Dante's Divine Comedy: Purgatory Cantos X-XII and XVI-XVII - Lecture 12

Explore a comprehensive lecture on Dante's Purgatory, focusing on cantos X-XII and XVI-XVII. Delve into the intricate relationship between art and pride, examining its theological implications. Discover the concept of "ludic theology" and its reemergence in the terrace of wrath. Analyze Marco Lombardo's speech on divine foreknowledge and human freedom, highlighting the playfulness of God's creation. Investigate the convergence of human and divine creation motifs at the numerical center of the poem in Purgatory XVII. Gain insights into aesthetic education, the reversal of perspective in Canto XI, and the punishment of pride in Canto XII. Examine political and legal arguments presented in Canto XVI and explore visions of anger as the lecture approaches the center of Dante's work. Conclude with a question and answer session to further enhance understanding of this complex literary masterpiece.