Dante's Dido: A Study of Extended Simile in Vergil's Aeneid and Dante's Commedia Open Access

Abstract

Abstract
Dante's Dido: A Study of Extended Simile in Vergil's Aeneid and Dante's Commedia
This project grew out of an interest in defining an aspect of the relationship between
Dante's Commedia and Vergil's Aeneid. I have studied the sequence of extended similes in both
texts that illustrates the relationships between the protagonist and his lover. As I hoped and
anticipated, there is indeed a meaningful pattern in both sets of similes that is linked to the
overall meanings of their respective poems. Furthermore, I would argue that the simile programs
are in communication with one another, i.e. that Dante deliberately corrects Vergil with his own
reading of what love should be. In approaching two texts with such a rich commentary history, I,
of course, could not read more than a portion of potentially relevant work. Nevertheless, as far as
I have been able to ascertain, there is no comparative study of the extended similes describing
the relationship between Aeneas and Dido to that of Dante and Beatrice prior to this one. Both of
these texts have been at the center of scholarly debate: it will be seen that the conclusions of this
study tend to confirm both the pessimistic reading of the Aeneid and the ironic reading of Virgil
and other figures the Inferno and Purgatorio.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................................1
The Aeneid: The Relationship between Aeneas and Dido......................................................7
The Commedia: The Relationship between Dante-pilgrim and Beatrice.............................. 26
Conclusion............................................................................................................................. 52
Bibliography...........................................................................................................................60

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Classics
Degree	BA
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Literature, Classical Literature, Medieval
Keyword	Beatrice Divine Comedy Dante Aeneas Dido Simile Vergil Aeneid
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Perkell, Christine, Emory University
Committee Members	Slater, Niall W, Emory University Ristaino, Christine, Emory University

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