Why go
The literary map makes the region's cities more than backdrops. Compare Dante's allegorical vision with the satire of Cecco Angiolieri of Siena and Folgore da San Gimignano, or the earlier political and moral poetry of Guittone d'Arezzo. Their differing tones reflect active urban cultures.
The full story
Tuscan writing grew within the region's medieval city life. Dante's Divine Comedy became its most familiar work, combining a journey through the afterlife with moral and political judgment. Brunetto Latini's Tesoretto offers an earlier example of a traveler meeting an instructive figure in an allegorical landscape. Yet solemn vision is only part of the picture. Folgore da San Gimignano wrote sonnets about the occupations and pleasures of the months and days; Cecco Angiolieri of Siena used a sharper, comic voice. Guittone d'Arezzo brought political themes into poetry. These writers show why a visit to several Tuscan cities can deepen a reader's sense of the literature: each town had its own arguments, audiences and civic habits. The contrast between devotional or courtly language and satire is especially useful to keep in mind when exploring the medieval streets of Siena or San Gimignano.