Understanding Dante (William and Katherine Devers Series in Dante and Medieval Italian Literature) - Hardcover

"Scott explains the fundamental ideas we need to comprehend in order to read all of Dante's works, from the poet's fundamental choice between writing in Latin or the vernacular, to his complex and probably varying conception of allegory. Scott's account of these ideas serves as an excellent general introduction to the poet; but it also conveys and renders accessible many of the major scholarly debates about Dante. . . . [His] book gives English-speaking readers the richest and clearest account in any language of Dante's entire oeuvre." --Times Literary Supplement--Times Literary Supplement

Firmly grounded in the latest advances of Dante scholarship, Understanding Dante offers an original and uniquely detailed, global analysis of Dante as poet of the Comedy that will be welcomed by those who read the poem in translation as well as by those who study the original Italian text. At the same time, Scott's book will be welcome for its rich and insightful analysis of the whole corpus of Dante's writings, as well as Scott's mastery of the vast sea of critical literature in various languages. Scott bridges the gap that often exists between Dante studies in English-speaking countries and the great tradition of Dante scholarship in the poet's homeland. No work in English about the great Italian poet can rival Understanding Dante's scope in both depth and breadth of close reading and critical vision.