Dante's Theories Of Writing Across INFERNO and PURGATORIO

Dante's Theories Of Writing Across INFERNO and PURGATORIO

As one of three sum-up episode to conclude our time on Mount Purgatory, this one’s about Dante’s conception of what he’s doing when he’s writing, outlined in nine selected passages from INFERNO and PURGATORIO.

We’ve moved far enough into the poem that we can see the ways the poet has changed, hedged, and developed his theories of how and why he’s writing COMEDY. Given that one of my theses is that COMEDY is a poem in process, we can then trace some sort of developmental curve in Dante’s thinking about what he’s doing as a poet.

Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we work through Dante's possible theories on his own craft.

If you'd like to help underwrite this work, consider a one-time donation or a small monthly stipend using this PayPal link right here.

Here are the nine selected passages for this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE:

[01:21] INFERNO, Canto III, lines 1 - 12

[05:02] INFERNO, Canto XV, lines 88 - 96a.

[09:42] PURGATORIO, Canto II, lines 106 - 114.

[13:01] PURGATORIO, Canto VIII, lines 70 - 72.

[15:36] PURGATORIO, Canto XXIV, lines 49 - 60.

[19:24] PURGATORIO, Canto XXVI, lines 97 - 102.

[22:05] PURGATORIO, Canto XXXIII, lines 52 - 57.

[24:53] PURGATORIO, Canto XXXIII, lines 76 - 78.

[27:33] PURGATORIO, Canto XXXIII, lines 139 - 141.

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The Expanding Community of Women in the Moon: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 109 - 130

The Expanding Community of Women in the Moon: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 109 - 130

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The Violent yet Elliptical End to Piccarda Donati's Story: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 88 - 108

The Violent yet Elliptical End to Piccarda Donati's Story: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 88 - 108

Piccarda Donati finally answers the question about who she is. She's given her name but not much else about her. In twelve lines (or four tercets) she brings her personal story to its violent yet elli...

20 Syys 27min

Piccarda Donati's Apotheosis of the Will: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 58 - 87

Piccarda Donati's Apotheosis of the Will: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 58 - 87

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16 Syys 30min

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The Souls of the Universe: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 127 - 148

The Souls of the Universe: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 127 - 148

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The Diversity of Being in a Universe of Light: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 106 - 126

The Diversity of Being in a Universe of Light: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 106 - 126

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Testing Theology With Optics: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 85 - 105

Testing Theology With Optics: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 85 - 105

Beatrice continues in her scientific and Scholastic explanation for moon spots by taking apart a secondary argument . . . and proposing an optical experiment.She voices an objection Dante might have: ...

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