Leonard Cohen, the Modern Troubadour
Leonard Cohen, the Modern Troubadour

Author(s): Jiří Měsíc
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Cultural history, History of ideas, Comparative Linguistics, Philosophy of Religion, American Literature
Published by: Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci
Keywords: Canadian poets (English); Canadian poetry (English); themes and motives; art and religion; Occitan poetry; medieval poetry; interpretation and reception of literature
Summary/Abstract: This monograph arose from thinking about the literary tradition as described by the Anglo-American modernist writers Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot. In their view, the tradition of European love-lyrics crystallized in the work of the medieval Occitan troubadours, who represented the cultural and political milieu of the Occitanie of that period and whose work reflected the religious influences of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Nowadays, it is not surprising that contemporary artists draw on the troubadour poets and that they are even contrasted with them by critics. Such is the case of Leonard Cohen, who, during his career, revealed erudition in medieval poetry and religion and whose work shows many parallels with the work of his Occitan predecessors.

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