The “woman in green” in the sestina and surroundings (a reappraisal): Dante, Rime VII

Abstract

The article tackles the question of the feminine character appearing in Dante's sestina from the particular perspective of its interplay with the end-word “green” as it is modulated throughout the composition. Such uses are examined both from the specific points of continuity regarding the troubadour tradition and from the particularities of Dante’s work, especially their influence on the configuration of the feminine silhouette that can be found in different compositions of his, the so-called petrose and others. The connection with Cino da Pistoia; the renewed critical approaches to the question of the troubadours in Dante; and the possible values to ascribe to colors’ references in medieval culture are also taken into account.