Selected Poems (Penguin Classics)

Ronsard is considered one of France's greatest love poets, yet his poetic achievements are not restricted to his verses of love, wine and nature. A true Renaissance figure, his themes ranged from politics, science and philsophy, to the bawdy and risqué. Using Greco-Roman and Italian poetic models, and drawing on the rich images of classical mythology, Ronsard revolutionised the tradition of French poetry. In the 20th century, Ronsard's poetry was influential for W. B. Yeats, translated by Sylvia Plath, and illustrated by Henri Matisse. He stands as one of the most innovative and diverse voices in the history of European poetry.

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Pierre de Ronsard (1524-85) was leader of the Pléiade group of poets. He is most famous for his Odes and his later sonnet sequences, which were a great influence on the English sonnet writers of the 16th century.

Malcolm Quainton is Professor of French at Lancaster University. He is the author of Distant Voices Still Heard with John O'Brien (Liverpool University Press, 2000).

Elizabeth Vinestock teaches French literature at Lancaster University.