Dante

Peter S. Hawkins is Professor of Religion at Boston University, where he directs the Luce Program in Scripture and Literary Arts. His publications include Dante’s Testaments: Essays on Scriptural Imagination (1999), The Poets’ Dante: Twentieth-Century Reflections (edited with Rachel Jacoff, 2000), and The Language of Grace (2005).

?Hawkins? book has been written with students and teachers in mind, and having used it in the classroom, I can say that in this it succeeds signally.? ( Theology, September 2009) ?Peter Hawkins offers us a learned but highly original study, unapologetically personal in perspective, that soars beyond the ?brief, accessible, and lively accounts? enjoined by the Blackwell series.? (Religion and the Arts, November 2008)?The medieval Italian poet Dante is one of those literary ?greats? that many believe only really clever, highly-educated people can access and enjoy. Fortunately, self-confessed Dante lover, Peter Hawkins, has written a little gem of a book which gives us less scholarly types a glimpse ? [It] represents his effort to transition a lifetime?s passion and scholarship into a highly readable, most satisfying encounter with this master artist/theologian. Anyone who has ever contemplated life, death and beyond, will find treasures and wisdom for life?s journey in this slim, 194 pages volume.? (Methodist Recorder)"An accessible writing style, small format and attractive contemporary art will make the book appealing to readers new to Dante. Those already proficient will delight in the many new perspectives and insights the author provides." (America: The National Catholic Weekly)

• List of Illustrations xiAcknowledgments xiiiList of Abbreviations xvPrologue: Invitation to a Reader xvii1 Dante’s Life and Works 1The Life Story 3The Figure of Beatrice 6Political Life 8The Work of Exile 11On Vernacular Eloquence and Philosophy for All 14Universal Empire 16The Birth of the Commedia 17Vision or Brainstorm? 18Textual Inspiration for the Poem 20Early Circulation of the Poem 232 Dante’s Journey to God 29Inferno 33Purgatorio 47Paradiso 603 Dante’s Beatrice 71The Advent of Beatrice 72The Problem of Beatrice 73The Novelty of Beatrice 76Bidding Adieu 78Eros and Sex in the Commedia 83Paolo and Francesca, Dante and Beatrice 84Dante’s Sexuality 88A Beloved in the Flesh 934 Dante’s Religion 98Dante’s Core Beliefs 99Christian Florence 101A Personal Faith Story 105But Where is Christ? 107The Christ of the Theologians 108Mediations of Christ in the Commedia 110Mary as Christ’s Flesh 113Daughter of Her Son 120The Beatific Smile 1225 Dante’s Afterlife 131Dante in English 137From Beyond the Pale to Cultural Centrality 139Twentieth-Century Dante 144The Artist’s Dante 149The Commedia in Performance: Drama, Film, Television 150Postmodern Dante 153Commedia in Comics 159What Next? 163Notes 167Bibliography 176Index 184