Dante is one of the most outstanding artists of all time. Thanks to his most famous work, The Divine Comedy, it can be argued that the writer has a special attitude towards the role of poetry in the life of society. First of all, it is worth noting that this masterpiece refers the reader either to the day of judgment, to hell, or to painting and artists. The fact is that Dante uses a huge number of images and allegories in conjunction with religious motifs, which makes the reader feel directly part of the work. It begins to seem that this is not a book, but a separate world, with which it is necessary to get acquainted and visit it directly. For example, “The water thou seest does not spring from a vein which is restored by a vapor that cold condenses…” (Alighieri, 2003, p. 371). Interestingly, Dante’s implementation of such a plan is significantly different from the classical one. The introduction of the reader into the thick of things is done by several methods at once, without emphasizing only one.
Thus, Dante creates a completely new approach to poetry and art in the life of society. He manifests this sphere as something that carries a complex message, such as diverting an individual from reality and conveying simple truths. In other words, Dante destroys the role of art as entertainment, showing its seriousness and influence. “Twelve hundred and sixty-six years yesterday, five hours late, had flown since there was no road here” (Alighieri, 2003, p. 807). The words of the demon in the eighth circle are striking in their accuracy. On the one hand, Dante and Virgil do not need to know the time of the destruction of the bridge so painstakingly since it does not make sense. On the other hand, precisely these details add realism and destroy the fourth wall of the script. The reader begins to realize that in work, there is time that goes forward. Thus, we must treat Dante as a revolutionary in the field of art, as a writer who created separate worlds.
Reference
Alighieri, D. (2003). The Divine Comedy. Penguin Publishing Group.