Saintly Love of Saint Catherine in a Mystical Poem by Junije Palmotić

Abstract

Written by the Ragusan poet and playwright Junije Palmotić (1607-1667), religious poem Sveta Katarina od Sijene has hitherto been neglected by Croatian literary historiography. This article aims to show that, classified as a Baroque religious poem, Saint Catherine leans on the tradition of mystical literature, which distinguishes it from the representative tear poems of this period written by Ivan Gundulić, Ivan Bunić Vučić and Ignjat Đurđević. Similar to many literary texts composed during Catholic Renewal, the poem thematises the experience of the higher, divine love, here also examined from the emotional perspective in terms of both particular representation of this type of love and the reception, i.e., the emotions ̔ expectedʼ to be aroused in the audience. In addition, the article addresses the question of the religious emotional regime and emotional style characteristic of the period of Catholic Renewal, also pursued in the female convents of Dubrovnik.