Dante: InfernoDante: Inferno

Braving the Fires of HellBraving the Fires of Hell

For LoveFor Love

The RenaissanceThe Renaissance

rebirth of classical rebirth of classical artsarts

human beings in human beings in the center of things, the center of things, rather than Godrather than God

balance, symmetry, balance, symmetry, beauty of this worldbeauty of this world

architecture, architecture, painting, sculpture, painting, sculpture, literatureliterature

The Music of the SpheresThe Music of the Spheres

From Joseph Campbell, Creative Mythology, p. 100.

The Caduceus of The Caduceus of Hermes/MercuryHermes/Mercury

The Caduceus of The Caduceus of Hermes/MercuryHermes/Mercury

The Caduceus of The Caduceus of Hermes/MercuryHermes/Mercury

Centre de Sante, Island of St. Pierre & Miquelon

The Music of the Spheres The Music of the Spheres 11

Music of the Spheres: Music of the Spheres: Bottom DetailBottom Detail

Three headsThree heads Leopard, lion, wolf Leopard, lion, wolf

– represent – represent incontinence, incontinence, violence, fraudviolence, fraud

Thalia – buried Thalia – buried beneath them, beneath them, must ascend must ascend through the centerthrough the center

Thalia represents Thalia represents comedy & playful comedy & playful & idyllic poetry & idyllic poetry

Where have you seen a leopard, lion and wolf before? Hint: Dante, Canto I

Mind of God = source of Mind of God = source of energyenergy

Mentis Apollineae vis has movet undique musas

“The Energy of the Apollonian Mind sets these Muses everywhere in motion“

Italy in theItaly in theLate Middle Ages / Late Middle Ages /

RenaissanceRenaissance

FirenzeFirenze

Florence - RavennaFlorence - Ravenna

Popes vs. Holy Roman Popes vs. Holy Roman EmperorsEmperors

““lay investiture”lay investiture” struggle since the struggle since the

early Middle Ages early Middle Ages between the Pope between the Pope and Holy Roman and Holy Roman Emperor for Power Emperor for Power

HRE Henry IV & HRE Henry IV & Pope Gregory VII at Pope Gregory VII at CanossaCanossa

Popes vs. Holy Roman Popes vs. Holy Roman EmperorsEmperors

““lay investiture”lay investiture” struggle since the struggle since the

early Middle Ages early Middle Ages between the Pope between the Pope and Holy Roman and Holy Roman Emperor for Power Emperor for Power

HRE Henry IV & HRE Henry IV & Pope Gregory VII at Pope Gregory VII at CanossaCanossa

Political Situation in Political Situation in Italy Italy

GuelphsGuelphs / / GhibellinesGhibellines 1140 – battles among 1140 – battles among

German families: German families: Welfs vs. the Welfs vs. the HohenstaufensHohenstaufens

Ghibellines: Imperial Ghibellines: Imperial Party - agriculturalParty - agricultural

Guelphs: support Guelphs: support pope – mercantilepope – mercantile

Rivalry lasted until Rivalry lasted until 15291529

Political Situation in Political Situation in FlorenceFlorence

Guelphs defeat Ghibellines in 1289 at Campaldino Guelphs defeat Ghibellines in 1289 at Campaldino and Caprona, and Caprona,

begin to fight among themselves. begin to fight among themselves. 1300 Florence divided into 1300 Florence divided into

Black Guelphs continued to support the PapacyBlack Guelphs continued to support the Papacy White Guelphs opposed to Papal influence (Boniface VIII). White Guelphs opposed to Papal influence (Boniface VIII).

Dante supported White Guelphs, 1302 - exiled when Dante supported White Guelphs, 1302 - exiled when the Black Guelphs took control of Florence. the Black Guelphs took control of Florence.

Emperor Henry VII was disgusted by supporters of Emperor Henry VII was disgusted by supporters of both sides when he visited Italy in 1310 both sides when he visited Italy in 1310

1334 Pope Benedict XII threatened 1334 Pope Benedict XII threatened excommunication to anyone who used either name. excommunication to anyone who used either name.

Dante Alighieri Dante Alighieri 1265 -13211265 -1321 Prominent Prominent

Florentine familyFlorentine family Father – White Father – White

GuelphGuelph The Divine Comedy, The Divine Comedy,

La Vita Nuova, other La Vita Nuova, other important worksimportant works

Renewed the Italian Renewed the Italian language – made it a language – made it a literary languageliterary language

Beatrice Portinari Beatrice Portinari When Dante was When Dante was

nine, he met nine, he met BeatriceBeatrice

He saw her again He saw her again when he was 18when he was 18

One of great One of great examples of courtly examples of courtly love – from afar, love – from afar, never requitednever requited

She and he married She and he married other peopleother people

She dies at 25 years She dies at 25 years oldold

StructureStructure

Divine “Comedy” => Divine “Comedy” => comedy begins in chaos and ends in order; comedy begins in chaos and ends in order; tragedy begins in order and ends in chaostragedy begins in order and ends in chaos

100 Cantos (canto = a “chapter” of epic)100 Cantos (canto = a “chapter” of epic) introduction = 1st Canto introduction = 1st Canto next 33 = Inferno = hell (what we will read)next 33 = Inferno = hell (what we will read) next 33 = Purgatorio = purgatorynext 33 = Purgatorio = purgatory next 33 = Paradiso = heavennext 33 = Paradiso = heaven

Strophic FormStrophic Form Terza rima: each set of Terza rima: each set of

three lines forms a unit; three lines forms a unit; look at rhyming word at look at rhyming word at end of lineend of line

Rhyme pattern= Rhyme pattern= aba bcb cdc… xyx yaba bcb cdc… xyx y

Let’s look at the first Let’s look at the first verses: verses: a rhyme, a rhyme, b rhyme, b rhyme, c c rhyme, rhyme, d rhyme d rhyme etc.etc.

Extremely difficult formal Extremely difficult formal style - Dante carries it style - Dante carries it throughout the 100 cantos throughout the 100 cantos of the of the Commedia.Commedia.

Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vitavita

mi ritrovai per una selva mi ritrovai per una selva oscuraoscura ché la diritta via era ché la diritta via era smarritasmarrita

Ahi quanto a dir qual era è cosa Ahi quanto a dir qual era è cosa duradura

esta selva selvaggia e aspra e esta selva selvaggia e aspra e forteforteche nel pensier rinova la che nel pensier rinova la paurapaura!!

Tant'è amara che poco è più Tant'è amara che poco è più mortemorte;;ma per trattar del ben ch'i' vi ma per trattar del ben ch'i' vi

trovaitrovai,,dirò de l'altre cose ch'i' v'ho dirò de l'altre cose ch'i' v'ho scortescorte..

NumerologyNumerology

Numbers are Numbers are significant, significant, especially the especially the number “three”number “three”

3 beasts, 3 realms 3 beasts, 3 realms of hell, trinity, 3 of hell, trinity, 3 women of heaven, women of heaven, etc.etc.

The Holy TrinityThe Holy Trinity(Inferno III, 5-6)(Inferno III, 5-6)

Divine Authority

Highest Wisdom

Primal Love

Dante’s Trinity of Dante’s Trinity of Women:Women:

Blessed Virgin Mary

BeatriceSanta Lucia

Divine ComedyDivine Comedy For Dante: midlife For Dante: midlife

crisis, he has lost his crisis, he has lost his wayway

Has to find his way Has to find his way back to the path that back to the path that “does not stray,” so he “does not stray,” so he passes through all passes through all parts of human parts of human experienceexperience

Travel – it’s the Travel – it’s the journey!journey!

3 realms – 3 realms – hellhell, , purgatorypurgatory, paradise , paradise

ContrapassoContrapasso

counter-penalty = principle counter-penalty = principle of punishment of punishment commensurate with the commensurate with the sins committed by the sins committed by the respective individual on respective individual on earth. earth.

Bertrand de Born in Canto Bertrand de Born in Canto XXVIII, Sowers of Scandal XXVIII, Sowers of Scandal and Schism, lines 139-142and Schism, lines 139-142

Betrand's headless trunk Betrand's headless trunk moves around "carrying its moves around "carrying its severed head by the hairs severed head by the hairs as if it were a lantern" as if it were a lantern" ((InfernoInferno XXVIII 119-122). XXVIII 119-122).

Canto 1 = introductionCanto 1 = introduction Lost in woods – Lost in woods –

woods are a woods are a psychological spacepsychological space

Dante = ca. 35 Dante = ca. 35 years oldyears old

Good Friday, 1300Good Friday, 1300 Is this a midlife Is this a midlife

crisis? crisis?

Dante encounters:Dante encounters:

Three BeastsThree Beasts Leopard – Leopard –

represents represents incontinenceincontinence

Lion –violenceLion –violence She-Wolf – fraudShe-Wolf – fraud

Fear- must be Fear- must be mastered -you mastered -you can’t just stay can’t just stay here! Move on!here! Move on!

William Blake: The Three Beasts

Virgil Virgil (70 B.C. – 19 B.C.)(70 B.C. – 19 B.C.)

From MantuaFrom Mantua Companion to DanteCompanion to Dante Sent by Beatrice to help Sent by Beatrice to help

Dante through the places Dante through the places where she cannot go: Hell where she cannot go: Hell and Purgatoryand Purgatory

One of great poets of One of great poets of classical Roman antiquityclassical Roman antiquity

Author of Author of AeneidAeneid, the , the work in which Aeneas, work in which Aeneas, founder of Rome, is founder of Rome, is conducted through the conducted through the underworld – there are underworld – there are many parallels to this many parallels to this workwork