The Divine Comedy Dante Alighieri

Dante Alighieri Widely regarded as the world’s greatest poet of ideas. He was a keen observer of everyday life. His poem The Divine Comedy is a monumental work – vast in scope, rich in meaning, and timeless in appeal. In this poem, Dante turned Christian ideas into great literature. “More can be learned about how to write poetry from Dante than from any English poet.” – T.S. Eliot

Scholar and Public Servant Dante was born in Florence, Italy in 1265. His father provided him with a fine education in both classical and Christian literature. His teachers and close friends supported his poetic efforts, and by 18 Dante had taught himself how to write in verse. However, Dante made scholarship secondary to public service, deciding to serve in the army and later pursue a career in politics and diplomacy.

Florence and Politics As a city-state, Florence was self- governing, but was involved in a political conflict with the Holy Roman Empire.  Guelphs supported the authority of the Pope in Rome.  Ghibellines supported the authority of the Emperor. Dante supported the Guelphs and fought the Ghibellines in the Battle of Campaldino in 1289.

Political Life and Exile Dante became a city councilman, later a high- ranking official, and also an occasional ambassador. However, the Guelphs later split into two factions – the Whites and the Blacks. Dante sided with the Whites – this time against the pope – and when Florence was later controlled by the Blacks, Dante was exiled from the city. Dante spent most of the rest of his life in exile, usually at the courts of those sympathetic to the Whites.

Dante’s inspiration In addition to his exile, Dante drew inspiration from a broken heart. Most of Dante’s early poetry involved a speaker who expresses love for an ideal lady just out of reach. Though he married a woman whom he had been betrothed to as a boy, Dante loved a woman named Beatrice. Although he only met her twice, she embodied all that was virtuous. Her untimely death at 24 broke his heart.

The Divine Comedy Dante wrote his masterpiece while in exile. It consists of three sections: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. Each section is divided into parts called cantos (“songs”). The cantos are written in three-line stanzas in a verse form created by Dante called terza rima (aba, bcb, cdc, ded, etc.). Further, to Dante, the number three had a deep spiritual meaning: it suggested the divine mystery of the three persons in one God – father, son, holy spirit – central to Christianity.

The Divine Comedy Continued Dante himself is the main character, a traveler who represents all of humanity. First, he journeys down into the Inferno, or Hell, a hideous realm where sinners receive fitting punishments. He then travels to Purgatory, a temporary place of punishment, and later Paradise, where he stands before the throne of God. On his journey, Dante encounters characters from mythology, history, and his own time – including some friends and enemies. The poem, therefore, is not only an imaginative vision of the afterlife but also a rich portrait of medieval times.

The Divine Comedy Continued Dante gave the poem the name Commedia (“Comedy”) because it ends happily. In time, it became known as the Divine Comedy because of its spiritual content. To many readers, the poem suggests the soul’s odyssey from darkness and sin to a glimpse of eternal glory, beauty, and truth.

The Inferno The Inferno is the first of the three sections of The Divine Comedy. This is the first stage of Dante’s journey through the afterlife. He and his guide, the Roman poet Virgil, travel through the different circle, or levels, of Hell. Dante envisions Hell as a pit within the Earth where sinners are punished in the afterlife for their evil deeds. This pit is shaped like a cone that funnels downward. It has nine levels: the lower the level, the worse the sinner – and the more terrible the punishment. Limbo, Lustful, Gluttonous, Greedy, Wrathful, Heretics, Violent, Frauds, Traitors.

Essay Question (Test) for Friday: In many works of literature, a physical journey – from one place to another – plays a central role. In The Divine Comedy, specifically The Inferno, how does Dante’s physical journey crucial to the meaning of the work as a whole? Avoid mere plot summary. Be insightful. Use evidence gathered from the intro presentation, seminar, and your own reading.