Flak Magazine: Review of Dante, 7.12.01

There's already a river of literature on the man, fed by streams and tributaries of historical, political, literary, financial and biographical data. At first glance, Dante the man is almost completely subsumed and submerged by the complicated times in which he lived.

To succeed as his biographer, you must:

1. Humanize a man dead for more than 600 years,

2. Contextualize a deeply nuanced and gigantic hunk of poetry, and

3. Untangle and explain a byzantine web of Papal politics and Florentine intrigue.

"Dante," by Professor R. W. B. Lewis of Yale, is a mere wisp of a book at around 200 snack-sized little pages. But in a pile of characters equivalent to most Dante biographers catching their breath, Lewis manages to paint a clear and engaging picture of one of humanity's greatest writers.

Lewis paints a compelling portrait of the man who built a vast poetic universe from the bedrock of Christian theology, the sticky muck of Florentine politics and the depths of his own rich imagination. "The Divine Comedy" is the product of a robust life; Dante's youthful battlefield exploits, distinguished political career, multiple loves and eventual exile are all clearly laid out. After reading "Dante," a lay reader will know the landmarks in Dante's world.

These include the paternal figures who inspired him (including Virgil, the long-dead author of the "Aeneid," and writer/statesman Brunetto Latini), Beatrice Portinari, the love of Dante's life, and the city of Florence. Lewis is particularly good at characterizing Florence, the explosively dynamic and fascinating city that shaped and dominated Dante's worldview.

Like any good academic, Lewis is scrupulous about labeling, interpreting and qualifying his sources, even those as dignified as Boccaccio, author of The Decameron and Dante's first biographer. And like any author working under the noble "Penguin Lives" imprint, Lewis cuts to the quick with simple, clear language and a lively sense of pacing and perspective.

Of course, not all readers will be satisfied by "Dante"; with only 200 pages, Lewis necessarily leaves many paths unexplored, or briefly surveyed. But the work accomplished by this little volume is still impressive; Lewis admirably traces the immense impact Dante's work has had on later writers (up to and including modern writers like T.S. Eliot and Robert Penn Warren), and gives readers a blow-by-blow tour through all three sections of "The Divine Comedy."

For anyone who has read and been impressed by Dante's writing (or even just the "Inferno," his most popular work), "Dante" is a terrific resource. It's a razor-sharp and fascinating introduction to a grand literary life, and should serve as an invaluable guidepost for those wanting to learn more.

— James Norton (jim@flakmag.com)