Old lady Avignon: Petrarch's Rerum vulgarium fragmenta 136 and the topos of vituperium in vetulam

Scholars have traditionally acknowledged Francis Petrarch's indebtedness to the amorous poetic schools; however, they have overlooked the influence of comic-realistic verse on him. Yet sonnet 136 of Rerum vulgarium fragmenta demonstrates its impact. Rvf 136 is the first of three sonnets decrying the corruption of Avignon. In it, Petrarch depicts Avignon as if a disgusting woman, illustrating the impact of vituperium in vetulam, a sub-genre of comic poetry that inveighs against a stereotyped old woman.