Pleiade poets in France began writing their own poetry in the Petrarchist manner and frequently turned to the Italian anthologies as a treasure trove of possible sources. They considered the Italian anthologies to be analogous to Petrarchan handbooks or commonplace books that helped them become proficient in the language of Petrarchism. While their broad eclecticism led to an "exploding canon" of suitable models that embraced even amateur poets, their judicious use of notable fragments from these texts frequently resulted in an imitation that surpassed its model. **********