Dante's Deadly Sins Moral Philosophy In Hell
Produktdetaljer
Biografisk notat
Raymond Angelo Belliotti is SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Fredonia. Belliotti’s publications include Niccolò Machiavelli (2008), Roman Philosophy and the Good Life (2009), Posthumous Harm: Why the Dead are Still Vulnerable (2011), Shakespeare and Philosophy: Lust, Love, and Law (2012), and Jesus or Nietzsche: How Should we Live Our Lives? (2013). Belliotti has received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching, the William T. Hagan Young Scholar/Artist Award, the Kasling Lecture Award for Excellence in Research and Scholarship, and the SUNY Foundation Research & Scholarship Recognition Award.<p>“In this thought-provoking book Belliotti draws Dante’s Commedia into conversation with existentialist philosophy. . . Despite these questions, Belliotti’s book is essential reading for anyone interested in Dante. In it the reader will find a refreshingly different take on the moral vision underscored by Dante’s Commedia.” (<i>The Heythrop Journal</i>, 24 July 2015)</p>
- Analyzes the moral philosophy underpinning one of the greatest works of world culture
- Summarizes the Inferno and Purgatorio, while underscoring their moral implications
- Explains and evaluates Dante’s understanding of the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ and the ultimate role they play as the basis of human transgression.
- Provides a detailed discussion of the philosophical concepts of moral desert and the law of contrapasso, using character case studies within Dante’s work
- Connects the poem’s moral themes to our own contemporary condition
About the Author x
Preface xii
The Rationale xii
The Origin xiii
Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction 1
The Historical Context 1
The Life of Dante 3
Later Writings 8
The Commedia 12
Dante’s Death 14
Aims of this Book 15
Dante as Moral Philosopher 17
1 Inferno 19
Dante’s Mission 19
The Journey Begins 20
Vestibule (Ante-Hell): The Indecisive Neutrals 21
Upper Hell: Sins of Unrestrained Desire (the Wolf) 23
River Styx, Walls of the City of Dis 28
Lower Hell: Sins of Malice Leading to Violence (the Lion) 30
Lower Hell: Sins of Malice Leading to Fraud (the Leopard) 34
Dante’s Existential Lessons in Hell 46
2 Purgatorio 48
Purgatory in a Nutshell 48
The Journey Continues 50
Ante-Purgatory: Late Repentants 50
Gate of Purgatory 56
The First Three Terraces: Misdirected Love 57
The Fourth Terrace: Deficient Love of the Good 62
The Final Three Terraces: Excessive Love of Secondary Goods 64
Dante’s Existential Lessons in Purgatory 71
3 The Notion of Desert and the Law of Contrapasso 73
The Notion of Desert 73
The Contrapasso 81
The Problem of Proportionality 87
First Case Study: Francesca90
Second Case Study:BrutusandCassius92
Third Case Study:Epicurus 99
Dante’s Moral Conception 102
4 Paradoxes and Puzzles: VirgilandCato104
The Paradox ofVirgil105
Summary of the Paradox ofVirgil111
The Strange Case ofCato 116
“The Perfect Stoic” 117
Dante’s Decision 120
Danteand Conflict 123
5 The Seven Deadly Sins 124
Historical Background 124
Superbia (Pride) 127
Invidia (Envy) 129
Ira (Wrath) 133
Acedia (Sloth) 137
Avaritia (Avarice) 138
Gula (Gluttony) 139
Luxuria (Lust) 140
The Antidote: Righteous Love 142
The Bridge to Salvation 148
6Dante’s Existential Moral Lessons 149
Dante and Existentialism 149
Jean-Paul Sartre and Hell 150
Dante’s Ten Existential Lessons 157
Individualism and Community 176
Personal Strategies 179
Bibliography 185
Index 193
Dante’s Inferno and Purgatorio are permeated with disturbing images of sinners who become their sins: gluttons mangled and themselves consumed, the lustful forever caught in a chaotic wind. Belliotti emphasizes the moral implications of these poems, explaining and evaluating Dante’s understanding of the "Seven Deadly Sins" and the ultimate role they play as the basis of human transgression.
By examining the Commedia as a work of moral philosophy rather than a historical account of Dante’s firm belief in Christian theology, Belliotti considers Dante’s master work as it was intended – namely, as a practical guide to moral betterment. Revealing a broad framework for leading a good life that can be shared by both religious believers and secular existentialists, Dante’s Deadly Sins demonstrates that Dante and existential philosophy have much to teach us about living a meaningful life.
—Robert Ginsberg, Director, The International Center for the Arts, Humanities, and Value Inquiry
"Most engaging about this work is the author's distinctive vision and voice, his capacity to bring together unexpected combinations of thought and style in ways that are insightful and productive. This is a work informed by broad learning, yet comfortable with personal anecdotes and pop culture references. As an exploration of classic literature as the source of philosophical engagement, it is original and thought-provoking."
—Jeffrey Nesteruk, Franklin & Marshall College