2014+SH+P5+Dante+Alighieri


 * Mikaila Bantugan: Historical **



Dante Alighieri was a philosopher, scholar and poet in the Middle Ages and his life experiences affected his writings which then created history. It was at this time period that there were numerous explorations to seek new worlds and religion, specifically Christianity, played a significant role throughout. One of Dante’s popular writing, The Divine Comedy encompasses the three stages of the afterlife: purgatory, Heaven and Hell. Dante once said, “There is no greater sorrow than to recall happiness in times of misery.” At this age, Dante had already experienced an unwanted marriage and the death of Beatrice, the lady he truly loved. He remembered the highest points of his life by writing The New Life with details of his relationship and connection between him and Beatrice. However, by doing so, he engulfed himself in a philosophical and a limited political scheming while he was in Italy. By disrupting peace and urging to bring forth a renewed Florentine constitution, he was exiled for life. He then departed from politics and wrote The Divine Comedy as stated above to express his emotions and thoughts after his encounter with trouble. In addition, he developed a new language that he hoped would unite the separated Italian areas. Although it was not completed, it was still influential nevertheless.

Works Cited

"Dante Alighieri." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.

"Dante Alighieri." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.

The purpose of Inferno, the beginning of Dante Alighieri’s poem series the Divine Comedy, is to express his interpretation of an afterlife and the consequences in which it delivers. A writer for the New York Times describes the piece as, “...a story about levels and kinds of reality” (Pinsky 1). By relating the story with his own personal experiences throughout life and placing his characters in a daunting setting, Dante explores different aspects of death and power. The story, heavily influenced by religion, also conveys ideas of God and the capability of a strong supreme being. Because of this, Inferno is filled with messages of connecting a person and their soul, as well as a journey on earth and in hell. All of these components bring about the punishments within the story, ranging on levels of extremity, supposedly the result of sin while alive. The story centers around these elements, interlacing concepts of belief and suffering for an individual. In all, Dante Alighieri wrote the story to obtain and represent his perceptions of God and his wrath, as well as hell and its severity for people who choose to do wrong in the world.
 * Elizabeth Ramirez: AIM **

Works Cited Pinsky, Robert. "The Personal Was Political." The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 July 2001. Web. 27 Aug. 2014.

"The World of Dante." The World of Dante. The Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities, n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.

**Karly Moyers: Audience**

Dante Alighieri constantly attempted to aim his writings directly at those with solid values and beliefs. According to “Dante Alighieri”, “ Dante wished to summon his audience to the practice of philosophical wisdom, though by means of truth” (Wetherbee 1). The writer was well known for his philosophical thinking and strong political views which often found their way into his literary works. Alighieri’s greatest aim in his writing was to appeal to a large audience with predetermined beliefs. He desired to sway their beliefs through his writing. People with solid convictions would soon find themselves having doubt after reading Dante’s work. He also wanted as many readers as possible to be impacted by such works as “The Divine Comedy” and his other poetic triumphs. Dante desired for his readers to adopt and understand his personal ideas more than their own. The poet also had a longing for his audience to be able to experience comedy while still allowing their core values and beliefs to be tested. It is seen throughout “The Divine Comedy” that comedy comes into play as much as the philosophical games Dante plays on his audience. As Dante makes assumptions that his audience is easily swayed, his expectations of them is not a strength. If his audience is not easily swayed, his entire message does not go across in the way he intends it to be.

Works Cited Wetherbee, Winthrop. "Dante Alighieri." Stanford University. Stanford University, 29 Jan. 2001. Web. 27 Aug. 2014.

"Dante Alighieri." HILTON. N.p., 2013. Web. 27 Aug. 2014.


 * Hunter Brick: Cultural **



The cultural impact of Dante Alighieri is enormous. He is considered to be “the father of the Italian language” (Haller 244), and is widely regarded as, “one of the greatest poets of all time” (Bloom 1). His Divine Comedy, especially Inferno, has lived on 700 years since it was written. His writing has influenced language and literature all around the world. One of the reasons that Inferno was so well-received is because of its vivid description of Hell. The terrors within caused many people during Dante’s time to ‘clean up their act’, because in a time where religion was a major part of people’s lives, they did not want to go to the place Dante described. Dante’s literature and his influence on language have lived on 700 years since his death, raising him high onto the pedestal of great people.

Works Cited Bloom, Harold (1994). The Western Canon.

Haller, Elizabeth K. (2012). “Dante Alighieri”. In Matheson, Lister M. Icons of the Middle Ages: Rulers, Writers, Rebels, and Saints 1. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood. p. 244.