Dante Alighieri's "Divina Commedia" Quiz

Answer: It helped establish the Christian concept of the Lake of Fire.

Dante's "Divina Commedia" is arguably considered the preeminent work of Italian Literature for the following reasons:

1. It is one of the first works written in the vernacular. Dante was fascinated with the vernacular language, as witnessed in his essay "De vulgari eloquentia" (On eloquence in the vernacular), an essay written before the "Divine Comedy", in which he makes a comparative analysis of the vernacular Italian and Latin, which was considered the language of high literature in Italy. In it he gives both languages the same legitimacy and status for literature.

2. It was fundamental in the transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Although based on religious concepts, Dante's work focuses on the individual as the creator of its own destiny (we are responsible for our actions, and we must attain to the consequences, whether they are good or bad), which is a fundamental philosophical concept in Renaissance thought.

3. It collects the knowledge of the Classics and the Middle ages. The "Divine Comedy" has many references to scientific, philosophical and theological concepts. Some of the most famous references cover the concepts of geocentrism, mathematics, references to the works of famous philosophers and theologians such as St. Thomas Aquinas and Aristotle, and literary references to Classical literature.

Answer: True

Dante's work was simply named "Commedia" when he wrote it; the epic was later baptized "Divina" by Dante scholar and fellow poet Giovanni Boccaccio in 1357 when he wrote Dante's first biography, "Trattatello in laude di Dante" (commonly known as "The Life of Dante").

Most scholars argue that the name "Commedia" is a result of the Classical style. His work could not be categorized as a tragedy as it was written in the vernacular, which did not fit the aristocratic and opulent elements of the tragedy, and the poem has a happy ending.

Answer: The man of flesh and bone

Dante represents man in this poem. He is vulnerable to temptation and sins of the flesh. He is also susceptible to displays of emotion, such as fear in the face of danger, and awe.

Answer: He has strayed from the "right path".

The straight path to Mount Purgatory is "diritta via" (the straight or "right" path),the path for those purged from sin. However, since Dante was guilty of sin, he was unworthy to take that path. Instead he is guided by Virgil through the "Basso Loco", or lower path, the path taken by those who are unclean.

Answer: Temptation and sin

The three beasts represent different types of sin: the she-wolf represents sins of incontinence, the leopard those of malice and fraud, and the lion those of power and violence. They also represent the three main divisions of "l'Inferno".

Answer: Reason as a guide to enlightenment, and Dante's admiration for classical literature

Dante considered Virgil one of his greatest influences. He constantly made mention of him in his works, both "Divina Commedia" and "De vulgari elocuentia". Virgil also represents the cleansing of the soul, and is often considered an example of God's compassion in the poem.

In this poem, enlightenment could also be defined as the revelation of truth to the person through God's love and the individual's faith. This can be likened to St. Augustine's argument in his famous autobiographical work "Confessions", which discusses his conversion from Manichaeism to Christianity through a realization of truth because of the teachings of St. Ambrose and his own experiences. This element of realization is also present in St. Athanasius' work "On the Incarnation of the Word of God". In his book, Athanasius calls the acceptance of God's teaching a "Divine Epiphany". He states that the Divine epiphany must be accompanied by the rejection of paganism or, as he put it "the darkness of idols", which leads to "enlightenment" from the teachings of God.

Answer: aba-bcb-cdc-ded...

The "Terza Rima" is a rhyme scheme that Dante himself developed for The "Divine Comedy". Since then, it has been used by western poets around the world. The first line always rhymes with the third and the second line always rhymes with the first and third lines of the next stanza. It usually ends with a single couplet or line to create a rhyme with the middle line in the previous stanza (For example: aba-bcb-cdc-ded, ee or e).

After the "Divine Comedy" many poets have used this meter. In Italian literature Francesco Petrarch used it in his work "Trionfi" (Triumphs). Some renowned English poets have also used this meter, among them Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, Geoffrey Chaucer and Richard Wilbur. In Spanish Literature there are two renowned Golden Age poets who used it; they are Garcilaso de la Vega, who is the main exponent of Spanish Golden Age poetry, and his friend Juan Boscán.

Answer: Intertemporality

Virgil recognizes the passing of time from the times of Augustus, to the Late Middle Ages, essentially recognizing the religious concept of "one true God". Intertemporality is very common in Medieval Art and Literature, specially in religious art, as witnessed in numerous paintings depicting Jesus and Christian martyrs in Medieval clothing.

Answer: A middle aged man (35-40)

Dante mentions he is "Midway on our life's journey", which is often considered a reference to the Book of Psalms in The Bible (90:10), which sets the lifespan of a healthy human as being from 70 to 80 years. The half of it would be 35 or 40, which is the most accepted number for Dante's age in the poem.

Answer: To provide him with the prodigious talent required to describe "l'Inferno"

The summoning of the muses in Canto II symbolizes the beginning of the epic. In Classical poetry, great epics traditionally began with the calling of the muses, as is the case in "The Aeneid", written by Virgil. However, the muses are not only a literary reference, but they also symbolize the limits of man. Dante is well aware of his poetic gifts in the poem; however, he also believes it has come as a result of Divine grace. The muses, in this instance, are not used as a pagan symbol, but as a testament to God being a provider for his children (humanity).

Answer: The apostle Paul and Aeneas

This is a reference to both The Bible and Virgil's poetry. In the Second Book of Corinthians (12:2) the apostle Paul claims to have seen what he calls the "Third Heaven" and returns to the world of the living. Book VI of "The Aeneid" narrates Aeneas' journey to "Tartarus", the Roman equivalent of Hell.

Answer: She remains unnamed

Virgil reveals to Dante two of the women who care for him from heaven. One of them is Beatrice, who informs Virgil of his task to help Dante find the "right path" (diritta via). Another woman is St. Lucia, who informs Beatrice of the ordeal that Dante must endure. The third woman is unnamed, but her identity is generally accepted to be the Virgin Mary.

Answer: His cowardice

Dante considers himself a lesser being than Aeneas and St. Paul, and as such he was afraid he would not be able to survive the journey. Virgil proceeds to scold him and tells him to free himself of the fear ("That thou mayst free thee from this apprehension"). Virgil proceeds to inform Dante about the trinity of women watching over him.

Answer: False

Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio are considered the preeminent Italian poets of the Renaissance. All three shared the humanist philosophy which focuses on the education and the importance of the individual.

Petrarch wrote some of the most famous sonnets of all time. Most are in his book "Il Canzoniere" ("The Song Book"), which consists of 366 poems. 317 of those are sonnets, the rest are divided in 29 songs, 9 sestinas, 7 ballads and 4 madrigals. All of them, except some fragments, are dedicated to one woman, Laura. Although very little is known about her, she is thought to be "Laura de Noves", a noblewoman, wife to "Count Hugues de Sade".

Boccaccio is known as a biographer who wrote in the vernacular. He wrote Dante's first biography. "The Decameron" is his most famous work, which details the stories of seven young women and three young men who hid outside a villa to escape the Black Death. He placed special interest in women and many of his narrations consist of the treatment and life experiences of women in Italy.

Answer: Faith and salvation

Beatrice represents, according to Dante, that which is beyond human reason, which is faith and subsequent redemption.

Beatrice was a Florentine woman who Dante met in childhood. Although they never had a relationship, Beatrice was the object of Dante's inspiration and has become one of the most important muses in Italian, and world, literature.