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Dante’s Inferno. Dante Aligheiri. Dante was born in 1265 in Florence, Italy Middle Ages Catholic church controlled everything Florence was cultural and economic center of Europe and was a world power No sense of nationalism. When Dante was a boy he first met Beatrice Portinari.
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Dante Aligheiri • Dante was born in 1265 in Florence, Italy • Middle Ages • Catholic church controlled everything • Florence was cultural and economic center of Europe and was a world power • No sense of nationalism
When Dante was a boy he first met Beatrice Portinari • They were both about 8 or 9 years old • Dante was immediately affected by this meeting • Beatrice would become Dante’s “muse“ • Dante would remain in love with Beatrice for the rest of his life
Beatrice Continued… • They would both go on to marry other people through arranged marriages • Dante’s first work, a book of poetry called La Vita Nova (The New Life) was dedicated to Beatrice • Beatrice didn’t acknowledge that Dante was alive
More about Beatrice! • Sadly, Beatrice died when she was about 25 years old • Dante was deeply saddened by this of course • Still, Dante wrote poetry with Beatrice in mind
Dante’s Divine Comedy • Trilogy consisting of The Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradisio • Written in the early 1300’s when people were very concerned about their souls and with an afterlife • Dante wrote this in the vernacular—almost unheard of for the time period • Dante invented a new rhyme scheme for this narrative poem called Terza Rima—aba, bcb, cdc
The Inferno • Narrative poem with 34 Cantos (Chapters) • Dante employees the idea of Divine Retribution (punishment fits the sin) • Work is filled with symbolism • Employed the Roman poet Virgil as his guide on this spiritual journey