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Torquato Tasso - Biography

Tasso (Torquato Tasso), born March 11, 1544 in Sorrento, Italy, and passed away April 25, 1595 in Rome, was one of the great Italian poets of the Renaissance. His epic poem "Liberated Jerusalem" ("Gerusalemme Liberata") is considered one of the most important works in world literature. Let's look at Tasso's biography and his significant contributions to the history of literature.

Torquato was born into a family of nobles, and his family had connections with the Italian aristocracy. His father was a lawyer and scholar, which inspired the young Torquato to pursue literature and art. He was educated in Naples and Padua, where he studied Latin and Greek, as well as philosophy and literature.

Torquato achieved the greatest fame and recognition thanks to his epic poem "Liberated Jerusalem," which he began to write in 1565 and completed in 1575. This work describes the events of the first crusade and the liberation of Jerusalem. The poem impressed with its style, language, and epic imagery, and it was immediately recognized as a masterful work.

Tasso spent many years traveling to various cities in Italy, working in various courtyards and using the patronage of patrons of art. However, his life was tragic and overshadowed by mental disorders. In 1577, he was expelled from Ferrara, where he was under the patronage of Duke Alfonso II. The expulsion and subsequent years of distress were a test for Tasso.

Tasso spent the last years of his life in Rome, where his mental problems were worsening. His work was affected by the disease, and he wrote less than before. In 1595, he died at St. Anne's Hospital in Rome, leaving behind a rich literary legacy and leaving a permanent mark on the history of literature.

Torquato's work had a significant influence on Italian and world literature. His style, his attention to detail and imagery, and his virtuoso command of language made him one of the greatest poets of his time. Numerous writers, including George Gordon Byron and Alexander Pushkin, were inspired by his work.