Dante and the Soul’s Journey: An Introduction to the Divine Comedy
Written in the 14th century, but relevant to this day, Dante’s Divine Comedy is both a story of one pilgrim’s journey through the afterlife and his encounters with sinners and saints alike, and an allegory for the soul’s journey towards God. The Inferno establishes the recognition and rejection of sin, Purgatorio presents an earthly realm with descriptions of penitent life, and Paradiso is the linguistic jewel that depicts the soul’s ascent. In this introduction, we’ll discuss the historical and spiritual context of Dante, review some of the important cantos, and explore the popular afterlife of this text in art, film, and games.
A free version of the Divine Commedy can be found here: https://digitaldante.columbia.edu/
Instructor: Lisa Tagliaferri, Ph.D.
Tuesdays, October 10 – November 28th
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM in the Francis Room
Fee: $80.00