Autumn Term 2015
Spring Term 2016
All Autumn term sessions are at the Warburg Institute at 1 pm,
except where otherwise indicated below
All Spring term sessions are at the Warburg Institute at 1 pm
1
6 October 2015 - Introduction: Dante’s life and works; Dante’s universe.
2
13 October 2015 - Inferno, Canto I. The dark wood and wild animals.
The appearance of Virgil.
3
20 October 2015 - Inferno, Canto V. The lustful. Paolo and Francesca.
4
27 October 2015 - Inferno, Canto XIII. The suicides. Pier della Vigna.
5
10 November 2015 - Inferno, Canto XXVI and XXVII. The evil
counsellors. Ulysses and Guido da Montefeltro.
6
13 November 2015 - Why Dante? - Italian Cultural Institute, 6.30 pm
7
14 November 2015 - Dante Day - Italian Cultural Institute, 10 am - 6.00 pm
8
15 November 2015 - Dante Thanksgiving Service - St Giles in the Fields,
6.30 pm
9
16 November 2015 - L’Inferno. Silent movie directed by Francesco
Bertolini, Giuseppe de Liguoro e Adolfo Padovan, with live music Italian Cultural Institute, 6.30 pm
10
17 November 2015 - Inferno, Canto XXXIII. Count Ugolino. Canto
XXXIV. Centre of Hell. Lucifer.
11
24 November 2015 - Purgatorio, Canto XVI.58-105; Canto XVII.91105; Canto XVIII.13-75. The moral structure of Purgatory; the nature
of love and its relation to free will.
12
1 December 2015 - Purgatorio, Canto I; Canto II.106-132. Dante and
Virgil emerge from the abyss of Hell on the shore of Mount Purgatory.
Cato. The ritual of purification. Casella.
1
12 January 2016 - Purgatorio, Canto X.1-45. Canto XI.1-117.
The First Cornice: the proud. The Lord’s Prayer; Omberto
Aldobrandeschi; Oderisi da Gubbio.
2
19 January 2016 - Purgatorio, Canto XXX. Appearance of Beatrice
on the chariot of the Church
3
26 January 2016 - Purgatorio, Canto XXXIII. Beatrice prophesies
the advent of a champion sent from God to deliver Church and
Empire. The final ritual of Dante’s spiritual cleansing.
4
2 February 2016 - Paradiso, Canto I. Ascent to the heaven of fire.
5
9 February 2016 - Paradiso, Canto III. Heaven of the moon.
Piccarda Donati.
6
23 February 2016 - Paradiso, Canto XI.Thomas Aquinas. Francis of
Assisi.
7
1 March 2016 - Paradiso, Canto XVII. Heaven of Mars.
Cacciaguida.
8
8 March 2016 - Paradiso, Canto XXXIII. The Empyrean. The
vision of the Trinity.
Course Details and Registration
This series of Dante public readings takes place weekly in the Autumn and
Spring terms at the Warburg Institute, in partnership with University College
London and the Italian Cultural Institute in London. The readings are given
by Alessandro Scafi and John Took, and occasionally by Tabitha Tuckett.
The beauty and complexity of Dante’s Divine Comedy are introduced to the
audience, combining both reading and commentary. A carefully arranged
visual display offers the mainly English–speaking audience a simultaneous
translation of the text, which is read in the original and illustrated by
colourful medieval illuminations. The commentary shows how Dante’s
medieval vision may be relevant to contemporary existential concerns and
offers the audience the experience of an actual journey from Hell, through
Purgatory, to Paradise.
In addition to the weekly lunch-time readings at the Warburg, a long weekend in mid November will be held at the Italian Cultural Institute and in
the Church of St Giles in the Fields to celebrate the 750th anniversary of
Dante’s birth. For details visit: warburg.sas.ac.uk/events/seminars/dante/
All other sessions will take place at the Warburg Institute (Woburn Square,
London WC1H 0AB) on Tuesdays from 1.00-2.15 pm. The starting date for
the classes is 6 October 2015.
The sessions at the Warburg Institute are free of charge for Warburg
and UCL staff and students, who do not need to register in advance. For
members of other colleges and the general public the standard rate per term
is £80.00 or £50.00 concessionary rate (students/pensioners). Please register
and pay online in advance at: warburg.sas.ac.uk/events/seminars/dante/ and
then click on the payment link.
The Warburg Institute
Woburn Square, London WC1H 0AB
Tel: (020) 7862 8949 Fax: (020) 7862 8910
warburg@sas.ac.uk - warburg.sas.ac.uk
From Devilr y to Divinity:
Readings in the ‘Divina Commedia’
Programme
Autumn and Spring Terms 2015/16
Organised and presented by
Alessandro Scafi (Warburg Institute) and John Took (UCL)