Hymn to Satan / Poems

Giosuè Carducci's poetry, including the provocative "Hymn to Satan," represents the work of Italy's national poet during the era of unification, a writer who championed a classical, anti-Romantic style as an expression of the new nation's aspirations. Carducci was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1906 in recognition of his deep learning, critical acuity, and the energy and freshness of his poetic vision, which earned him the title of "poet of united Italy."

Writing during the period of Italian unification — the Risorgimento — and its aftermath, Carducci's poetry gave voice to the political and cultural ambitions of the newly unified Italian state. His classical revival in Italian poetry represented a deliberate break with Romantic sentimentality, and his Nobel Prize in Literature in 1906 acknowledged his stature as the preeminent Italian poet of his generation.