Hell: Cantos I - IV

In our first session, we’ll look at cantos I - IV of Hell, with an emphasis on cantos I and III.

What is the nature of Dante’s crisis? What does Virgil represent? Why does Dante choose him to be his guide? Why does Dante see the sun over the hill?

Why are Beatrice and Lucia involved?

What does Dante’s treatment of the Opportunists tell us about his view of sin?

What do you think of his treatment of the classical thinkers?

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For those who missed the preparatory meeting, the main points were that the recommended translation is John Ciardi’s, which is available in digital format, and that we'll be doing four cantos per month. Remember to focus on:

-the strong sensory atmosphere of hell; noise, smell, visuals
-the fact that Dante focuses on the state of "sinners' " minds; what does their emphasis on their "sins" do to their psychological state?
-just reading the book as a story if you're reading it for the first time; you don't need to get all the theology or allegory.

Remember that the link will be posted on the event page a day or two before the meet-up. I also generally send out an email a couple of hours before the session.