HON 314 - Narrating the Afterworld: Dante’s Spiritual Journey

Prerequisite, acceptance to the University Honors Program. This course is devoted to one of the most fascinating and influential masterpieces of Western literature, Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy. Dante’s poem relates one man’s journey from the dark wood of error to the vision of truth, but readers do not only observe the pilgrim’s journey through the afterlife, they participate in it as well. They encounter questions about the nature of evil, the possibility for spiritual improvement, and the experience of true happiness, and discover surprising parallels with their own time. While situating Dante’s work within the intellectual and social context of the late Middle Ages, the course also challenges students to recognize Dante’s presence in modern and contemporary global culture and mediascape. Letter grade. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits