The Political Vision of the Divine Comedy (Princeton Legacy Library)

Joan Ferrante analyzes the Divine Comedy in terms of public issues, which continued foremost in Dante's thinking after his exile from Florence. Professor Ferrante examines the political concepts of the poem in historical context and in light of the political theory and controversies of the period.Originally published in 1984.The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905. Joan Ferrante analyzes the "Divine Comedy" in terms of public issues, which continued foremost in Dante's thinking after his exile from Florence. The "Comedy" pays far more attention to politics than to personal moral questions, the assumption being that personal morality is extremely difficult in a corrupt society. Professor Ferrante examines the political concepts of the poem in historical context and in light of the political theory and controversies of the period. Drawing on medieval documents, as well as on early commentaries on the "Comedy", the book presents Dante's views on forms of government, on the relation between church and state, and on the distribution of power and wealth. Noting the importance of Florence as a center of finance, it discusses Dante's use of financial terms and concepts, providing insights into his poetics of economics. -- From publisher's description