Dante

Giving careful consideration to the social, cultural, and historical contexts in which he wrote, this volume examines the scope and significance of Dante′s work. An inquisitive guide to one of literature’s most important authors, it explores the various influences that shaped his writing, from cultural traditions and exile, to political figures and the works of his contemporaries. Examining a wide range of Dante’s writing, with an emphasis on his Commedia , the book also outlines the reception, appreciation, and interpretation of Dante’s work by later readers, from the fourteenth century to the present, and it considers the impact of his work on the visual and performing arts. Other distinctive features are new translations of substantial passages from Dante’s poems, new translations of the writings of his contemporaries, explanatory diagrams of Dante’s ‘otherworlds’, and a selection of illustrations by medieval and modern artists. Chronologies of Dante’s life and afterlife and a full bibliography with relevant web resources are also included. More than just an overview of Dante’s life and work, this volume builds a vivid and complex picture of his imagination, intellect, and literary presence.

List of Plates and Diagrams. Acknowledgements. Introduction: How to Use This Book. Abbreviations. Chronology of Significant Events, c.1200–1321. Map: Dante’s Italy, c.1300. Landmarks of a Life. From the Baptistery to the Ponte Vecchio. Learning in Florence. From Florence to San Godenzo. Landscapes of Exile. Texts and Traditions . Books, Authors, Libraries, Media. Pagan Culture. The Bible. Faith Seeking Understanding: Christian Traditions of Thought before Dante. Saints, Contemplatives, Visionaries. History, Politics, Science. The Mother Tongue and the New Style. Reading Dante . Seeking Guidance. Writing the City. Confronting the Church. Imagining Sin and Sainthood. Understanding Love. The Shadow of the Argo : Travel, Poetics, Language. Postscript: Dante’s Readers . Chronology of Significant Events in Dante’s Afterlife, 1322–2006. Commentary, Criticism, Canonization. Picturing and Performing the Commedia. Controversy, Conflict, Crime. Purgatorio : Poetics and Politics. A Conversation about the Paradiso. Glossary of Literary Terms. Works Cited. Electronic Resources. Index

Nick Havely has taught courses on Dante and on medieval literature for over thirty years at the University of York. His published work on Italian trecento poetry began with a volume of translations: Chaucer′s Boccaccio: Sources for Troilus and the Knight′s and Franklin′s Tales (1980; reissued 1992) and includes Dante′s Modern Afterlife: Reception and Response from Blake to Heaney (1998) and Dante and the Franciscans: Poverty and the Papacy in the ′Commedia′ (2004). He has recently been awarded a Leverhulme Research Fellowship for his next project, which is a study entitled Dante in the English–Speaking World, from the Fourteenth Century to the Present.

"A richly nuanced discussion that offers an excellent introduction to Dante and will be read with profit by anyone coming to the great poet for the first time. ... This is a useful and informative introduction to Dante, wide in its scope and accessible in its presentation." ( Notes and Queries , December 2009) "It is a book that can be read profitably from cover to cover, or it can be used as a resource for the reader who, for pedagogical or informational purposes, wants to pick and choose." ( Speculum–A Journal of Medieval Studies, April 2009) "All–in–one book covers everything … .Written in clean, accessible prose. Even Dante experts will enjoy Havely′s refresher course. Vital in the library and classroom. Essential." ( CHOICE , July 2008)