Transcript dante s life

Dante’s Life
Italy’s Poetic Genius
Scholar and Public Servant
Born in Florence, Italy
Well-educated
Taught to live life of public service
Writing was secondary
Served in army
Career politician and diplomat
Florence and its Politics
Prosperous city
Helped to replace feudalism
Self-governing
Political conflict
Guelphs (supported pope)
Ghibellines (supported emperor)
Dante supported the Guelphs
Political Life and Exile
Became city councilman and
prior/ambassador
Guelphs split into two groups (white
and black)—Dante supported White
group, which was against the Pope
In 1301, Dante was banished from
Florence and eventually exiled
The exile lasted the rest of his life
Dante’s Inspiration
Married to someone he did not love
(arranged marriage)
Poetry dedicated to “Beatrice”
(probably Beatrice Portinari)
They met only twice
Beatrice died when she was 24
The Divine Comedy
Dante’s masterpiece (written during
exile)
Begun in 1308 and completed in 1321
Three sections
Inferno
Purgatorio
Paradiso
It is written in “cantos”
Verse was created by Dante, also
The Divine Comedy, continued
Dante is the main character (symbolic
of all humanity)
Journeys to hell first (the “inferno”)
Then goes to Purgatory (temporary
punishment)
Finally, he goes to Paradise (heaven)
Many historical and mythical allusions
Vision of afterlife and medieval times
Dante’s legacy
Deeply spiritual content of his
masterpiece
Captures sin, eternal glory, beauty,
and truth.
Very popular while he was alive (rare)
Inspiration to writers, artists, and
musicians
Here endeth the lesson
Created by Andrew C. Jackson
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