DANTE'S DIVINE COMEDY IN TRANSLATION

Catalog description

This course is an introduction to Dante and the history of Florence through critical reading and discussion of the Divine Comedy and selected minor works: Vita Nova, Convivio, De vulgari eloquentia and the Epistle to Cangrande. Close readings of the Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise will explore the literary, political, theological and philosophical concerns of the poem in order to understand Dante's work within the intellectual and social context of the Middle Ages. Some of the central topics of the course will include Dante’s relationship to Florence, his use of classical, Christian and mythological personages, symbols and references; his views on the papacy and the empire, his relationship to the people he encounters and the unique aspects of his vision of the afterlife. In addition, we will focus on a variety of thematic concerns including Dante’s understanding of poetry, grace, love and divine justice. Though primarily taught through a combination of lecture and discussion, the course will also focus on the use of art, film, music, performance, digital media and other interdisciplinary methods that have been used to interpret and further our understanding the Divine Comedy and its lasting fascination and influence. The course and the readings will be offered in English.