Transcript From Classical to Contemporary

Descending
HUM 2051: Civilization I
Fall 2009
Dr. Perdigao
November 18-20, 2009
Falls

Middle Ages: c. 500-1500 (Medieval Period)

Fall of Rome (500-1500 )—this text in 14th century—late in period (1309-1321,
Dante’s writing of text—death)
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Result of famous internal decadence in Rome, fall
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Under external pressure, Germanic/Gothic tribes
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Loss of confidence in our cultural certainties
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Death of one civilization, its replacement by another
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Vacuums left in culture—of political and cultural meaning, filled by two
institutions
Pyramid Schemes
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Vacuum (fall of Rome) filled by Feudalism and Roman Catholic Church
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Hierarchical structures
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Medieval qualities: authoritarianism, comprehensiveness, otherworldliness

Share principle of hierarchical structures—belief that realm of spirit is
higher than realm of material, as a result, church supersedes state; spirit >
matter

This world is only important because it determines our relation to the next
world
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Soul > flesh; church > state
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Feudalism as secular side of church:
Lord (ultimate power in realm)
Knights/vassals (fought for Lord, covenant relationship)
Serfs
(Perry, Chapter 9, 219-225)
Divinely ordained
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Splits and Fissures
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Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)

Dante is born in 1265 in independent Republic, city-state Florence, which
becomes a major city in cultural richness

Florence is divided into two factions, in bloody feuds, between two power
structures:
Feudalism
Roman Catholic Church
Ghibellines
Guelphs
feudal, military,
Pope’s side
aristocracy, aligned
with Holy Roman
Emperor but at odds
with the Pope

Before Dante was born, Guelphs (who sided with the papacy) won large
victory and destroyed Ghibelline power in Florence. Because of dress,
divided into blacks and whites. But then fight within the Guelphs, selfdivision.
Fear and Loathing in Florence

Dante was thirty and involved in politics, in the white party, gains political
power, turns against Pope to prevent him from acting in political affairs,
commerce.

Becomes one of the chief magistrates of the city of Florence, then street
fighting breaks out and civil war in the city.

Dante attempts solution by banishing leaders of both factions.
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Leaves Florence on “diplomatic mission” to Rome. Pope Boniface VIII is
the enemy to Dante (pictured in hell, upside down, in poem); he conspired
to bring foreign army to Florence to drive whites away.

1302—now dominant blacks have trial of Dante who is in absentia, fined,
banished for two years. He refuses to pay fines; banishment is made
permanent. He would be burned at the stake if he returns to the city. The
city he loved became the city he loved to hate.

See who is punished for what; Dante makes argument about two
institutions dominating the period (Feudalism [state] and Roman Catholic
Church).
“Sweet New Style”
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1308—hopes for reordering European politics on more equitable grounds are
dashed, failure to restore power. Writes the poem despite this failure.
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First two books brought Dante fame—1321, finishes and dies in same year.
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Invented the dolce stil nuovo: “sweet new style”

Against previously ornate style, Dante wanted to strip it down, also take
on serious philosophical subject matter.
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Autobiographical poem, of first experience with love:
9 years old sees Beatrice. Wholly idealistic passion (Platonic love).
Conversion experience—from profane to sacred. Beatrice died in 1290.
Traditions

Dante’s poem as introduction to the period because it is the “quintessential
medieval poem”
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One of the hierarchies—literary forms
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Epic as “greatest”

Dante’s poem—as epic—but elements are added in the Middle Ages so that
the romance shifts the storyline of epic from war to individual love
relationships (we see this in The Odyssey and The Aeneid but it is repressed
with Dido) + allegory
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Period of “courtly love” tradition and chivalric code
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In Dante’s poem, love object Beatrice is transformed into a spiritual guide
Treatise on Love
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Dante’s work as a love poem—how to transform physical love into
spiritual love.
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Profane: Sacred :: Physical : Spiritual
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Dante—moved by story of Francesca—in sympathy, commitment to
earthly love, faints. But in poem, it is regarded as stupidity, that they
received their punishment. Two views are dramatized here, showing that
Dante has something to learn (but he has learned it before writing this
poem).

Dante’s work encompasses romance and allegory but definitions come after
the period establishes the standard.
Divine Blessings
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Beatrice=bestower of blessings. Not the idealized lover, or child—but
heavenly figure who saves him from despair, to vision of God.
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Not originally the “divine” comedy—La Comedia. It is later added, means
excellence at the center. “Comedy” because of its happy ending. Not an
epic but it resembles that form more than anything else. Between high and
low style.
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Structure: begins in despair in dark wood. He is about to give up when
Beatrice sends someone to help him. Beatrice sends him on a journey in
the course of which he’ll finish life in light of that truth.