Cosmological and philosophical world of Dante Alighieri : the divine comedy as a Medieval vision of the universe / Jacek Grzybowski.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Grzybowski, Jacek, 1973- author.

Contributor:

Anne and Joseph Trachtman Memorial Book Fund.

Series:

European studies in theology, philosophy and history of religions ; v. 9.

European studies in theology, philosophy and history of religions ; vol. 9

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Dante Alighieri, 1265-1321. Divina commedia.

Dante Alighieri.

Dante Alighieri, 1265-1321. Convivio.

Dante Alighieri, 1265-1321--Philosophy.

Dante Alighieri, 1265-1321.

Cosmography in literature.

Astronomy, Medieval, in literature.

Cosmology in literature.

Philosophy.

Physical Description:

157 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm.

Place of Publication:

Frankfurt am Main ; New York : Peter Lang Edition, [2015]

Summary:

The book analyses the medieval vision of the world as depicted in Dante Alighieri's poetic works. In detail it discusses two works, The Banquet and The Divine Comedy, and offers a view on politics, faith and the universe of the medieval period. For modern people that period with its debates, polemics and visions represents something exceedingly remote, obscure and unknown. While admiring Dante's poetic artistry, we often fail to recognize the inspirations that permeated the works of medieval scholars and poets. Although times are constantly changing, every generation has to face the same fundamental questions of meaning, purpose and value of human existence: Dante's cosmological and poetical picture turns out to be surprisingly universal. Book jacket.

Contents:

I Dante Alighieri - science, politics and art 13

1 Europe in the Middle Ages 13

2 Florence - the city and its history 14

3 Social conflicts and clashes 15

4 Dante, Guelphs and Ghibellines 17

5 Political desires of the poet 19

6 The Scientific way of Dante 22

7 Dante's works 24

II The Convivio - theology and cosmology 27

1 Aristotelianism in medieval Europe 27

2 The power of philosophy 30

3 The Noble Lady 32

4 Cosmological models of the universe 36

5 The medieval universe of knowledge 41

6 The hierarchy of sciences in the model of the cosmos 45

7 The consequences of the division of science into the spheres of space 48

8 The meeting of philosophy, faith and love 52

9 Philosophy as a preparatio fidei 54

10 The Banquet - the struggle of poetry, reason and faith 59

III The Divine Comedy - major themes 61

1 Alone in the the dark woods 62

2 Inferno 67

3 Purgatorium 76

4 Paradise 80

IV In the Dantesque theatrum mundi 85

1 Journey to the afterlife - sources and inspirations 85

2 Cosmology and geography in the world of Dante 87

3 The Prime Unmoved Mover 89

4 Dante's spherical geometry 93

5 The spiritual nature of the cosmos 97

6 The world endowed with inherent sense 101

7 Travel as an act of purification 104

8 The scandal of existence of the Hell 105

9 The Gentiles and children - the issue of limbo 111

10 Cato as a model of heroism? 119

11 Dante and Ulysses - a pilgrim and an explorer 125

12 Aristotelianism, Thomism and Averroism of Dante Alighieri 129

13 The difference of Dante's world 138.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 147-157).

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Anne and Joseph Trachtman Memorial Book Fund.

ISBN:

3631655320

OCLC:

906172028

Publisher Number:

99963559508