Dante’s Inferno, Part 2 – Dante the Traveler, Virgil the Guide

Join us for Part 2 of a fascinating journey through the classic, epic poem The Inferno by Dante Alighieri (the first section of the three-part Divine Comedy), Cantos 18-34. You do not need to have participated in Part 1 during the fall term to participate in Part 2 this spring. We are studying The Inferno in conjunction with Virgil because they are linked. In The Inferno, a 35-year-old Florentine (Dante), struggling with failure and apparently spiritual death, is rescued by the shade of the Roman poet Virgil. He agrees to lead Dante on a journey through Hell (and, later, Purgatory). Virgil serves as the guide, representing the voice of reason; Dante is the pilgrim and protagonist. The Aeneid is Virgil’s most famous work. Its depiction of the underworld influenced Dante's vision of The Inferno. As our text we have chosen Dante The Inferno, translation by Robert Hollander and Jean Hollander (First Anchor Books, 2000). The readings and related/supplementary materials will provide for robust conversation over the course of the semester.