The Dante Encyclopedia

Abstract

From Library JournalIn the English-speaking world, Dante has the status of a great unknown.His reputation is secure; his Inferno, with its scrupulously organizedtiers of punishment, is a byword and a blessing for satirists andartists; his life and works are the subjects of a steady, enthusiasticstream of secondary literature. Yet the whole of his work is littleunderstood. Few readers ever advance beyond the first portion ofhis mighty poem to its conclusion in Heaven; fewer still ever gaina sufficient understanding of his context, of the nuances of hisresponse to his world, or of the complexity of his approach to style,language, and religious belief. One mark of the incompleteness ofour knowledge is that this immense new reference work on Dante isalmost unprecedented in our language, as Lansing (Italian studies,Brandeis Univ.) points out. This work includes entries on all principalcharacters in the Divina Commedia, as well as on his other writings,the tortured politics of his day, the formative theology of St. ThomasAquinas, translations into English, metrics, and the reputation ofDante in other countries and centuries. Especially valuable are judiciousarticles on hotly debated questions, such as the meaning of Dante'sambiguous Ulysses in the Inferno or the true identity of the Mateldaof the Purgatorio. The back matter contains some marvelous additionalresources, including an exhaustive listing of musical settings ofthe Commedia, and a list of the Popes and Holy Roman Emperors downto Dante's day. Some of the articles are needlessly dry, but on thewhole, this new resource is hard to fault. An indispensable referencework for most libraries, it is an excellent point of entry for readerseager to probe the deeper mysteries of this great genius's work.Highly recommended.DGraham Christian, formerly with Andover-HarvardTheological Lib., Cambridge, MA Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information,Inc.ReviewThis massive but highly readable reference work can be used oftenby educators and general readers alike...it has remarkable consistencyof style, content, and space....This information makes interestingreading. High level of clarity, insight, and sophistication is maintainedthroughout....."-American Reference Books Annual..."a splendid work, highly recommended for all academic librariesconcerned with the humanities." -Choice'...almost unprecedented in our language... An indispensable referencework for most libraries... Highly recommended." -Library Journal(starred review)"Comprehensive and authoritative, offering the reader access to bothDante's personal genius, as well as the time in which he lived....the"Dante Encyclopedia returns real value for the investment. Both seriousDante scholars and undergraduates studying him for the first timewill benefit from this reference. It is an encyclopedia that doesjustice to its subject, and that is saying a lot."-Against the Grain"The premier English-language reference source on Dante.... Comp litwill never be the same."-College and Research Libraries News