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THE DIVINE COMEDY. The Divine Comedy is the most important italian poem of all times . It was written by Dante Alighieri at the end of the Middle Ages (1308 – 1321 ). A long journey in the next world, a long journey of the soul. Dante’s statue in Verona.
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THE DIVINE COMEDY The Divine Comedy is the mostimportantitalianpoemofalltimes. Itwaswrittenby Dante Alighieri at the end of the Middle Ages (1308 – 1321 ). A long journey in the next world, a long journeyof the soul Dante’s statue in Verona Dante and the next world
The poemis a long journeyaccrossthreerealms: Dante walksthroughHell, Purgatory and Heavenwherehe can finally contemplate God.Itisanimmaginary and allegorical trip.
The Divine Comedy is, at the sametime, a veryrealjourney: a journeyof the soul from sin (Hell), throughawareness, grief and repentance (Purgatory), toknowledge and salvation (Heaven); a journeythatgraduallytakes man from the darknessofHellto the light ofHeaven. Hell Purgatory Paradise
THE INCIPIT (the beginning) OF THE COMEDY Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita Mi ritrovai per una selva oscura Che la diritta via era smarrita When I was middle aged I foundmyself in a dark wood Cause I havelostmy way The dark wood
The dark woodsymbolisez the soul crisis the poetexperiencedwhenhegotto middle age: whenhewasabout 35 yearsoldheactuallyrealizedhewas a sinner. a lustful, proud and meanperson. So Dante beganhis long and difficult spiritual journeythrough the realmsofafter life. At the beginning, on the way, Dante meetsthreeanimals: a she-wolf, a lion and a lonza (animaginaryanimalsimilarto a leopard). The she-wolfis the symboloflust; the lionrepresentspride and the lonza representsgreed.
While in Hell, in Purgatory and in Heaven Dante meets the souls of men and women whoreallylivedin the past: theytelltheir life to the poet and explain the reasonswhythey are there. Dante thinksoverallthesestories, hereflectsupongood and evil in mankind and hisunderstandingofhuman nature getsdeeper and deeperuntil the finalcontemplationofGod and the salvationofhis soul. Hell’s souls Paradise’s souls