Dante

Catalog description

This co-taught Honors seminar will introduce students to the life and work of Dante (1265-1321), with a focus on his poetic masterpiece, The Divine Comedy, and its place within the changing cultural world of late medieval Europe. Of particular concern will be Dante-s self-understanding as a religious writer, his use of biblical materials, and his engagement with a wide range of philosophical and theological paradigms, including those articulated in Jewish sources, which we will consider at length. Some attention will also be given to Dante-s influence on Jewish writers and commentators in later periods. This course counts as the required pre-1700 course for English majors and will be taught collaboratively, under the auspices of both the English Department and the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought, with occasional guest lectures by affiliated humanities faculty. Requirements include short critical essays, regular postings to an online discussion forum, a collaborative final project or presentation of some kind, and at least one class trip to a New York City museum or archive.