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    Marcia Colish, The Mirror of Language, Dante

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    Marcia Colish, The Mirror of Language, Dante

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    17 views38 pages

    Colish Mirror 04 Dante

    Uploaded by

    Alejandro MT
    Marcia Colish, The Mirror of Language, Dante

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    VUVVVANVAULVUSSSRVAL ALAS Four Dante: Poet of Rectitude vs, a wo have ‘garh of shetaric, pevmevar, and, Lirmaces of the idle Ages stained. The August God way, in fa theological cecumine here, wes poeery cension of Augustinian sign theory to poetry can he seen in the postics ber of forms of expression ether than of these firms uf expression, which Ws propose to ‘Dante far this parpese does nat necessarily iemply tha phases of medieval poets, Nor ean be applied continly be argue. sxcomplishment. 1 dels sil mee, bord by -e poet isa prophet and res the ssens wheieby he commnun thetorieal theology of Augustine, the gracna the dialeceical theology of Thomes Aqai concepeion of wards as signs, € cognitive and didacels functions co poetry springs in gait from the subjece matter of the Dixine Comey and from che heavenly iespieation the corellaree of wadeum, vireve, and eloquence in a manner both broader ane more specific than any of the thinkers wrom we have alreudy eumined. For Dante, the panuic of wisdom and viseue demands thache rake an atte raya the Europe afhis ov day. This attintde entails which castle a seform of langungcand che invention ofa poetry of ecvience, and hy expressing hein in-@ pocin which meets bis own linguistic and literary csicetia Dante's poetic epistemclegy, while gevunded in the Augustinian tradition, ‘s thus specified, as were its grammatical and dialectical counterparts, in terns of dhe conditions and needs ofa parcicular historical environment as perceived 154 Dare i commonty segarded ax medicval po made up of several ingredieats, whi ‘chetene cheory. There are th do rot necoerati 8 of poetry expressed in sre the selioxt poetry put fark by Agures whece runeribu. lyin fchds other than che writing and teaching af poetry, Boch ‘were not inverested in issuing Aeorerical analyece of theie art ese various approaches art eaken into ac views of poeery amerge, ical, or pure! placed on deeorasion and sme. Ci lenraton ia which the Koad, the true, edad applied ta fictrions, an interpretation which imp sive, Thus some of chem cegaee the characters, pl of a posi a3 Dane 155 ing met und overcome chem. Alternatively, ight of asa shteld protecting an exore des put forth ant cs beauty. It mast be Repe in ‘paetcy,” they were reterting eo 10 poetey ces ro pepen godsund icligioms, The creth of such poetry could le treated rewral cays. Alehough inedieval poetic cheory was by no means a hemogeneous nition sttucting aod exemplifying @ specifically Chi accepted some aspecte of it while Both che distinction beeweea pctry an sxsimile the farmer 10 Greek and Kaman ry ic a5 (wo separa ats a. Whare poetry a an emotions progres 1 mode of orgati from idea to idea. ‘Thos theronicanci portic were kepe apaet. wever, chete was a marked cerulency to conflate detetment of poetry's auranomy. This develepmcnt has keen seribuced co eae face that Cleero and bis contempata J W.H. Adkine desevibes him, succeaded in fe pouty a dectrne whieh by this time had become standerd inthe ‘iconic schools"? The very eile fF Avs pte, which was given se Horare’s crcasise by Quintlian, was perperusted by graramariane who ecacely s7 poetry esa sepucice technique. This ieucares the depres to which poetry ad becomes 136 Dante apply equally 1 Ciceeue Horace upheld Cicern'sermphasis on pernunsica and ceaching, Plensate if accessiry, He also stresses che cclucational fincsion of pocuy, ‘nvisioning i¢as a civiliing agency in the brundest rence, Cicero's preoecypa- clon with suiting the soyle of the urstion t0 its subject mater is pas Horace’sideu of congruity berween the posi’ heme ie finish. ‘The impression chat Roman anen of letcers were merging poetry into thetoric ofa deliberately amisophiscic sort issercrgchencs by a consideration of poetry should he the poet's fine concem, It is set enough, according co FPluterch, fora poere so produce please ir the euler. The real aie of the pore ow che good, aod ta bring ere he stains yuaice By conceiving 9 « phasing fonction of poetyy ian lighe, thus subortinating ie rigotously eo its moral ends. © who were responsible fr can Late Lacia cate) ‘One way inwwhich they did ‘heir crearmens of Very. he Antonine shetor Mlonis eniites a fingmentary work Vigilas axior an ft cus and Macrobius level «heis aushority te the therctical erentmneot of ‘sof the Roman Feapite fallow st sae ce tecoyica usages wil xges fromm Varga] cO “ the wttimsilation of erry synthetic treatmene ac die hands of Cassioderus, who eestxces the the poet can speak according ru the rales of shecoric. The poet's to Cessiodon, it to move matter but his technique which duferentiaces him feorn che onwer. Scns bave feequenty noted hac Mis casical snd ehetarie wan cartied over ino the mecheval sehen] ered +was simply che result of she perpetuation of che ideas of Cicero and Horace by fave classiral criics, whose cexibooks beceme sebacation, [i part 4 war de zctult of the fee forensic crientation during che Middle Aves. Except for its app prenching, rhecoric was geverally arcaced as « lence of literacy style, Let poetry wa alse seudied ae a chetorical peaduceioa, and thes it was a easy -macrer co fase the methods of these cwoarts, Poecry, eis true, was taughr 3 cotiag pes ro eheegrie was also suscepeible of mnt lechat acconding senscience af reader, It ie not bis ubject basic channels of liersey Bane 157 gor of the gram clsfiitton of graminar Rabnvs Maan stares thie ipoesiend fretic,rbecorical cons of sje came to be impesed wpm pocesy Mwy rmedievelcerchore of poetry concentmated inthe ears rhs. Woetry, for ther, os te stiy of stele, They wee ch isto istorinas. Yet incerested in ilusteacing bow (© apply the appropriate stylistic decoration co poctit wars, and estented rhevarical aceuns of lcerary decoam and roaty 6 poets decoracion, cited many exataples of the application oF poetics in ehe Midille Ages. In che seventh ceacary, we find le eating peers and stecorsas stylists, under the sarae yenesal ‘According co Ssiiore, both poets and orators muse suic theic seyle C0 audience. Ths he passes no poctey the Augh sion of Cicer tree mutes of discourse, the elevated, the middle, and d ation, which may alse kove vs. nidece surative language contriluates 29 rhe beanty +nd decorum of pocery, ‘she author assumes ¢ coranative point of view, ongle depict « moral ideal. ‘The pocim will be usefal ty ce exeenc chac contains moval eruthsaad moves the reader coward chem. Only track, accord sng to the wath, wil seatly delight rhe audience, ‘The charen of the poor chs degen an the wisdom of the poet as wefl as on Bis ivesty sctistry. The most impactane critecien of « poom is dhe degree to ‘he tac, snd che beautiful, The seyle of che sme eantens; the comtene thelf cetcamines the ability of the pei ra reader. This énterpreticion mack 9 corcelaciaa of style ep content rew t0 the ACE thetncical poetry, The Cacaliagian sac fr, in eestacing. che Cicero “ayes, he reverts to che view: that che poet should adjust bis the audience,” ‘The carly nredieval tendency eo equate poctry with in the twelfth and chirtsenth cen race was rast fel “+ by commentarort on pootry almost ‘withoue exception," Poeuy sas stil cughe as a part of gremmar, bot though meny writes, like Jokn of Salisbury, Alexxnder of Villediew, ad 158 Psete discuss fe under the rl ‘And ie is enatyoed who wear ieae an arcie ies 0 of Benunvais. Despite the fet ic of grumnse, they conceive oF it ra Joho of Selisbury, howe Re nomernes ait: poetic reciinlqus, which istic and decommtive morator educational functions, te Lille, Alain waa a proxuce of the +c meribers in che twelfth cenrury looked. se poetry at a ‘ehicle for philesophs, ® Alain birself is well kaviva for his lengthy, ik Poetics £0 rhetate, Allegory isa itd oF the swords of Cha His ciffieness arises from clarion by those fees at which Cicero ‘The ides, peesslent in. che twelfeh and centh centuries, thar the chief concern of poetic thecry was *© commues ie technique of dacorative di giving bot! poet re styles, ittusteated ftom Vigil Horue’s Ars posting ad th Rowirles ad Hevesi draws becween dita soit poesey sone of quantity. The syle of diane, he says, should be trie! dat of portry shorted he diffased By racans of co ladon 2» Paste 139) and the food and co move dhe reader toward ther, Ochers concentrate instead on the techaical aspects of pocrie Jecurstion, borzowing ftom 1 figures, alle ‘nes, and cal avplying them « poctey 4s cenons of sdorament. The memes of this later uroup mr interest io the uses of poetry; they ave peenccupled represented by che arte po technique, while che concern cs jeined in some way «0 wisdom or vitae ave whole fom the ranks of the Poets or che ctitics and of culture. cal idea of poetry as @ medium of education and as a morat tls Was also ectained by medieval eommuentacore who, fllowing the Platonic ec ft the tmnt of postcy was either HEME approches cout inthe wri dere of Sa Diomedes, snd Varta. Poems, ‘Yer they may ake canteia some truths and Function, Poet fctlons are away ual or rat ‘Thus che role ef the poe: vorks with thev discourse; poetic holars perp slam anonymous, in carmen departuce che that the pera that its pleusing characeer depencicon che eats wough poctry is fiction, he sraues bert fictions ate those pos VAVAVUVLVAVVALALALAAL AYA . ‘co prevent poetic fabke fromm uncer icrether diana imagine sive concep! s Idea of pocery 4 felon, ‘esong echolar coxpresied the view that pore rode of decor bacalo asa merhoe. poeary on the 3 incapable of scholastic argument, wher being ascd eicherimpenperiyar by: acute of this art. iarelacively loce pppenmnce an the mectinval scene and che Fave thac fauc, bevanseof che false and initurerional Dake 161 it as professed mainly by schol peets ortexcbook writers in dhe schoo ea achieved fcematsve medieval poetics. ‘The nec effect of this interpretation has been the cunclusion sac Dante was Forced ro sever herself ral cradision of medieval posts, fora poarics 0 conceived coulel give ne place toa profesrdtly ‘}oRical pnena in which che altegarical mecbod ofthe ckeologian foo deliler- he Middle Ages can be decived ar only feern the sci heologians, One must ale tulee inta account the ectey that was produced ‘mom erschs ard of moving che hea the point thar the pet asa citece analogue of Aupus mia oratory. “AS Augustine redeetnedl Eieseri by new mocives."4 Accor cond new feacure af bymnad a5 Che RISt step toward ecerl evnsciousaess, beginning 62 Pane developing a member ofa differ Score t ‘The Peancisesn Coady tie freely borrows Vergi 63. Har anote ienportant een thi celfas asword Versi], His ant degzee on his concep: ni canceprica of Vergit uctual natin cand corporate ideals ofthe Wem. Thecontent, syte, anc funetion of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, seligious poetty retained the com character of eacly mouleval hynny, as we esaesthetic unity, while nodifiaticns. Synutaal paccicularly by the Victorines. But the symbcls of an Adam of Saine figuses of poecry as conceived by the ke Thomas Aquinas, apply a ject inaucer of cheit hyrans than 6 n, starting fiom concrete icnages > NE may cake = clue from Daote himuelf arul address ourselves id eritions eo whic he ao we Cecasion to aote below in anaiher connection, ‘excensiveand variegated reputation copogrephical detifs, a isthe fact that Dane chinks of hhtnseléus a poet is aus based toa Dane 163 fn wtiting the Lieine Comedy. Dance seein Wess glory of he Roman Empire, whose medieval anatogue refurbish ane re singer of che himself as trying ta Hie sees Vegi oa che eeformes and ink berween the asa prophet, seer, fom and inspiration expressed dutough che poet's roplietic voice into Christian terms and co make himinlf the herg of his own Aidactic epie, Vergil, 5 ve have noted, was avsilable to Dante paccly dheough eke sctool ‘This tradition wes cepresenied for Dante mace fully by che ars id by she cherovic uf Brunectu Latics, whom he greets in the Enfr s 1 father and of whom he eye, “You toughe me how man makes corral." The ats disaminis taught Dante the canons of appeewed Lasin to whieh bis Latin ark adkeve4" Though attache! public affairs, of Dane's ay arta fostae in elaborating the cechoigues of shetoric, applying j ‘anons of decoration co powery a walla e dann. © Thus sever stands of recon Tat Bruncten indicates his debt ro Cicero st rly by his Dea relnece lattes ance ane ae Defi ancl his ecpotiton of Cees dei so i bis ureangement of che congents ofthe Toi “The © chee books. The fst contains « inGlange of subjects, neh cxsmology, theology, history, astronomy, Ntory. The second ets that is, the science af sone or urran society would be e ae specch was given to all mien," Riss is noc merely with the science of speaking but full of noble aching; and 18. & nothing’ bu Weddin and wisdom és the understanding of things ss they are.”" Wisdam 164 Dance 1 jussicn and ra restrain che savauery of hed. ¢ firmly establisted on che thee che ruler gives to each 6 cleweruce should seck ia conlideces for public aff ‘and che weys in which the nfficiels should seccive und adminiseer ee Bicavetto's Tria is an imporaae warle which exstted c Dame 165 shetoric Kemsly oteached eo diuecic, eth Middle Ages, at we havescen, had aera In addition te inDlucnces pur Ford ssrepresented by che writings of Brunct:o Lac peetry must aso be taken int arcount 9s pct of Dante's immediate back- aground. fea webl-Hnown fier dhat Dante mace conte imporance 16 southern France in whese riuvth he puts ¢ le of Purgatory alter hig own eloquent ian of Tray, sel Bees counselor and & organizing che stanza and a fara words, Althen even the cynicism and misogyny of Marcabru, che principal croulaadour themes which the dafce sine! appropriated were che ‘elebratioa of ehe virwes of an idcal ley, the penis of the canobling effaces of loreupan the lover, and the lament over the sufferings of unrequi idealized lady is somerimes textedas sn inaccessible primase 166 Drone often compared with God, The P:ovencal apply feudal romp the Loyalty from dhe Ca rs are applivd to che incisiveness arel power of Dance the fact that he expresses his state of mind thea igi a Chetorket mood." His treatment if maoon poets. A fat fact hacia the Vig neu be abways pe in che company of other people. Th srdepatuss from che orclinary Pievengel ead dtcestif more practice, where the Indy is ahways slone, © Inde, ut Forth an ice of perry. eunaneni io Dances ough the Divine Cady ow of pouty wih he expresses in she Vie Dane 167 shogetker, «6 his conception of poetey changes and develops. As we inc seen indiscussing the Augus oem i orler for the poem to readers coward ue ard worthy Vine nan force and moral power ‘sys, possesses beatitude, Ohic who speaks iv Abad end. ”* Punting the idea more stoongly si ve the poser @ make people feet love stove poems re, Dart effecis an émporta andmile ofthe lady, Dales meron poets the beloved. The eves, readicésnally, ate ino te lady's eyes, the uel raphor ically ay mena af verbaleamanae: swords er sites, hesays.”* Tae lady's eyesare bearers of tove, of pity; ker set reage."? The eyes and senile of she Igy ace thes, for Dane, actual channels through which she craremita to the ort the yocdness, rath, acl moral power cf love, of which she i amessongee, While words, in che lteral sense of speech and poser, sad in ehe igacaive AAA AAA 168 corse af the lady's eyes avd eg side of che Aug that spcect andl pocery alo fv ones that they are detect of als own feelings shove her as saainoc be grasped fully by hs “Above and beyond Dsnte's int poetry, he is elsa concerned in the ‘veroacular poetry, tn this work, Dante takes cof poctry in the speak of love. face he viger ther capacity ®” Vernaccler love poetry. he ms of is subject matter and in speciging con ith pesry & ade-essed! eo women who cannot be expec * However, since vew the style of setnacular the context af a of dhe vernacuiae in this work isa oni must choose che Iso prevent in the Vite enigmatic of metnphoris explains as the werk proj 1 jetoation anx§ mora benefis t0 ceadhing and Oe wader. Alvog Wi sic significance of Taagingesind ches fh che poee derives froma love's inspiration ge the cortespond to ing, uF Bescrice’s impor ‘The feanans uf Dance’s poecic in che Vite neers which he cota works 2¢¢ the idea of language as an accurate yet iradequate sign, din poctay is didactic anel persuasive, che wew tf convent of the poem audenst be adjusted ea che aud é instructing the reader sdengh the development of the poet at « chneaciet ions chat Daace places on the use of dev political concext pesmusion, aod speach, In che Cor a in te Vata maces, he stresses che didacric strand of mestioval lealso expand 170 Dance sets forth hit knowledgea! these asbject for the benefit ofathers who may have been deflected thea seelsing them by public and privace cages." He has no ned that the canzone not only Presents rows Dante, ean crarsforn the bebavior of the peas ike seeds of sexion."* This power ie based on the fu language i the mcaas by which one men expresses is enoughes eo others ‘The particular language chac Dance chooses for this purpo justifes kis use of che vernacular an the thetorical grounds 0 reach a wedee audkence than Lat Incleseibing the importance be areaches to his oa wok. Danté analogies hs zactares tothe an, the symbol of God, sad des cor scrape at comparing his own literary efforts to Chrisc’s miraculous an varposes, a5 in Augh and plercuse. Danee dees not subordinate his task of "Vat ebe mreauendo il heaven of the canzone leasnsst fll he neve kind ofdiconrse the speaker ough eel tobe invent upon persuasion, char is on charming his audience, for this i that Daate clea sgross with Augestine thar eaetorc can havea potenteéfect on 'sknowledae and moral bekaviar, snd he applice this view poetry along of aeterical ctones,°® He also express rhe Angistinian view! sbilcy co lear eheough speech isconitioned by one's eral etace,® Deere 171 he Convivio, as in the Vita nucus, Dante teas speech ia afiguras ina licoral sense, and, when he does syetand smile ofthe lady. The ley Philosophy, which heighters che enetap a a he ay ees and yee of . whic, when dieected inta che eyes of Javea soul that is free it her cor the so ofthe lady: Aad a meeephor to hi ‘on of the Lady's eyca and smite does ne at the lady is assuming for hie a iaas points th the Consitin he sur excess the things eu i aot able co grasp aot referring," Mose importa ‘vay thar breaks down his previously stated rbetorial union of Sie by racourst to on ornamental view of poetty, He does fhe beauty oF the fst canzane from irs goose I seylisticaducoments, while les goortess conse Dante does nat regal he meanings an the way ie which iti tseparable functions ofa vaicary work of at: rather, he urges the reste co enjoy the beauty even ifhe des not uauetstand the ¢meaning, cussion of the fourfold method of literary aa eologicel se of allegory fem ie poctic: sstnod aed oughe to be ended eiey i fous ‘called fsa, and chi is chaesense which Goes ave ga beyood ches ARDDULL ECL ocec aca aane VANSVVVAVAAASASASUS AV “Toe thinasons scales gp throcgh witinge theee eenses depend on sragonicalsensesis sense hoe been eo Sas a core af enh, spur ferth ae il istheoxy ideas che gap Dame beautiful exterior see aesthetic and and, by exceasion, ef includes 4 long, seed for 4 universe] empire une eho the Contino regarded as a dligecssion in the ted (0 che emperor y macure is needs wichoue che Danreargues, if there weeone empice, wars and their uses would ane man possessed ial dominion, there would be nothing rocovet. Orntting to notice char this would not prevwatoner ca of tke emperor, he co 1 cause, Ge 10d chose The imperial aushoriy decives, fom God. But he is alco interested in the etyrelagi feom the Latin and Greek. Authority, hestates, Rows From the: of the venin ny prope 174 Cre ‘oan steric alsa bespeal an idea which Dane extracts from Uguctione. He has comperatively litle to say abour philosopt contencing himself that i¢ pertain above al Onnce advocstes che cooperation af philesephical and impec good a ‘With chese principles hefore the reader, Dantenow rebut the view that rue nobility is baved on wealth, ancescey, arel manncis. He begins his accack on Ars definition by disevssing briefly the nscure of woeehinees. Wonh- be described as voluntary. schieves ar reece hi iso covers cerrsin technical ances lice mastinge, slavery, id the laws of su°cessian. But God has jenpossel ndcing him greedy for mare in the wealehy the icanticnal desice foe ng since ét cannot be achieved, Riches chus ‘enise evil ane! deprive thelr owner of gawd. They st, andi insecure. Ferthermene, end, Gol." Anecse Beneration may le nal iy and ayromatical sto Dente, because a idea whieh focees us to posi , acentding for better cr for wor’ Pate 175 dnreed of men are descencied, instecd of one cominon ancestor, Adatn, |? Nelthec ace enaane they are the eects, not the cnuses, af mcbilicy. ”” 0 the pes anything perfoce in itso eocempesics cual virtues, pery, and rel tions like shame and ply, and pl ‘The Conotvis is a rather disjnioted and unbalanced work, sly, of the face char Dance cever completed it. Nevertheless for several reasons. Te presente « thenty of poetry 3 ‘ovined with aesthedic pleasure. It eds nich ov the vemecular aod on the powers of poe favarice devi h che discussion of the Holy Rena Empice w eetily co che ioveo! wisclom rato an elevated view of icerature as a oth and a apar 10 snoral action, Dante's most elaborare theoreeicsl statemen: on the aul COCO COCO CETL torrie VUVVVUVVALAVALV USNS ALLL 176 Dante fesrersive tresernenc of Italian dia epistcmokygy ad the quest for u new cheaaghes to ochers no less a necessary instrument toa alder" Men, ipoifes che ideas or nunicates therm eo de beaver, but ic must do jzom the need fora cer is the begin referents slequacely In surveying the ousrene linguistic situation, Dance notes that there are ferent Innguages. He concent, The variay of langurges bol, The builling of the cower mas an God amd was the ccrasion for the division of tongues. But ere Dante ALseration of langaiyrs at « fanceion ba building of the tower \e notes, rhe different groups of craftsmen who worked on rele co thcir own peslession- constexction develeped specialized vocab 7 ways that language is sctuzlly used within & particatay community or occupa sicnal yroup. Bus, beginning with che emergence af ced Hebew among the workmen of Behe! ne the cexule of fancsioos, clivergenees inthe use oF: nent for sin, tarred these axtural fing gorge baciics impeding human communication, Once chat scare was re the larggunges of the eocth, with ther own internal males and usaget conn matural tendency to change, divided me changes into grammarand che vnc ale. By grammae he mean the cassia may be seen a8 ene of the many ‘conventions aad to make of them « uniform criterion of acyl ser of rales thot would nds, The dignity aud pecomincace of gramenar, Danse exp lief che fact chat ie lays down unchanging cone itis isrsperch, gh En diferane foes. Inbors under a ‘Norwithwrarding the calevral duadsantage, This smisiun the ising ofthe veenacclar, especially chat of Itty, of gawmemar, and he Jovokes Cheise the Word ze che beginning af the Derafean layeentia to aid him fo chs cask. The esesblishmene of ehe unified! Ielian language whigh Dance lecrast rectitude, the putsult of 178 Dante ‘well asserve Dance'sann aeedsasapoe, This fusion of Dante's pers ives, which we have ncted im Dante's co three groups, thoscof the north, which smuth, which ute os, ties, 47 Dance me way, which peeveets it from 1 The very fact chae Dante fines i¢ possible 10 dlaleers.presuppos sitate roanalogize che simplicicy ideal to God} utes. In exptoring che lar, dae Dever! f the coroperenre af suowa, The ideal vecnacul che hend, chief, and futher ciegueatia shows x mailesd expect vermacalae in coupacison stich ehe Goncivis ane! the Vi Dane 179 Italian diatests. Ics called coustiy because as tothe common ruler and al cowie, this vereaculac ‘would he spoken in the palace, vernacular wonders abowt hen is presumably posi ‘sno supteme court. hae notes, ee present are curwently exit, ‘sen be unified only by abscracting them rationally ng they ate not unified by cheexttence ofa oF governmental system. 12 Dante's di inco candital, courtly, and curil shows appears co be either shy potheti- cal Romance Urypradhe ora technical Iopal and admin does net exist m fect because range of top fons of che salar, is oo accidene that apable of encompassing thé dhreeeby capeble of refurmis nad legal ‘ve courily and Curia, vernacular depend, - {In explaining the acture of te iJ lnerious vernacular, Daace draws upon the licerary theory which he expresses ic his eatlier works, but cares it noch farther. The litvenry chery of che De vagen elagtentes includes both prose cad poetry. Thus we find in Dante! ciows vernacular his predictable idenrifcacion uf rhetor Dante applies many thetotical norms, desived' ic and ftom the av diam ‘ts, to his creatment of poctic techaiquel™ god cites Veegil as a aylistic suthority in che mannet of the school radi torical approach, CLEC OCC CCL erect etc canst mw VUVULVALAVALAVVLAAAA AY 189 Dace both sophistic and Cicetonien, is visible ia lis definicive of the Muscrious so thetarie Dante's poet cercain thetcricat aims and techniques ky poetry, Buc, in selasionship between prose and pocery in che Le wnlgar! daghontic, Dance ing the manner in which rhet classical Rome, one might say that Dan ‘The essential characteristic of portry in che catione thas ie has or Avselm. Te vel on the part of elie poe, should be used only by mea pessessing peutic yenius aed knowledge who will sve it to express he woethiene ehoughier. Theee ore dagroes of werthine divisions of che Ihe subjeces which percain co the ba hence che muse smo pants of the: te best poets have weitcen on rectieade, love, and war, citing several Provencal eraabadouts end pra 1 the Vite num, atsery wl like the Diviae Comedy. Safety, love, and vircae may stun qui topics suitable for vernacular paeery, bur they ore pore have both petsonal and coma’ remed in ehe soul of man, es Dance ued deep in ies scope a8 Since words mae correspizs td in che illustrious vernazs sends Dance ro sddsess pectic farans, a saable parc of foe good conacni to be avoided as well ae good cxampiet ro be emulared.!™ Peshaps most Jnuetesting in Dante's assortment nf rales, for one panpves,ishis discussion of Aiferent Kind of words, the childish, femminine, masculine, the urhan being faher subdivided inno locay, nam soggy. Dante places words in one or anther of ches cate 182 Dare hhow chey sound. Ueminine wants, fer exainple, have ‘while sylvan words hava harsh consonar koflicemuy theory, while indicatiog che need fora fitting seasible medium in the process boy which words contrwunicace the of the wretched and may use tye and should ose che ‘veroacuiat. Tragedy is wricren in an elevated “These subjects, Dante ‘tafe, sad ace mcicly poctic rift, he herpes to malee the S PoRUY the equal of Racin poetry ick wr the beginning of the Di wigan vague, he ference between the Latin and rhe vernacular poets is sccording co ecles and the later procerd racular, to male it a medium eruly fied for fon af great question, veenaculer poets should initare she rogulatiey poetey by developing and applying totheir own art eulesapprapriete wn native Language, a the De wndgard dequestia, Damte goes a long way towaed wockdng, ont the cheory ofpoczry which he uk:imetcly expresses inthe Divine Conay, AB we have sen, he browlens eensively che seape of the veinecular. The iaguistic foam, shar he projects i closely related eocthical and political efor, involving as ie case sorae ofthe linguistic breaches cased by haman sin 45 well a5 peomoring a mare unified Trly, Dence's quest fae che ideal [alten vernacular (s also closely teiate in cation, Drees bases his theory, a8 we have neted, cn the nati of mac aad, frorm this wage poine, makes it cormpetcar e7 dsal wich cle majce probleme and ests of manking, There ate two aspects of the poctizs of che De ralgart Dance 183 oppentia thse Dace alters in the interests of the Divine Comedy. One is bis facia, sey of the worthiese subjects —war, love, and vi forced to change his mind on dis poi ‘treatment of cae there of salvation inthe Comary ration thar the comic genre may ust 2 coders wocabulay is one tha: Dante docs cary over inty the Candy. Cettainiy rhe Gomaly vindicates Dante's sigumene in che De exdeay elsgunniia ca senius are necessary ithe weinculax is ietaey language. erp ve been ewo in number, paralleling the Aquentia. Sune scholars are content t dens occur in an ethical und rel ac oF view is by Far F works where he eres rand the ‘concerned sith ¢ ae of the anci ‘current Holy Roman Exnpre, and the 9 (0 temporal aumboricy ower ths emperor. Indeed, the De monarchia may be regacded vs care of te engaing debate among siedievel publicles on the respective power oF opss aud emperors i rstian commonwealth, |? ‘questions, Dante rea ion comnidetably, bri Gom scripearal sughatity, the authatiry dwn deductions and detiaicivns), and experience for CCC CCE ocr err tcecaenccene.. VUVAVUULALLRALLUAVEE LAY et Pane of dhe asture oFhis sabjece, Iarred have 2 duty ro serve the common ‘goed man ace tha some”? This being the cao, Dante offers ehree main srgumectsin book | of the. identify a universal ern ‘with the good society, Ts pardy fight of c bring ancl gucdlness.” nt gud order in chewer only way ro remove greed, the ‘on apermarent bas'sisco hm srwhn passesses everything to covet. Cnce the possibility foe graed forehecemman gacel and pn power of Rome 5 tenemnies on the field of ba chase to berorne incar birmsal to Reman tie. fnecossting, poine thar Date is his ion of the emperor with Christ aod of is own argument with the sta, the symbal of divinigy Le ery out in beh lorie peopte and of Caeser rind out is bendlFof che Prince of raven: "Why Je th toss nut chaltenge the poy she papal office by Cheist aad is 2 cgrtl che church's powers. Nor does he Irsitare i eesorr to ad Beene asguments upainet wasieus proponents of the Dapalist position, whom he excoriates as fanatical, greedy for power, and ignorant of anything buc the decieials, Which, ehough authoritative, she 1S Dante subordinated co the Bible, the chuech fathers, and the decrets of general councils, #7 Next he dels with thesun-ind-monand tae rara-sworcs theories in particular, He has ewo majer critics of them. Coa ‘rounding governments ia the nscaral and € sur-and-moon cheory und the ewoswords cheary, he adds, are Dbecaace chey are based on axbivrery, ecroncous, oe noncontextnal ions of the Bible, ®* ‘Tuaning eo what he regards as correct cheery, Dance statés tha both papacy and erapire have an auchencie basis. ‘The source of de pipes afice, wi ed to spititual maciers, is Cheir'e will, at revealed by che: emperor's eee, which derive foom popal anthos opretso che law of aacure, cnay beassuaned robe ia th the will of Goel pendenc of eccles aathorizstion, ate farther proved bp roryithe Roman Empire, Dante notes, predres che church and thes cence be dependent ufc ie emporil powers to popes by emporois jy traly legitimate, of such powers by popes does not canter a 1 joys philosephy, svhich operates in cers to ond aun €9 the Barchly Paradise employs religion, which operates ia terms of “faith, hope, aad charity—to teed man to buss by moans of 3 De marcia stesses the autonomy of imperial from the papacy; ae the came time, Dante aces ly bound together, Rea view of polities, and pol Dance 18? firally subordinated, ns € life on earch ie the means to rhe ead of € It is in the light of there provieies ans functions that Dante views pol Asligion, and licerature, and his le ‘whiel he ea meng the conditions cf both church en with hetesies; the carditals which can be erzce ro tac of respec fr inp Canvivi wid the De manana, he 2 ngle universa emperor fan pravide pexee ard justice, sspporting his cae with che Bi ed history. 29° In the face of is andere hope hae che emperor Henry VII would succeed in enforcing his claims to italy and would eff ietelogies] Tae desoece of she of the Steumiam age thie imperial cagle,2 the shepteed de ‘Senda from Hector.” Rlurence, eleims Dante, fering toa length Jn, Has parciculat caus to support the eenpetce, aince the cksceded fom Troy! Yet, he fi t backs of the cchics and eeligion & 30 secong the emperar's claims in lea Fe r0 supgoort, fore God. Dante relates the elasical va the voion of Florence with x ideals eo his blend of language, Pessage in which he compures the Blorentinss' th the arrogance of the butiders of VUVVVULVVAVULASLLALL LAYS 84 Dante ‘Babel ance more, sce ra Fone be one polity of Florence, aad another of 0 have fo Iced with sin, od fot vealed in theirtnie glory, for moral regencration ond reform, foc the elmssical and the Christian tradicione He caeries vee this complex of icess to the Divine Comedy, and the component parts cannot be eeached frome each orber without severely seeving asx mécior of iestruction on the mose exalted s leperstent on its conformity co ‘which they are designed to express. of che Camiedy in the fetter to Con Grande utilizes in his'prerioes works, but here, in his Refore dcing this, however, its fous levels of roeaning: ce literal, al Bante IM ef theology. This point is ciseanie to his eo This tole as dhe aythor of the Comidy. Dante arrogates +9 himself ae o post the tasks, methods, and rowers of thse ancl indicates is view thacthe Cone con Be undestetin prccisely the came way as Holy Seripeuce, ‘This thoughee has fed toa good deal of lebwes smung cormmentstirs. Semoof rem do noc accepe the idea that Bante sealy tegarded himself as a ofthe Comivs, applying dhe ele ravargne idea eo the C difference between the pactccheory inh Convvis and Grande, 24 Others peccairethe differences borwaen these be tetere9 Can Grande, which mekesp authenvic guide © the understanding of presents by fa che moee plausible ese. Eve prove to be a forgery equally important, prion off Boccaccio sees Dunte as x poet, philowpher, and theologian, lenmed 190 Dane arssincludiag tur ofdivinicy asa truly Christian poet, andasan innovator, in Chae wo wark on. such 2 geane sale dhe Gonud) hel been esayed in che verracular bya leymen before. 77? Dante srote in the vernaculae, according t9 Haccazcio, inorder to che motive of service co the adem thing to

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