Human Vices and Human Worth in Dante's Comedy

Boyde sheds light on Dante's Comedy by restoring it to its intellectual and literary context.

Patrick Boyde (Author)

9780521660679, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 16 November 2000

334 pages, 1 b/w illus.
23.6 x 16 x 2.3 cm, 0.586 kg

"The ten chapters of the volume, subdivided into four parts, are accompanied by invaluable notes and an extremely well organized bibliography." Italian Bookshelf

Patrick Boyde brings Dante's thought and poetry into focus for the modern reader by restoring the Comedy to its intellectual and literary context in 1300. He begins by describing the authorities that Dante acknowledged in the field of ethics and the modes of thought he shared with the great thinkers of his time. After giving a clear account of the differing approaches and ideals embodied in Aristotelian philosophy, Christianity and courtly literature, Boyde concentrates on the poetic representation of the most important vices and virtues in the Comedy. He stresses the heterogeneity and originality of Dante's treatment, and the challenges posed by his desire to harmonize these divergent value-systems. The book ends with a detailed case study of the 'vices and worth' of Ulysses in which Boyde throws light on recent controversies by deliberately remaining within the framework of the thirteenth-century assumptions, methods and concepts explored in previous chapters.

Preface
Introduction: the role of context
Part I. Authority, Reason and Order: 1. Dante's authors
2. Putting authors to the question
3. Division and numeration
Part II. Competing Values: 4. Aristotelian values through Dante's eyes
5. Christian values through Dante's eyes
6. A courtly value in Dante's hands
Part III. Arch-vices and the Supreme Virtue: 7. Covetousness
8. Pride
9. Justice
Part IV. Amid Such Wisdom ('tra cotanto senno'): Preface to Part IV
10. The worth and vices of Ulysses: a case-study
Notes
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: poetry & poets [DSC], Literary studies: classical, early & medieval [DSBB], Literary studies: general [DSB]