Dante

[Anno_Domini]

Hi. I’ve spoken to a lot of my fellow Catholic high school friends and only a few diagree with me about Dante. I’ve already read the Inferno and am working my way through Purgatorio. Whenever I try and picture what Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven may look like, I usually turn to Dante for the answer. I feel that he, as a faithful Catholic who rightfully criticized the corruption of Italy during the Renaissance - era, may not have necessarily have had a spiritual intervention when writing the Divine Comedy, but I think he may have created the most accurate description of Hell, Heaven, and Purgatory, of course except for the Bible and Jesus. Now I’m not saying that Dante should be canonized or revered for his efforts, but I do feel that much should be set in store by him and that he ould probably be much more accurate (or much more incorrect) than others. I want to hear other Catholics post their beliefs on Dante. Thanks!

 

[Aquinas326]

Hi. I’ve spoken to a lot of my fellow Catholic high school friends and only a few diagree with me about Dante. I’ve already read the Inferno and am working my way through Purgatorio. Whenever I try and picture what Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven may look like, I usually turn to Dante for the answer. I feel that he, as a faithful Catholic who rightfully criticized the corruption of Italy during the Renaissance - era, may not have necessarily have had a spiritual intervention when writing the Divine Comedy, but I think he may have created the most accurate description of Hell, Heaven, and Purgatory, of course except for the Bible and Jesus. Now I’m not saying that Dante should be canonized or revered for his efforts, but I do feel that much should be set in store by him and that he ould probably be much more accurate (or much more incorrect) than others. I want to hear other Catholics post their beliefs on Dante. Thanks!

I think Dante was pretty intelligent (writing the Divine Comedy wasn’t easy, as he has the whole thing rhyming: ABA BCB CDC etc.). He does slip up on a few levels (e.g.: Putting people who would be later canonized in Hell, viewing prayer as ineffective), but I ultimately think he (Dante) does a good job. Do I think it has any authority with respect the Church docterine? Absolutely not. But I still think it (The Divine Comedy) is worth reading and thinking about.

 

[Jenny_Z]

I’m actually in your same shoes, I just finished reading the Inferno, and am now halfway through Purgatorio, and found myself pondering this earlier this morning.

He does paint a really interesting picture of it all… but I don’t think there’s any way to call his description “accurate”. No one knows that but the souls who are there… there’s nothing to compare it to.

I will say, however, that I think Dante does an amazing job describing these things, and I think that in our human minds, that makes it seem more accurate. Personally, I’m sure Hell is much worse than he described. And I haven’t read Paradisio yet, but I’m sure his description of Heaven isn’t 1/1000 as glorious as it actually is.

I read it as an interesting history book, with some theology thrown in.

 

[Timothysis]

Dante’s descriptions aren’t anymore accurate that Milton’s descriptions of the Fall. Both had a very good imagination and were excellent writers but it doesn’t make their “visions” any more accurate.

 

[dixibehr]

The hazy ideas of the hereafter–both heaven and hell–in popular culture come mostly from Dante and Milton.

Both of them were intending to write pious, edifying fiction, but they should not be read as if they were theological treatises, much less holy writ.

 

[Dirk_Skene]

I’ve read it only once. Thank goodness the edition I have has lots of footnotes. Dante put people he did not like (Some that were still living at the time of the writing) in hell. Folks he did like were found in heaven of course. In the style of a troubadore, his heroine wa a married woman he adored & could never get close to. This is not to degrade him. It just helps to understand his writing style and to put ourselves in his times. When I read it again I hope to have an undated english translation.

 

[MikeDunphy]

I agree with just about everything you wrote here – I think Dante was a genius. But he did believe in the power of prayer. For example, at the end of Canto IV of the Purgatorio, Belacqua says the prayers of devout can help him. Also, in Canto II of the Inferno, Dante himself is helped by the prayers of his beloved Beatrice and others of the blessed in Heaven.

I think Dante was pretty intelligent (writing the Divine Comedy wasn’t easy, as he has the whole thing rhyming: ABA BCB CDC etc.). He does slip up on a few levels (e.g.: Putting people who would be later canonized in Hell, viewing prayer as ineffective), but I ultimately think he (Dante) does a good job. Do I think it has any authority with respect the Church doctrine? Absolutely not. But I still think it (The Divine Comedy) is worth reading and thinking about.

 

[Matrix_Refugee]

Good old Dante… My favorite book in high school was The Divine Comedy, and I wrote one of my last book reports in my senior year on it. Check out La Vita Nuova as well, since this gives a little bit of background on his relationship with Beatrice (and it’s got some awesome love poetry as well).