An introduction to Dante's Inferno in the context of his other works. Taught in English.

We’ve just passed the seventh centenary of Dante’s death in 1321, and here we are still reading the Divine Comedy, a poetic journey through the realms of the Christian afterlife. This course will focus on Inferno, the first part of that larger poem, and on the Vita Nuova, Dante’s youthful autobiography composed of love poems. We’ll think about these works through such lenses as gender, social justice, and cultural fusion. And we’ll balance our approach between the historical context of Dante’s 14th-century world and the global reception of his hellish vision throughout the centuries.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills