UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures
ITW4XXX Dante’s Inferno
Draft Syllabus
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
Office Hours:
E-Mail:
COURSE INFORMATION:
Time:
Location:
Dr. Mary Watt
237 Dauer Hall
(352) 392-8149
W 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
marywatt@ufl.edu
MWF Period 3
TBA
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will take students on a semester-long journey through the underworld as
imagined by the fourteenth century writer Dante Alighieri. The primary source will be Dante’s Inferno, but the
course will be enhanced with visual materials and will make full use of the many digital resources devoted to the
study of Dante and his world. Special attention will be paid to the political, historical and religious context in
which Dante was writing, but the main point of the course will be to give students an appreciation of the masterful
narrative that Dante weaves and the enduring beauty of his poetry. Classes will combine student-centered
activities with brief lecture style introductions to the day’s reading. Accordingly, students will be expected to
have read the assigned reading and be prepared to comment and participate in discussion.
COURSE OBJECTIVES/STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of the semester it is expected that students will:
• be deeply familiar with Dante’s Inferno
• understand the historical, religious, and socio-political context of the composition of the text
• be able to engage critically with Dante’s work and with the body of scholarship generated by the text
• be equipped to give a scholarly presentation in Italian on the material discussed
REQUIRED TEXTS: Inferno, Dante Alighieri, Edition: Mandelbaum, Bantam NB. The instructor may also
supply students with a variety of handouts and direct them to a variety of web sites from time to time. Students
will be provided with supplementary materials well in advance of the class in which they will be discussed.
USEFUL WEB RESOURCES:
http://etcweb.princeton.edu/dante/pdp/audioitl.html
http://etcweb.princeton.edu/dante/pdp/wwwlinks.html
http://www.worldofdante.org/maps_main.html
GRADE DISTRIBUTION:
1. Class Presentation (20%)
Students will prepare and deliver an oral presentation of 5-10 minutes providing historical background on
various characters who appear in the Inferno. Students will be assigned a date and a specific topic following
the drop/add date once the number of student in the class is finalized.
2. Comprehensive Take-home final exam (25%)
The take home examination will be in the form of several long answer questions that will address issues
discussed in class, assigned readings, and the source text itself (Dante’s Inferno) from the beginning of the
semester until the end. Students will be given 48 hours to complete the examination.
3. Class participation (15%)
Students are expected to review the relevant sections of the text before class and be prepared to answer
questions on the assigned readings. Failure to prepare for class, complete assigned exercises or engage in
class discussions will result in a lower participation grade.
4. Weekly Reading summaries (40%)
Students will be required to read and provide summaries of a variety of scholarly articles pertaining to the
section of the Inferno under consideration. These summaries should not exceed one page per article and are
to be handed in on a regular basis as set out in the syllabus. The summaries should include the basic
argument set out in the article in question as well as the most pertinent details of the textual or critical
evidence on which the author relies in support of the argument.
CLASSROOM POLICIES:
 Attendance & makeup policy: Requirements for class attendance and make-up exams, assignments, and
other work in this course are consistent with university policies that can be found in the online catalog at:
https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/regulations/info/attendance.aspx.
 Late Policy: A class roll will be passed around at the beginning of class. If a student is late, he or she will
have to sign the roll after class. Such lateness distracts other students and the instructor and will affect the
student’s final participation grade. Students will lose 1% from their final grade each time they arrive late.
 Cell phone and texting policy: Students must turn cell phones to vibrate before coming to class. Each time
a student’s cell phone rings or each time that a student texts during class, 1% will be deducted from that
student’s final grade for each instance.
 Grade Disputes: Should a student wish to dispute any grade received in this class (other than simple
addition errors), the dispute must be in writing and be submitted to the instructor within a week of receiving
the grade. The dispute should set our very clearly, the grade that the student believes the assignment should
have received as well as why he or she believes that he or she should have received such a grade.
Grading Scale (& GPA equivalent):
A
AB+
B
100-93 92-90
89-87
86-83
(4.0)
(3.67)
(3.33)
(3.0)
B82-80
(2.67)
C+
79-77
(2.33)
C
76-73
(2.0)
C72-70
(1.67)
D+
69-67
(1.33)
D
63-66
(1.0)
D62-60
(0.67)
E
59(0)
Note: A grade of C- is not a qualifying grade for major, minor, Gen Ed, or College Basic distribution credit. For
further information on UF's Grading Policy, see:
https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/regulations/info/grades.aspx#hgrades
http://www.isis.ufl.edu/minusgrades.html
Academic Honesty: UF students are bound by The Honor Pledge which states, “We, the members of the
University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honor and
integrity by abiding by the Honor Code. On all work submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida,
the following pledge is either required or implied: “On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized
aid in doing this assignment.” The Honor Code (http://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/process/student-conduct-honorcode/) specifies a number of behaviors that are in violation of this code and the possible sanctions. Furthermore,
you are obligated to report any condition that facilitates academic misconduct to appropriate personnel. If you
have any questions or concerns, please consult with the instructor or TAs in this class.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Students requesting classroom accommodation must first
register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student
who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation. Contact the
Disability Resources Center (http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drc/) for information about available resources for students
with disabilities.
Counseling and Mental Health Resources: Students facing difficulties completing the course or who are in
need of counseling or urgent help should call the on-campus Counseling and Wellness Center (352-392-1575;
http://www.counseling.ufl.edu/cwc/).
Online Course Evaluation Process: Students are expected to provide feedback on the quality of instruction in
this course based on 10 criteria. These evaluations are conducted online at https://evaluations.ufl.edu. Evaluations
are typically open during the last two or three weeks of the semester, but students will be given specific times
when they are open. Summary results of these assessments are available to students at
https://evaluations.ufl.edu/results.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Students should note that the syllabus is a guideline and that there may be changes to the class schedule.
Week 1: Discussion Focus: The World of the Inferno
Read:
Robert Hollander, “Allegory in Dante http://etcweb.princeton.edu/dante/pdp/allegory.html
Watch:
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dekRIPAFCCU&feature=related
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fh04bxcsgU&feature=related
Listen to: The End: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS3m0-4bM9s&feature=fvst
Hotel California: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piW9MHpfCu4
Week 2: Discussion Focus: Inferno 1: The Mountain
Read:
Robert Hollander, “Dante’s Virgil” http://etcweb.princeton.edu/dante/pdp/virgil.html
Listen to: Climb Every Mountain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxsCBIxr71M
Week 3: Discussion Focus: Inferno 2: Virgil and Beatrice
Read:
John Freccero, “Infernal Irony: The Gates of Hell”
http://www.jstor.org/pss/10.2307/2905502?mlt=true
Listen to: Together Again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEqJroZSdKA
To Where You Are: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTdqdOC2DtI
Week 4: Discussion Focus: Inferno 3, 4: The Gates of Hell, Limbo
Reading summaries for weeks 1-4 due during class on September 19
Read:
John Freccero, “Infernal Irony: The Gates of Hell”
http://www.jstor.org/pss/10.2307/2905502?mlt=true
Listen to: New York Mining Disaster: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCRqAzCevsY
California earthquake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfbo071f9_Y
In Limbo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY_DUtRfuqA
Week 5: Discussion Focus: Inferno 5: Francesca and Paolo
Watch:
Roberto Benigni recites Inf. V http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfvQS0B5lYo&feature=related
Listen to: If Loving You is Wrong: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c8cKm4qC9M
Dark End of the Street: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65GfSt75MVc
Me and Mrs Jones: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfr6jmJOGA8
Read:
Donald Maddox, “The Arthurian Intertexts of Inferno V”
http://www.jstor.org/pss/40166598?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DInferno%2B
V%26gw%3Djtx%26prq%3DFrancesca%2BAND%2BPaolo%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc
%3Don&Search=yes
Week 6: Discussion Focus: Inferno 10: Farinata degli Uberti
Read:
Merle Brown, “A reading of Inferno X”
http://www.jstor.org/pss/478226?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DFarinata%26gw
%3Djtx%26prq%3DFarinata%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
Charles Singleton, “Guido’s disdain”
http://www.jstor.org/pss/3042682?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DFarinata%26g
w%3Djtx%26prq%3DFarinata%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
Christopher Kleinhenz “The Land of the Living and the Land of the Dead”
http://www.jstor.org/stable/40059759?&Search=yes&searchText=Kleinhenz&searchText=Christopher&li
st=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DChristopher%2BKleinhenz%26acc%3
Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=5&ttl=673&returnArticleService=showFullText
Listen to: One Tin Soldier: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTBx-hHf4BE
Week 7: Discussion Focus: Inferno 13: Pier della Vigna
Read:
Rinaldina Russell “Ars dialectica and Poetry: The Aristocratic Love Lyric of the Sicilian School”
http://www.jstor.org/stable/4174051?&Search=yes&searchText=School&searchText=Sicilian&list=hide&s
earchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DSicilian%2BSchool%26gw%3Djtx%26acc%3Don
%26prq%3DScuola%2BSiciliana%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&ite
m=17&ttl=5888&returnArticleService=showFullText
Listen to: Don’t Fear the Reaper http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClQcUyhoxTg
Week 8: Discussion Focus: Inferno 15: Brunetto Latini
Reading summaries for weeks 5-8 due during class on October 17
Read:
Richard Kay, “The Sin(s) of Brunetto Latini”
http://www.jstor.org/pss/40166487?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DBrunetto%2
BLatini%26gw%3Djtx%26prq%3DFarinata%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&Search
=yes
Listen to: You Spin Me Right Round: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUatnbaNfEo
Week 9: Discussion Focus: Inferno 19: Simoniac Popes
Listen to: Money, That’s What I Want: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W25_jgiY51I
I Want It All: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfLD-7bCtME
Week 10: Discussion Focus: Inferno 26: Ulysses
Read:
David Thompson, “Dante’s Ulysses and the Allegorical Journey”
http://www.jstor.org/pss/40165987?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DDante%252
C%2BUlysses%26gw%3Djtx%26prq%3DDante%2Badn%2BUlysses%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D2
5%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
Listen to: Calypso: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl7aM3nCqC0
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSv-lKwOQvE
Week 11: Discussion Focus: Inferno 27: Guido da Montefeltro
Read:
Glending Olson, “Inferno 27 and the Perversions of Pentecost”
http://www.jstor.org/stable/40166535?&Search=yes&searchText=Inferno&searchText=34&list=hide&sear
chUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DInferno%2B34%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prev
Search=&item=21&ttl=4262&returnArticleService=showFullText
Listen to: Should I Stay or Should I Go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqH21LEmfbQ
Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzXWkz1IBLQ
Week 12: Discussion Focus: Inferno 33: Ugolino
Reading summaries for weeks 9-12 due during class on November 14
Read:
Ronald B. Herzman, “Cannibalism and Communion in Inferno XXXIII”
http://www.jstor.org/stable/40166287?&Search=yes&searchText=Inferno&searchText=XI&list=hide&sea
rchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DInferno%2BXI%26gw%3Djtx%26acc%3Don%26p
rq%3DDante%2527s%2Bwoods%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bsuicides%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc
%3Don&prevSearch=&item=7&ttl=2372&returnArticleService=showFullText
Listen to: Timothy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGNdvKvbxYQ&feature=related
Week 13: Discussion Focus: Inferno 34: Satan
Listen to: Sympathy for the Devil http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je8MXiwmNIk
Week 14: Discussion Focus: Inferno 34: The Descent / Ascent
Read:
John Freccero, “Infernal Inversion and Christian Conversion (Inferno XXXIV)”
http://www.jstor.org/stable/477152?&Search=yes&searchText=Inferno&searchText=XXXIV&list=hide&s
earchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DInferno%2BXXXIV%26acc%3Don%26wc%3D
on&prevSearch=&item=2&ttl=774&returnArticleService=showFullText
Listen to: The Morning After: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KClpLzFftU
Coming Out of the Dark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzO11KQLskM
Week 15: Discussion Focus: Lasting Impact of the Inferno
Reading summaries for weeks 13-16 due during class on December 7
Read:
René Graziani, “Pieter Bruegel's 'Dulle Griet' and Dante”
http://www.jstor.org/stable/877331?&Search=yes&searchText=1&searchText=Dante&searchText=Canto
&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DDante%2B%2BCanto%2B1%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=21&ttl=31343&returnArticleService
=showFullText
Rudolph Altrocchi, “Michelino's Dante”
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2847829?seq=3&Search=yes&searchText=1&searchText=Dante&searchText=
Canto&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DDante%2B%2BCanto%2B1%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=6&ttl=31343&returnArticleService=
showFullText&resultsServiceName=null