Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on July 18, 2008) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Zürich. / "Lebenslauf": p. [192] [Literaturverzeichnis] p. 163-178.

Thesis--Zürich. / Vita. Bibliography: p. 159-160.

Thesis (doctoral)--University of Queensland, 1994.

Thesis (Doctoral)--Université de Bordeaux III-Michel de Montaigne, U.F.R. des lettres-littérature comparée, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Thesis (Doctoral)--Université de Bordeaux III-Michel de Montaigne, U.F.R. des lettres-littérature comparée, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

This thesis examines the role of animal imagery in Petrarch's 'Rerum vulgarium fragmenta' (Rvf) as a means of elucidating his poetics in conversation with his predecessors. To achieve this aim, the present study compares and contrasts Petrarch's poetry with that of the poets quoted in Rvf 70, namely Arnaut Daniel, Guido Cavalcanti, Dante Alighieri and Cino da Pistoia. My research sheds light on the way in which Petrarch draws on and diverges from his precursors as he establishes his poetic language. The comparison between Petrarch and one or more of his predecessors poses three areas of enquiry central to my research: Petrarch's reuse of traditional animal images, such as those in troubadour poetry; the question of allegory in the Rvf; and the language and communication strategies which characterise Petrarch's poetic exchanges. Chapter 1 introduces a theoretical framework, based on the sources in Petrarch's possession, which discusses and reviews the implications, in medieval culture, of the notion of animality in relation to and in the representation of human passions. Chapter 2 considers Petrarch's potential engagement with the repertoire of animal imagery in the tradition of Occitan poetry. It examines the set of zoological images of bestiary derivation that Petrarch shares with the troubadours, specifically focusing on Petrarch's debt to Arnaut Daniel. Chapter 3 explores the role of allegory in Petrarch's animal imagery as compared with Dante's poetry. Chapter 4 considers how the employment of animal images varies between the poems without apparent correspondents and those with specific recipients. The first part of the chapter is concerned with the lyrics of Guido Cavalcanti and Cino da Pistoia, while the second part analyses animal vocabulary in the Rvf and in the poetic exchanges that Petrarch left uncollected as 'estravaganti'.

The song genre constitutes a significant part of J. B. Foertser's work (around 350 songs). In the Czech musical context, Foerster is along with Vítězslav Novák considered a founder of modern Czech song. Despite its unquestionable significance, Foerster's song output remains an unexplored area in musicology. The aim of this diploma thesis is to contribute to the body of scholarship devoted to Foerster by focusing on this area of his work, which has not received adequate critical attention. The main part of the thesis consists of detailed musical-textual analyses of the song cycle Šest písní na básně Puškinovy op. 161 (1937). Through the analyses, the thesis examines the composer's approach to the setting texts to music and points out the qualities of his work. The discussion gives an overview of Foerster's song output and outlines the main critical concerns in this area of his work. The last but one chapter of the thesis compares opus 161 with selected Foerster's song cycles from his previous work periods and an attempt is made to put the opus into the context of the composer's song output as a whole. In the conclusion, opus 161 is discussed in the context of the Czech and, more generally, European song productions.

Qualifying work has interdisciplinary charakter. This work is concentrate on knowledge of history and culture of age last members of Přemysl´s dynasty and the first members of Luxembourg´s dynasty. The primary aim of work is to identify the conditions under which there is courtly literature and minnesing on the courts of these rulers. Next aim is using the comparative method to define the basic topics in prose and poetry. The secondary aim is recognizing influence of German and Latin literature domestic and foreign on literature written in Czech. The work ?Minnesing and court literature at the court of last members of Přemysl's dynasty and the first members of Luxembourg's dynasty? deals with years 1283?1306 and 1310?1333 taking into account also past years.