Der kompetente Sünder. Zur auktorialen Selbstdarstellung Francesco Petrarcas in De otio religioso

Abstract

Abstract Francis Petrarch has developed many diverse strategies to present himself as an author. When constructing his own figura auctoris, he refers to a highly stylized version of his autobiographical ego to which he ascribes a particular epistemic competence. Indeed, such competence serves as the basis of both authority and authorship. In his De otio religioso, Petrarch addresses the community of the Carthusian monks of the Abbey of Montrieux in Southern France. Paradoxically, he introduces himself to them as being competent with regard to questions of monastic life, although in this respect his addressees should be much more competent than Petrarch can be. At the same time the author depicts himself as a great sinner. As such, he cannot dispose of considerable knowledge in religious matters. Instead, he points out his extraordinary cultural expertise as a philologist, humanist and owner of books, a knowledge that makes him, the sinner, become an author able to instruct the monks. Petrarch negotiates the claims to validity asserted by two different cultures (Christian vs. pagan, late antique/medieval vs. antique/early-modern) and seeks to position himself as an author with authority in both fields.