Melchiorre Murenu
Encyclopedia
Melchiorre Murenu was a blind Sardinian poet
and writer
.
Melchiorre Murenu is known as the "Homer
or the Marghine", because (just like the great Greek poet) he was blind and lived his entire life for poetry.
He was born in Macomer
where he lived his entire life. At the age of three he became blind because of smallpox
. Murenu's father was imprisoned when Melchiorre was ten years old, and is thought to have died during his imprisonment. This unfortunate circumstance drove Murenu's family in poverty (Murenu spoke of the difficult times of his childhood in the poem "Supplica a Monsignore Bua"). In these difficult circumstances Murenu could not afford to be formally educated, and he enjoyed spending time at the local church. There he acquainted himself to the biblical texts and, thanks to a prodigious memory, he could recite entire passages of the scriptures, as well as the daily sermons, entirely by heart.
Despite this background (or, perhaps, because of it), poverty and oppression are the main subjects of Murenu's poetry. Among his most famous lyrics are "Supplica a Monsignore Bua" ("Supplique to Mgr. Rua", about his family's misfortunes), "S'istadu de Sardigna" ("State of Sardinia", about the pervasive injustice against the defenseless people of Sardinia), and "Tancas serradas a muru" ("walled lands"), a quartile about the appropriation of lands.
Another famous composition by Murenu sealed his fate; it is "Sas isporchizias de Bosa" ("Bosa's filth"), a fictional (and decidedly unflattering) description of the city of Bosa. It is commonly thought that because of this poem, some of Bosa's inhabitants decided to avenge such offense by killing him. The night of October 21, 1854, three men, claiming to be there on behalf of a poet known to Murenu, lured him out of his place and pushed him over a cliff.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
Melchiorre Murenu is known as the "Homer
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
or the Marghine", because (just like the great Greek poet) he was blind and lived his entire life for poetry.
He was born in Macomer
Macomer
Macomer is a town and comune of Sardinia in the province of Nuoro. It is situated on the southern ascent to the central plateau of this part of Sardinia, at the junction of narrow-gauge lines branching from the main railroad line running east to Nuoro and west to Bosa.The district, especially...
where he lived his entire life. At the age of three he became blind because of smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
. Murenu's father was imprisoned when Melchiorre was ten years old, and is thought to have died during his imprisonment. This unfortunate circumstance drove Murenu's family in poverty (Murenu spoke of the difficult times of his childhood in the poem "Supplica a Monsignore Bua"). In these difficult circumstances Murenu could not afford to be formally educated, and he enjoyed spending time at the local church. There he acquainted himself to the biblical texts and, thanks to a prodigious memory, he could recite entire passages of the scriptures, as well as the daily sermons, entirely by heart.
Despite this background (or, perhaps, because of it), poverty and oppression are the main subjects of Murenu's poetry. Among his most famous lyrics are "Supplica a Monsignore Bua" ("Supplique to Mgr. Rua", about his family's misfortunes), "S'istadu de Sardigna" ("State of Sardinia", about the pervasive injustice against the defenseless people of Sardinia), and "Tancas serradas a muru" ("walled lands"), a quartile about the appropriation of lands.
Another famous composition by Murenu sealed his fate; it is "Sas isporchizias de Bosa" ("Bosa's filth"), a fictional (and decidedly unflattering) description of the city of Bosa. It is commonly thought that because of this poem, some of Bosa's inhabitants decided to avenge such offense by killing him. The night of October 21, 1854, three men, claiming to be there on behalf of a poet known to Murenu, lured him out of his place and pushed him over a cliff.