Cosmological and Philosophical World of Dante Alighieri: "The Divine Comedy" as a Medieval Vision of the Universe

Description

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. Cover Contents Florence – the city of faith, art and politics I. Dante Alighieri – science, politics and art 1) Europe in the Middle Ages 2) Florence – the city and its history 3) Social conflicts and clashes 4) Dante, Guelphs and Ghibellines 5) Political desires of the poet 6) The scientific way of Dante 7) Dante’s works II. The Convivio – theology and cosmology 1) Aristotelianism in medieval Europe 2) The power of philosophy 3) The Noble Lady 4) Cosmological models of the universe 5) The medieval universe of knowledge 6) The hierarchy of sciences in the model of the cosmos 7) The consequences of the division of science into the spheres of space 8) The meeting of philosophy, faith and love 9) Philosophy as a preparatio fidei 10) The Banquet – the struggle of poetry, reason and faith III. The Divine Comedy – major themes 1) Alone in the the dark woods 2) Inferno 3) Purgatorium 4) Paradise IV. In the Dantesque theatrum mundi 1) Journey to the afterlife – sources and inspirations 2) Cosmology and geography in the world of Dante 3) The Prime Unmoved Mover 4) Dante’s spherical geometry 5) The spiritual nature of the cosmos 6) The world endowed with inherent sense 7) Travel as an act of purification 8) The scandal of existence of the Hell 9) The Gentiles and children – the issue of limbo 10) Cato as a model of heroism? 11) Dante and Ulysses – a pilgrim and an explorer 12) Aristotelianism, Thomism and Averroism of Dante Alighieri 13) The difference of Dante’s world Conclusion Bibliography