Purgatorio
For this week: Read Purgatorio Cantos 16-33. Pace yourself, divide the Cantos into even bits so you are not overwhelmed by all of it in one day. The annotations in the book are there for you to use should you need them.
As you read, complete these assignments:
- Write a 1-paragraph summary of each canto for 16-33
- The third level of Purgatorio purges the sin of wrathfulness. There are three gentle characters described at this level who could have given in to anger but instead reacted with gentleness and acceptance. Think about a time when you chose to be gentle when anger would have been the easier response. Be prepared to share your experience with one another.
- The Divine Comedy has a strong element of evangelistic mandate that runs throughout. Find 3 instances of this evangelistic mandate in cantos 16-33 and be prepared to share them with the class.
- Why do you think Dante spent so much time on reminding his readers to bring the gospel to the world? You might need to do a bit of research on the role of the Catholic Church in Italy and Europe to completely answer this question.
- What is the relationship of love to each level of Purgatorio? Remember, each deadly sin corresponds to each level of Purgatorio, and each deadly sin is a deficit or excess of love, or a defect in love.
- What is avarice, and why would Dante choose Hugh Capet to represent this level? You may need to look up who Hugh Capet was and read a bit about what the French monarchy was like at the time of Dante.
- Canto 25 discusses Dante’s view on how souls come into being and how they persist after death. Summarize his point of view and be prepared to discuss questions or objections you may have.
- Cantos 27-29 are filed with allegory and other literary devices. Choose examples of 2 literary devices and be prepared to present your thoughts in class.
- Beatrice continues the theme of the evangelistic mandate. Describe Dante’s work he should do when he returns to the world and what prophetic visions would support his work.