Music as Mirror: Dante's Treatment of Music in the Divine Comedy

Authors

  • Kristina Aste

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6017/eurj.v4i2.8891

Keywords:

Fall 2008, humanities, music, English

Abstract

A time of great musical development, the fourteenth century is the perfect backdrop for the auditory allusions of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. This article argues that Dante utilizes musical imagery as an essential component of his allegory. Influenced by both Christian thinkers and philosophers, Dante likely viewed scholastic music as an adjunct of religion. In the Divine Comedy, therefore, Dante presents auditory allusions as an inextricable factor of the protagonist's epic pilgrimage through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. Through a progression of anti-music in Inferno to human context in Purgatory to the music of the spheres in Paradise, this essay explores how the musical langauge of Dante's Divine Comedy conveys humanity's innate connection with God.

Author Biography

Kristina Aste

Kristina Aste is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. A double major in Music and English with a minor in Philosophy, Kristina loves to explore interdisciplinary connections. Originally written for Professor Laurie Shepard's course "Dante's Divine Comedy," her essay also provided the inspiration for her English honors thesis, which will discuss how seventeenth century musical trends influence John Milton's Paradise Lost. Accepted to the fifth year master's program in English secondary education, Kristina also hopes to pursue a doctorate in early modern studies.

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Published

2008-11-01

How to Cite

Aste, K. (2008). Music as Mirror: Dante’s Treatment of Music in the Divine Comedy. Elements, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.6017/eurj.v4i2.8891

Issue

Section

Articles