Jennifer Holberg – Dante - The Divine Comedy Part 1

2025-07-12

Who was Dante and what is ‘The Divine Comedy’? In the first part of a mini-series Brent talks to Jennifer Holberg about Dante’s great medieval work. Who is Beatrice and why is the opening like film noir? Jennifer is professor and chair of the English Department at Calvin University in the States and co-director of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing. She’s also the author of the book ‘Nourishing Narratives’. (1:20) Who was Dante and what is ‘The Divine Comedy’? (6:10) A summary of world knowledge up until about 1300? (7:20) A ‘film noir’ beginni...

Who was Dante and what is ‘The Divine Comedy’?

In the first part of a mini-series Brent talks to Jennifer Holberg about Dante’s great medieval work. Who is Beatrice and why is the opening like film noir?

Jennifer is professor and chair of the English Department at Calvin University in the States and co-director of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing. She’s also the author of the book ‘Nourishing Narratives’.

(1:20) Who was Dante and what is ‘The Divine Comedy’?
(6:10) A summary of world knowledge up until about 1300?
(7:20) A ‘film noir’ beginning?
(12:20) Translations?
(17:25) Resources (see below!)
(20:30) Themes;
(24:00) A favorite section?

Links mentioned in this episode:

World of Dante:

https://www.worldofdante.org/index.html)

Digital Dante:

https://digitaldante.columbia.edu/dante/divine-comedy

Dante Worlds:

https://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu/

100 Days of Dante:

https://100daysofdante.com

Editions:

For all in one volume:

Mark Musa, ‘The Portable Dante’ (Penguin)

First rate notes:

Robert and Jean Hollander (Vintage/Anchor)

New poetic translation that retains the terza rima:

Michael Palma (Liveright)

Prose translation:

Charles S. Singleton (Princeton University Press)

Other notable translators:

Robin Kirkpatrick

John Ciarda

Allen Mandelbaum

Older translations by Dorothy L. Sayers

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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