Course description
The Divine Comedy: Dante's Journey to Freedom
Learning to read poetry is learning to do the deep magic of language. It's learning to speak to the dead. At first the book just sits there silent as the grave, but if we listen carefully then, softly at first, the poetry begins to speak to us and we find ourselves speaking to it in response. Dante is the master of speaking with the dead. He convinces us that the dead can tell us things we do not know—things we cannot discover about the meaning of life because we are still in the middle of it. He shows us that conversations with the dead can change the way that we look at life. You and I may not have enough imagination to explore the realms of death that open up in the middle of life, and Dante knows that no one can find their way through life without a guide. This course will help you discover the magic of Dante's poetry and Dante will teach you to imagine the deepest terrors and the highest hopes that are still undiscovered in your heart. Only then will you be in a position to decide finally, for yourself, who you choose to become.
In this course, you will begin to question for yourself the meaning of human freedom, responsibility and identity by reading and responding to Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy.
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
Prerequisites:
None
Outcome / Qualification etc.
What you'll learn
- Become familiar with the theory and practice of “Contemplative Reading” that constitutes one of the principal structural dynamics of Liberal Arts education
- Be able to apply the general practice of “Contemplative Reading” to Dante’s Divine Comedy
- Demonstrate in-depth and relatively advanced familiarity with and knowledge of Dante’s Divine Comedy , an epic poem of the highest cultural significance
- Begin to articulate foryourselfyour own personal convictions in response to reflection questions about human dignity, freedom, and responsibility with which the Divine Comedy inevitably confronts its readers
- Engage with the most fundamental goal of Liberal education, promoting the universal dignity of personhood
- Become acquainted with the specific contributions the Christian, Catholic and Jesuit traditions of Georgetown University bring to the promotion of human dignity
As a self-paced course, the primary goal is to giveyou the opportunity to explore Dante's poem as fully as their interest and time allows. A minimal expectation for an initial, basic comprehension of the material and successful completion of the self-assessment process would be approximately 75 hours forthis complete course.
Training Course Content
- Introduction to the Course and Course/Inferno Themes
-
Book1: Vita Nuova
- Chapters 1-19
- Chapters 20-42
- Book2: Inferno
- Canti 1-4
- Canti 5-10
- Canti 11-16
- Canti 17-23
- Canti 24-30
- Canti 31-34
- Book 3: Purgatorio
- Introduction toPurgatorioThemes
- Canti 1-6
- Canti 7-12
- Canti 13-18
- Canti 19-24
- Canti 25-29
- Canti 30-33
- Book 4: Paradiso
- Introduction to Paradiso Themes
- Canti 1-5
- Canti 6-12
- Canti 13-17
- Canti 18-23
- Canti 24-29
- Canti 30-33
Course delivery details
This course is offered through Georgetown University, a partner institute of EdX.
9-10 hours per week
Expenses
- Verified Track -$49
- Audit Track - Free