This week we are reading Augustine, from the introduction beginning on page 763 through page 780, which features excerpts from Confessions, one of the earliest and most famous spiritual autobiographies ever written.
1. Select three facts from the introduction that you find important to help contextualize his identity as Christian (his religion), African (his birthplace) and subject of the Roman Empire (his national identity). Why did you select these and what do they tell you about the world and person of Augustine? (250 words)
2. On Page 769, in Book I, regarding Childhood, Augustine references Dido and Aeneas. What imagery, diction and repetition does Augustine use to reference Virgil? What comparisons between the author’s life and a famous piece of literature are being drawn? What leads Augustine to write “This is wrong, this is wrong!”? (250 words)
3. Famously, on page 770-771, Augustine retells the story of being a young socialized man and stealing a pear from a pear tree in Book II. Look closely at the imagery, diction and repetition here. How can you compare the values of Augustine’s actions and his later conscience to Laozi and/or the Gospel of Matthew? (250 words)
4. In Pages 776-780, we hear about two types of love: the “earthly love” of Augustine’s wife, followed by (in Book VIII) his “conversion” to the spiritual love of Christianity. Remember when we read Sappho, we looked at patterns of triangular desire (person, beloved, someone else). In both of Augustine’s loves, do you see this triangular relationship? Do you recognize any imagery or diction that we have seen in Sappho, in Matthew? (250 words)
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For homework, due April 14th, please read the first ten cantos of Dante’s Inferno in your textbook, from pages 930 to 973. Complete the following questions and due two annotations drawn from your reading:
1. Define the following names and terms from the introduction (page 925-929):
symbolism
Dante
The Divine Comedy
Florence
Brunetto Latini
Guido Cavalcanti
Holy Roman Empire
The Guelphs
The Ghibelines
Black Guelphs, White Guelphs
Commedia
Hell
Purgatory
Heaven
Virgil
Beatrice
Nine Circles of Hell
terza rima
2. In Canto I of Inferno, Dante comes across three animals: a leopard, lion and she-wolf. What imagery and diction does Dante use to describe each of them? Based off of this information, what might they symbolize? Use specific examples. (100 words)
3. What allusions can you find in the first ten cantos to our prior readings this semester: Homer, Sappho, Virgil, the Gospels? Try to find 2-3 references to the characters, places and/or imagery of these works and list the specific phrases and line references (canto and line number). What do you think their significance means in Dante’s context?
4. Dante continually speaks of Love as the supreme ruler of Heaven, Hell and Purgatory. Compare and contrast the different types of love, romantic, spiritual, sexual, friendly and familial that you find with particular attention paid to Cantos I, II, and V. Pay attention to imagery, diction, repetition, and your choice of paradox, allusion or symbolism. (500 words)