The Figure of Beatrice: A Study in DanteBoydell & Brewer Ltd, 1994 - 236 pages Dante is unequalled among poets in conveying an extraordinary intensity of thought and experience, but this very power may make his work seem formidable to approach. Charles Williams's Figure of Beatriceis outstanding amongst Dante scholarship and criticism for the sympathetic enthusiasm and clarity with which he eases that approach without simplifying the achievement in a highly personal introduction to Dante's work. The first half of the book traces the way in which the central image of Beatrice, representing transcendent beauty in feminine form, animates Dante's earlier works. The second half richly expounds The Divine Comedy, meditating on its significance in Dantesque terms. Williams foreshadows the valuable modern emphasis on Dante as philosopher-poet; he also touches on many later concerns in Dante criticism, including ambiguities of language, the inherent self-contradiction of all powerful discourse, and the place of the feminine. The Figure of Beatrice is also a moving and poetic work in its own rightCHARLES WILLIAMS(1886-1945) is known to many as a prolific and unusual playwright, novelist and critic; his poetic works include Taliessin through Logres' and The Region of the Summer Stars'. |
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Common terms and phrases
Aeneid Affirmation amore angel appearance arch-natural Aristotle Beatrician beauty become beginning blessed Boethius Cacciaguida called canzone centre Christ Church circle City co-inherence Commedia contemplation Convivio courtesy Dante Alighieri Dante says Dante's death of Beatrice defined delight desire divine dream earth Emperor eternal evil eyes flesh Florence Florentine forest function Geryon girl glory God-bearer Grande della Scala heaven heavenly hell holy human humility imagination Inferno intellect intelletto justice kind lady Leopard liberty and power light look Lord lovers Malebolge marriage means mind Monarchia moral moves nature nobility noble once Paradiso passion perfection perhaps Peter Damian philosophy phrase poem poetic poetry poets Pope proper Purgatory quality of love Rejection Romantic romantic love romanticism salutation seems seen sense smile soul speaks spirit stars Statius stupor terrace Thaïs things thought tion treachery true turned verse Virgil virtue vision Vita voice whole woman word Wordsworth young