“Dante and Shakespeare divide the world between them. Dante Alighieri 1265—1321 “Dante and Shakespeare divide the world between them. There is no third.” - T.S. Eliot

"The Chief imagination of Christendom" I. Dante Alighieri Italian poet from Florence. Educated in the Trivium (grammar, logic, rhetoric) & the Quadrivium (arithmetic, music, geometry, astronomy) & the Bible. C. Turned Christian ideas into great literature. "The Chief imagination of Christendom" -William Butler Yeats

I. Dante Alighieri contd.. A. Unrequited love for Beatrice (his muse) B. Exiled in 1302 for supporting the Roman pope over the emperor or monarch -Guelphs vs. Ghibellines During his exile, Dante wrote his most famous work, The Divine Comedy (c. 1308) *Inferno (Hell) *Purgatorio (Purgatory) *Paradiso (Paradise)

II. The Divine Comedy (c. 1308-1321) A poem that recounts the tale of the poet's journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. Each section is divided into parts called cantos (Latin for "song"). 100 cantos written in three-line stanzas known as terza rima (exclusive to Dante) Borrows heavily from both theology and philosophy. Almost 600 references to the Bible and 600 from classics (Aristotle and Virgil). Casts himself as the central character. The # 3 is important because Dante believe it had deep spiritual meaning and suggested the divine mystery of the trinity, central to Christian belief.

III. Dante the Pilgrim No classical precedent for the author to make himself the hero of an epic. An EVERYMAN, not a warrior The term "everyman" refers to an ordinary individual, with whom the audience or reader is supposed to be able to identify, and who is often placed in extraordinary circumstances; he stands for all of humanity Dante the Pilgrim takes a journey that must be taken by every human being – his spiritual quest.

III. Dante the Pilgrim contd.. 3. On his journey from Hell to Paradise, Dante encounters characters from mythology, from history, and some of his own friends and enemies. 4. Rich portrait of the afterlife and medieval times 5. Lesser Characters a. Virgil, symbol of human reason. He’s Dante's guide through the Inferno and Purgatorio. b. Beatrice, symbol of God’s love which can help the man to be saved.

IV. Verna What? A. Vernacular 1. common language; standard native language of a country or locality. 2. The Divine Comedy shows how vernacular can rise to the lofty heights of epic, philosophy, and theology. B. Wrote The Divine Comedy in Italian Helped to solidify the Italian language.

V. What's so Funny? The word “comedy” refers to one of the two classical styles, the other being tragedy. Tragedy was the high style, the style of epics, with plots that flowed from a promising beginning to a destructive end. Comedy was the low style, the style of grotesque caricatures, with plots that flowed from an unhappy beginning to a happy end.

VI. Themes from “The Inferno” Subject: Literally: the condition of souls after death Symbolically: a study on the nature of man B. God’s perfect justice The numbers 3 and 9 1. Nine: Meets Beatrice when they are both 9 yrs of age Battles a severe illness & almost dies on the 9th day Beatrice dies on the 9th day of the month 2. Three: Terza Rima Each section contains 33 cantos, making 99 in all (Canto I is truly a prologue) D. Color & Tone: through the lack of color, Dante subdues & darkens the tone of his poem Moral & ethical corruption of Church

VII. An Allegory A work with two levels of meaning – a literal one and a symbolic one. In an allegory, most of the characters, objects, and events stand for abstract qualities. Like a parable, an allegory is often used to express generalizations about human existence and teach religious or moral lessons.

VIII. Significance of “The Inferno” Solidifies Dante as one of the most influential poets of all time. Rivals the influences of Homer and Shakespeare on Western tradition and poetic genius. Solidifies the Italian language. Addresses questions and issues that are still relevant today. Offers students a different perspective on a timeless question. Influences countless writers: 1. Geoffrey Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales 2. John Milton: Paradise Lost 3. Emerson, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Ezra Pound, TS Eliot