Remix-Divine Comedy

Divine Comedy Remix. Two Lessons on Dante’s Poem

These lessons on the Divine Comedy come from my experience as a teacher of “History of Italian Literature” in Italian high schools.

I decided to gather them here for the benefit of students who, whether in high school or university, come across the figure and works of Dante Alighieri, the father of italian language and an eternal reference point for many Italian and European poets.. First of all let me start by telling you what this book won’t contain.

What There Is Not

These pages skip the general background on the Divine Comedy, its historical context, how it was passed down, its critical reception, and the themes it develops

That’s all covered in other lessons. Nor will you find details about Dante’s other works, even though they were crucial stepping stones leading up to his masterpiece.
Instead, these two lessons focus on two key aspects of the Comedy: one on realism in the poem and the other on Dante’s creative reworking of classical literature. Each lesson is divided into two chapters.

Table of Contents 

Lesson 1.
1.1.  The Comedy, A Fantastic Poem.
1.2 The Comedy, A Window into Reality. 

Dante’s poem is a grand fantasy tale, yet it manages to depict characters, places, and events with striking realism. This fusion of realism and outright fantasy is one of the Comedy‘s defining traits. However, Dante’s approach to reality has nothing to do with the realism of 19th- and 20th-century novels. His way of seeing the world is shaped by a figurative conception of history. Just as philosophy guides his imagination in mapping out the geography of the Earth and the heavens, it also provides him with the tools to interpret reality itself.

Lesson 2.

2.1 The Comedy, Unpacking the Title
2.2 The Comedy, Remixing the Masters 

This lesson explores Dante’s bold and creative take on classical literature. It starts with the complex meaning behind the title of his poem and then dives into  his views on literature, both ancient and contemporary, as well as language, from Latin to the vernaculars. 

Dante embraces the principles of medieval rhetoric, inherited from classical culture, but reworks them in a completely original way. His message seems clear: the classics should absolutely be copied because they’re legendary, but don’t be too humble or too scholastic (a.k.a. dull and lifeless). Instead, be confident, creative, and sharp-witted. 

See you in the next two lessons! Stay tuned!

Omegna, Italy, March 2025