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University Daily Kansan Wednesday, May 12, 1965
Dante-Poet and Cattle Grazer; Still Famous After 700 Years
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By Larry Ketchum
Seven hundred years ago this month one of the greatest literary geniuses of the world was born in Florence, Italy. His name — Dante Alighieri. His occupations—poet and cattle grazer.
Dante was born in May, 1265, of parents who enjoyed a station in the lesser nobility of 13th century Italy. His family had modest wealth, but Dante was able to pursue studies and live the life of a gentleman in Italian society.
The famed poet who created "The Divine Comedy" served with the cavalry. Due to his contacts with the army he made many friends among the aristocracy.
HIS FATHER died in 1283, but before he passed away, he arranged a marriage for Dante with a young woman of the Donati family. Although the Donati family had once held great power, at the time of Dante's arranged marriage its influence had declined.
Some historians believe that Dante spent a good part of his childhood as a Franciscan novice in the convent of Santa Croce. However, there are other indications that Dante led another kind of life — closer to the world he lived in.
Possibly Dante did attend the Franciscan lower schools and later did attend their schools of philosophy. At that time of history all persons desiring to become influential citizens pursued the study of rhetoric. This study consisted of both public speaking and letter writing in Latin.
THERE IS A CERTAIN amount of evidence that Dante traveled to Bologna during his youth. At that time Bologna was noted for its schools of law and Dante probably studied rhetoric there.
In his youth Dante sought out the most famous troubadaurs of Florence. It was by their influence that Dante embarked upon his avocation of poetry. He, like the troubadaurs, circulated his love poetry among the citizens of Florence. Gradually, however, he came to think of the troubdaurs' poetry as being rather coarse. Soon he was eagerly engaged in refining his poetry, his ideas on love and the nature of man.
Dante's fame began to spread and, although he was engaged in cavalry expeditions and had to manage his personal affairs, he still had enough leisure time to practice his poetry.
THE FLORENTINE POET was convinced that a lady, Beatrice, was his guide to ideal perfection in life. Much has been made of his love for Beatrice. Actually, his remembrance for her was from his youth. Later she became the wife of Simone dei Bardi, a Florentine gentleman.
Unlike many poets of his day Dante did not write of woman's cruelty in love. Rather, he praised Beatrice for her courtesy and virtue. Dante exalted her and claimed that God not only sent her to the earth for the welfare of her lover, but also for all those persons who might appreciate her qualities.
While Dante immersed himself in these romantic thoughts Beatrice died in 1290. The poet was very much grieved and he consoled himself with the glorious thought that he would be re-united with her in heaven.
However, Dante was later smitten with another love. It did not last long and Dante chided himself for having been faithless to the memory of the late Beatrice.
IN TREIBUTE to Beatrice he collected the poems he had written about her into a small volume. "Vita Nuova" (new life), one of Dante's most famous poetic works, although it was composed in the poetic convention of the time. The volume was written in 1292-1293, several years after the death of Beatrice.
To his love of the Latin poets Dante added a study of the Provençal troubadours. He wanted to enter into competition with them and his desire for competition helped Dante try new and untested aspects in his poetry.
Dante had several children by his wife Gemma di Manetto Donati — Iacopo, Pietro, and Antonia. The pressing need to support his family began to be heavily felt by Dante.
All of Dante's life was not spent exclusively writing poetry.
Dante also entered politics in Florence. He served from time to time on a council that governed the city-state of Florence. While he was in politics, a great rivalry arose between two political parties — the Whites and the Blacks. The Blacks gained papal favor and overthrew the White faction. Dante, along with four other Whites, was sentenced to pay a fine of 5,000 florins, to be banished from Florence for two years, and to never again hold a public office.
WHILE DANTE was in exile with his fellow party members, he broke with the White political party. Historians have not definitively discerned why this break occurred, but from Dante's own words it appears as if charges were made by the party against him.
Dante was to wander later from place to place all over Italy. He settled for different periods of time wherever a nobleman desired entertainment. But the poet yearned for his family and his city. Under the law Dante's sons would also be exiled when they reached the age of fourteen.
Dante desired and asked for forgiveness by the Florentine people. He wanted to re-establish his reputation as it was before his exile. To accomplish this desire, Dante sought to complete a great work of literary art to show the people that his intentions to return to the city of his birth were honorable. The two treatises he wrote at this time were "De Vulgari Eloquenta" and "Convivio."
THE COMPOSITION of the "Divine Comedy" took up Dante's remaining years. It was called a "comedy" because it was sorrowful in the beginning and joyful in the end.
Dante Alighieri never returned to his native Florence. Although several opportunities to return were offered him he refused because each opportunity had certain conditions imposed upon it. If Dante returned he wanted to be a free man.
Because of his refusal to return to Florence, he and his sons were condemned to death if they ever decided to return.
IT IS NOT KNOWN where Dante spent the last eight years of his life. Historians believe Dante lived in quietness.
On September 13 or 14, 1321. Dante died in Ravenna, Italy. He was buried in a chapel near the church called San Pier Maggiore.
University Experimental Theatre Series
presents
"THE PLAY'S THE THING"
by
Ferenc Molnar
May 13 through 15
and
May 18 through 22
Experimental Theatre Murphy Hall
Tickets: $1:50 — 75¢ with KU-ID
Curtain 8:20 p.m.
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