Week 1: Introduction to Dante and The Divine Comedy
- Overview of Dante’s life and historical context.
- Structure and themes of The Divine Comedy.
- Introduction to allegory and symbolism in medieval literature.
Readings:
- Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy, Introduction and Canto I of “Inferno”.
- John Freccero, “Introduction to Dante’s “Inferno” in The Cambridge Companion to Dante. Pages 12-20.
Group Activity:
- Group discussion on the significance of the opening lines of “Inferno”. Discuss the symbolism of the “dark wood.”
Week 2: “Inferno”- Cantos I-V
- The concept of Hell in medieval thought.
- The role of Virgil as Dante’s guide.
- The structure of Hell and the law of contrapasso.
Readings:
- “Inferno”, Cantos I-V.
- Teodolinda Barolini, “Dante and the Lyric Past” in Dante’s Poets. Pages 30-38.
Group Activity:
- Create a visual map of the circles of Hell and present the punishments and notable sinners in each circle.
Week 3: The Concept of Love in Medieval Thought
- Courtly love and its literary tradition.
- It’s a woman thing: how women shaped our contemporary concept of love
- Theological perspectives on love and sin.
- Dante’s personal experiences and their influence on his portrayal of love.
Readings:
- Excerpts from Andreas Capellanus [Mary of France], The Art of Courtly Love.
- Excerpts from Augustine’s Confessions (Book X, on love and desire).
Group Activity:
- Discuss the differences and similarities between courtly love and spiritual love in medieval literature and today.
Week 4: “Inferno”- Cantos VI-X
- Political themes and figures in Hell.
- The sinners of gluttony, greed, and anger.
- The role of mythological figures in Dante’s Hell.
Readings:
- “Inferno”, Cantos VI-X.
- Giuseppe Mazzotta, “Dante’s Ulysses: Narrative and Transgression” in Dante’s Vision and the Circle of Knowledge. Pages 53-63.
Group Activity:
- Debate the justice of the punishments in these cantos. Consider historical and personal contexts of the sinners.
Week 5: The Contrapasso and Justice in Hell
- The concept of contrapasso (punishment fitting the sin).
- Dante’s creative use of justice in “Inferno”.
- Dante’s humor in assigning punishment.
Readings:
- “Inferno”, Cantos XI-XV.
- Victoria Kirkham, “Dante and the Visual Arts” in Dante Encyclopedia. Pages 202-211.
- Zygmunt Krasiński, The Un-Divine Comedy, excerpts.
Group Activity:
- Analyze a specific canto’s depiction of sin and relate it to contemporary ethical debates.
Week 6: “Inferno”- Cantos XVI-XX
- Sins of fraud and deceit.
- The symbolic role of the Malebolge.
- Dante’s criticism of the Church.
Readings:
- “Inferno”, Cantos XVI-XX.
- Peter S. Hawkins, “Dante’s Commedia and the Poetics of Desire” in Dante’s Testaments. Pages 44-53.
Group Activity:
- Role-play interviews with the sinners from these cantos. Discuss their stories and punishments.
Week 7: The Interplay of Love and Sin in “Inferno”
- How misplaced love leads to sin.
- The difference between carnal and spiritual love.
- Dante’s personal reflections on love and sin.
Readings:
- “Inferno”, Cantos XXI-XXV.
- Robert P. Harrison, “Dante and the Art of Memory” in The Body of Beatrice. Pages 75-86.
Group Activity:
- Discuss how different sins in Hell can be interpreted as forms of misguided love.
Week 8: “Inferno”- Cantos XXVI-XXX
- The figure of Ulysses and the sin of intellectual pride.
- False counsel and treachery.
- The emotional and psychological depth of Dante’s characters.
Readings:
- “Inferno”, Cantos XXVI-XXX.
- Denis de Rougemont, Love and the West, excerpts.
Group Activity:
- Discuss the portrayal of Ulysses and compare it with other literary depictions of the character.
Week 9: Love and Redemption: Transition from Hell to Purgatory
- The conclusion of “Inferno” and the transition to “Purgatorio”.
- The role of repentance and purification.
- The promise of redemption through divine love.
Readings:
- “Inferno”, Cantos XXXI-XXXIV.
- Rachel Jacoff, “Dante’s Lucifer: Political Allegory in the Ninth Circle” in The Undivine Comedy. Pages 121-130.
Group Activity:
- Group analysis of Satan’s depiction and its symbolic meaning. Discuss the transition to “Purgatorio”.
Week 10: Dante’s Theological Vision of Love
- Dante’s theological understanding of love.
- The relationship between divine love and human free will.
- The influence of Scholastic philosophy on Dante’s concept of love.
Readings:
- Excerpts from Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica (sections on love and charity).
- Giuseppe Mazzotta, “The Poetics of the Desert” in Dante, Poet of the Desert. Pages 98-112.
Group Activity:
- Discuss how Aquinas’ views on love and charity inform Dante’s depiction of Hell and divine justice.
Week 11: Dante’s Use of Classical and Biblical Sources
- Classical influences in “Inferno” (e.g., Virgil, Ovid).
- Biblical allusions and their significance.
- The blending of pagan and Christian elements.
Readings:
- “Inferno”, Cantos XI-XV (reread for classical and biblical references).
- Alison Cornish, “Dante and the Practice of Language” in Reading Dante’s Stars. Pages 170-181.
Group Activity:
- Identify and discuss the use of classical and biblical references in selected cantos.
Week 12: The Political Dimension of Dante’s Hell
- Dante’s political views and their reflection in “Inferno”.
- The critique of contemporary Florentine politics.
- The broader implications of Dante’s political allegories.
Readings:
- “Inferno”, Cantos XVI-XX (reread for political themes).
- Patrick Boyde, “Dante and the Human Body” in Dante Philomythes and Philosopher. Pages 97-113.
Group Activity:
- Create a timeline of political events referenced in “Inferno” and discuss their significance.
Week 13: The Role of Beatrice and Divine Love
- The symbolic role of Beatrice in Dante’s journey.
- The relationship between Beatrice and divine love.
- The role of Beatrice in “Inferno” and her promise in “Purgatorio” and Paradiso.
Readings:
- “Inferno”, Cantos I-V (focus on references to Beatrice).
- Teodolinda Barolini, “Dante and the Origins of Italian Literary Culture” in Dante and the Origins of Italian Literary Culture. Pages 39-50.
Group Activity:
- Group discussion on the character of Beatrice and her significance in Dante’s spiritual journey.
Week 14: Conclusion and Review
- Summarizing key themes and insights from the course.
- The lasting impact of “Inferno” on literature and thought.
- Review for the final exam and research paper discussions.
Readings:
- Robert Hollander, “Dante’s Paradiso and the Glorious Vision” in Dante: A Life in Works. Pages 201-209.
Group Activity:
- Final group presentations on the themes of Hell and love in “Inferno”and their implications.
OVERVIEW OF KEY BIBLIOGRAPHIC WORKS FOR THE COURSE
- Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy (translations by John Ciardi, Robert Pinsky, or Allen Mandelbaum).
- John Freccero, Dante: The Poetics of Conversion, Harvard University Press, 1988.
- Teodolinda Bartolini, The Undivine Comedy, Princeton University Press, 1992.
- Teodolinda Bartolini, Dante and the Origins of Italian Literary Culture, Fordham University Press, 2006.
- Rachel Jacoff, ed., The Cambridge Companion to Dante, Cambridge University Press, 2007.
- Richard Lansing, ed., Dante Encyclopedia, Routledge, 2010.
- Giuseppe Mazzotta, Dante’s Vision and the Circle of Knowledge, Princeton University Press, 2016.