Dante: A Critical Reappraisal

As one of the dominating names in Western literature, Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) has been read and studied with great enthusiasm in the Nordic countries. His masterpiece, The Divine Comedy, has been translated into Nordic languages several times, and over the last few decades many introductions and popular monographs have been published. Moreover, the interest seems to be increasing. Dante's works are studied across different disciplines - within Italian and comparative literature, theology, philosophy, and the history of ideas - to the extent that we can now talk of a new generation of dantisti among Nordic scholars. This anthology consists of proceedings from the Third Conference of the Nordic Dante Network at the University of Oslo, September 2006. It paints a clear picture of what is currently going on within Dante studies in Nordic countries. The domestic readings are the result of a fruitful dialogue within international scholarship. The opening chapter is written by one of the world's leading Dante scholars, Giuseppe Mazzotta, Sterling Professor at Yale University and the current President of the American Dante Society.