Hell and the Imagination: Reading Dante’s Inferno

From the time of its composition in the early fourteenth century, Dante’s Inferno has been acknowledged as perhaps the greatest narrative poem in the Western tradition. Its influence on later literature, philosophy, and art is immeasurable, and its language, characters, and scenes have entered into the common artistic vernacular of world literature. Even more important, Dante’s exploration of human striving and divine justice speaks powerfully to us now—trapped as we are in our own infernal historical moment.

In this seminar we will read the Inferno slowly and try to unpack its mysteries and relevance. Our instructor, Timothy Hampton, will provide background and context on Dante’s medieval culture and philosophical system, before opening the floor to a discussion of this indelible work of the imagination.

Course dates: October 10, 17, 24, 31, 11am-1pm at Clio's.

Recommended text: Dante Alighieri, The Inferno of Dante. Translated by Robert Pinsky (New York: Farrar, Strauss and Giroux).

Timothy Hampton is Aldo Scaglione and Marie M. Burns Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature and French at UC Berkeley. He is the author of a number of books, including Bob Dylan, How the Songs Work, Cheerfulness: A Literary and Cultural History, and the forthcoming Trespasser: A Story of Class, Poverty, and Education in the American Desert. In 2013, he was recognized by the UC Berkeley campus with its Distinguished Teaching award.