The Divine Comedy: Tracing God's Art

Being long lost in Shakespeare's genius, I've yet sensed that I needed sometime soon to delve even another 300 years back into literary history and bless myself with some appreciation of Dante. And yet, despite reading observations from numerous wise perspectives that Dante's insight, vision and creative genius were rivals to Shakespeare... getting myself up to sufficient speed on the historical, literary, and religious context of The Divine Comedy was too daunting. Professor Chiarenza's finely written little volume has proved just what I needed to help inspiration overcome inertia. Brief background chapters offer an interesting survey of 1) Historical context, 2) The Importance of the Work, and 3) Its critical reception. Then she devotes a chapter each to Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. A pleasingly written explication of the complex dynamics of each afterlife realm offers refreshing clarity without overwhelming the newcomer. The author's ability to present the grandness of the poet's accomplishment conveys her love for the material without reducing herself to mere emotional gushing - offering the reader a sense of real reverence for this artist and his art that reminds me of Helen Vendler's ability simultaneously to inspect and respect creative greatness.The spiritual height to which Dante reached in order to wet his quill with inky grace comes strongly through in this sensitive survey. Although out of print at the moment, if found in a used copy, this volume will bless the reader who is open to develop or expand an appreciation of Dante. Highly recommended.