Descending

HUM 2051: Civilization IFall 2011

Dr. PerdigaoNovember 21-30, 2011

Falls Middle Ages: c. 500-1500 (Medieval Period)

Fall of Rome (500-1500)—Dante’s text in 14th century—late in period (1309-1321, Dante’s writing of text—death)

Result of famous internal decadence in Rome, fall

Under external pressure, Germanic/Gothic tribes

Loss of confidence in our cultural certainties

Death of one civilization, its replacement by another

Vacuums left in culture—of political and cultural meaning, filled by two institutions: Roman Catholic Church and feudalism

Politics and Religion Roman Catholic Church assuming political functions of Roman

state, converting Germanic tribes (Perry 213), preserving cultures of Greece and Rome

Basis of medieval civilization, understanding of “great drama of salvation” (Perry 212)

Monasteries as key cultural centers when libraries are lost (Perry 213)

Charlemagne (768-814), emperor of the Romans, designated by Pope Leo III in 800

A “distinct European civilization took root” under Charlemagne with a blending of the “Roman heritage of a world empire, the intellectual achievement of the Greco-Roman mind, Christian otherworldliness, and the customs of the Germanic peoples” (Perry 218)

Pyramid Schemes Vacuum (fall of Rome) filled by Feudalism and Roman Catholic

Church

Hierarchical structures

Share principle of hierarchical structures—belief that realm of spirit is higher than realm of material, as a result, church supersedes state; spirit > matter

This world is only important because it determines our relation to the next world

Manorialism , village community with serfs bound to land (Perry 219)

Feudalism as secular side of church: Lord (ultimate power in realm)Knights/vassals (fought for Lord, covenant relationship, received a fief, land to support his needs)Serfs(Perry, Chapter 9, 219-225)

Divinely ordained

Splits and Fissures Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)

Dante is born in 1265 in independent Republic, city-state Florence, which becomes a major city in cultural richness

Florence is divided into two factions, in bloody feuds, between two power structures:

Feudalism Roman Catholic ChurchGhibellines Guelphsfeudal, military, Pope’s sidearistocracy, aligned with Holy Roman Emperor but at odds with the Pope

Before Dante was born, Guelphs (who sided with the papacy) won large victory and destroyed Ghibelline power in Florence. Because of dress, divided into blacks and whites. But then fight within the Guelphs, self-division.

Fear and Loathing in Florence Dante was thirty and involved in politics, in the white party,

gains political power, turns against Pope to prevent him from acting in political affairs, commerce.

Becomes one of the chief magistrates of the city of Florence, then street fighting breaks out and civil war in the city.

Dante attempts solution by banishing leaders of both factions.

Leaves Florence on “diplomatic mission” to Rome. Pope Boniface VIII is the enemy to Dante (pictured in hell, upside down, in poem); he conspired to bring foreign army to Florence to drive whites away.

1302—now dominant blacks have trial of Dante who is in absentia, fined, banished for two years. He refuses to pay fines; banishment is made permanent. He would be burned at the stake if he returns to the city. The city he loved became the city he loved to hate.

See who is punished for what; Dante makes argument about two institutions dominating the period (Feudalism [state] and Roman Catholic Church).

“Sweet New Style” 1308—hopes for reordering European politics on more

equitable grounds are dashed, failure to restore power. Writes the poem despite this failure.

First two books brought Dante fame—1321, finishes and dies in same year.

Invented the dolce stil nuovo: “sweet new style”

Against previously ornate style, Dante wanted to strip it down, also take on serious philosophical subject matter.

Autobiographical poem, of first experience with love: 9 years old sees Beatrice. Wholly idealistic passion (Platonic love). Conversion experience—from profane to sacred. Beatrice died in 1290.

Traditions Dante’s poem as introduction to the period because it is the

“quintessential medieval poem”

One of the hierarchies—literary forms

Epic as “greatest”

Dante’s poem—as epic—but elements are added in the Middle Ages so that the romance shifts the storyline of epic from war to individual love relationships (we see this in The Odyssey and The Aeneid but it is repressed with Dido) + allegory

Period of “courtly love” tradition and chivalric code

In Dante’s poem, love object Beatrice is transformed into a spiritual guide

Treatise on Love Dante’s work as a love poem—how to transform physical love

into spiritual love.

Profane: Sacred :: Physical : Spiritual

Dante—moved by story of Francesca—in sympathy, commitment to earthly love, faints. But in poem, it is regarded as stupidity, that they received their punishment. Two views are dramatized here, showing that Dante has something to learn (but he has learned it before writing this poem).

Dante’s work encompasses romance and allegory but definitions come after the period establishes the standard.

Divine Blessings Beatrice=bestower of blessings. Not the idealized lover, or

child—but heavenly figure who saves him from despair, to vision of God.

Not originally the “divine” comedy—La Comedia. It is later added, means excellence at the center. “Comedy” because of its happy ending. Not an epic but it resembles that form more than anything else. Between high and low style.

Structure: begins in despair in dark wood. He is about to give up when Beatrice sends someone to help him. Beatrice sends him on a journey in the course of which he’ll finish life in light of that truth.