During this time one civilization ended and another began. Dante is the last great voice of Medieval Italy. From Dante's Divine Comedy we read Inferno and Purgatorio . The human tragedy of hopelessness is present in the state of mind of the souls in Inferno , while in Purgatorio the certainty of salvation from human misery gives form to a sense of positive achievement. This book may shock modern readers for its candor in depicting the human soul within the widest range of life experiences.
Love is expressed through innocent sexual feelings, self denial, honesty, base cheating, and lust.
One can compare Boccaccio with today's society with its positive and negative aspects. This conflict is presented through lyric poetic forms destined to become the landmark for later poets in Western civilization. There will be Three Home Assignments, Midterm, and Final Exam . All assignments will be done at home and either brought to class, or sent though e-mail, by the given deadlines. Assignments will be distributed in class and through this Web Site.