Inferno, Canto 8 with Dr. Theresa Kenney

[@1987Barista]

They are knocking this out of the park! I hope this is the beginning of many similar reading groups to come. Thank you so much to all who are making this possible!

[@GannWM]

Absolutely agree. This is the highlight of my week getting these in my inbox Monday Wednesday and Friday. And I love having different scholars of Dante for each canto. It's just wonderful to realize how many people love Dante's works so much that they have devoted so much of their lives to studying it and in many cases even learning Italian. Really fantastic.

[@torifreeman993]

I agree! It makes the reading the text so much richer and meaningful, and I would love to see this continued with other works in the future.

[@bakebr]

“Reason unassisted cannot deal with the evil that lies within.” What a brilliant statement! Great way to finish this lecture!

[@KenMarteney]

I couldn't process the rabid fire of information at normal speed so I went into settings and slowed down the playback speed to 0.75. It helped immensely.

[@pjhammond494168]

I agree. I slowed down the speed too

[@bej5000]

I trust you meant rapid and not rabid.

[@pjhammond494168]

Oh, yes, oops! I meant rapid

[@donab70]

Thanks for the tip about playback speed. I am hard of hearing, and I had missed a lot the first time round.

[@KenMarteney]

@@bej5000 lol I meant rapid.

[@tali1500]

"reason unassisted cannot deal with the evil that lies within". That was excellent and thought provoking, thank you Dr Kenney!

[@elizabethbrink3761]

Thank you so much! This brought out so many threads in this canto.

[@sandrastreetman731]

I, too, was having a hard time keeping up with the rapid speed of the video. I relied somewhat on the CC and paused it from time to time to keep up. So, thank you very much for the tip on the playback speed. I didn't think of that.

[@robertochavez4516]

I thank you for helping me understand this amazing piece of work.

[@slolar1]

There is FANTASTIC information in Dr. Kenney's lecture. It ended up being one of my favorite lectured so far and were I learned ALOT. However, she speaks too fast. Maybe she had a LOT to say and was only given a short period to say it? Not sure...But I slowed down to 0.75 and it's an excellent lecture. I found she connected Canto * a LOT with previous cantos. And I had NEVER thought about Dante as being "incontinent" when pushing Argenti off the boat...It fits the narrative of Dante and the story so much better.

[@kimkirby415]

Thank you, Dr. Kenney, for an excellent presentation.

[@casimirkukielka3842]

Great insight into canto 8, great video

[@bej5000]

I find it disheartening to read comments that amount to personal bashing of the professors. I certainly think it may be okay to comment on elements of delivery, for example that this presenter may speak too quickly for one's comfort (although I didn't find it so). I recall I commented that one presenter seemed to swallow his words at times, so I couldn't hear him distinctly at times. I certainly think it may be okay to comment on content as well, but that could take the form of saying what one would have liked to have seen, rather than out and out bashing the professor for what he or she chose to deliver. Anyway, I gathered some insightful comments from the lecture. I had noticed that in my translation Dante referred to Virgil as "father" which gave me pause when I read it. Dr. Kenney mentions the increasingly paternal nature of the relationship, i.e. Dante seeing Virgil as parental figure.

[@the_Falcon_fall]

Sure, Dante calls him "Dolce Padre" (like dear father).

[@patcamerino5456]

Canto 8: Dante and Virgil continue walking through the marshlands called Styx. In the distance, they see the watch-fire from signaling towers, not unlike the one Tolkien envisioned in Mordor for Sauron’s use. The Angry and the Sullen continue their struggles at varying levels within the swamp, depending upon the weight of their individual sins. The travelers are met by Phlegya, who reluctantly grants them passage on his skiff to reach the City of Dis. During their crossing, they encounter the shade of Fillipo Argenti, one of Dante’s former political enemies. Rather than pity, Dante desires extra punishment for their continuing vendetta. Other angry shades oblige him. Like many people, Dante still has a way to go before he would be able to forgive those who had offended him. The Fallen Angels the pilgrims meet continue in their own unrest, demanding Dante go back the way he came, even without Virgil. These denizens are not moved by the reasons Virgil offers for Dante’s safe passage. The Sojourners must wait until a greater messenger arrives to convince Lucifer’s Angels that Dante may continue the pilgrimage undertaken at St Lucy’s direction. Fallen light must yield to risen light.

[@pjhammond494168]

I also thought of the tower in Mordor as I was reading this, and was surprised Dr Theresa didn't mention it.

[@jennifermelton9598]

@@pjhammond494168 Maybe she did, but said it so fast you didn’t catch it. 🤣 Oh well, nobody bats 1000

[@csapienza001]

@@pjhammond494168 Even though other scholars have already mentioned Lord of the Rings (and Harry Potter!) it doesn't make sense in explaining Dante, as those weren't influences on the Commedia.

[@pjhammond494168]

@@csapienza001 thank you. Yes, I understand that, but Dante was probably a great influence on Tolkien, whose writings (and film spin-offs) have been a massive influence in recent years.

[@patcamerino5456]

@@csapienza001 Perhaps not, but it does indicate either how Dante has influenced "modern" scholars or how certain symbols are universal throughout all ages.

[@stevewalter1670]

Definitely recommend slowing down the video under settings to 0.75 speed. Excellent analysis once I understood everything !

[@helen7438]

Can we start a conversation about personal vengeance? My reading of Canto 8 revealed Dante's desire to see his enemy brutally tortured. Is this something that was rife in Dante's time but we have turned away from as a society? I am not perfect, but I literally have no desire to see terrible things happen to people who have wronged me or others. Maybe a stint in jail where they can't hurt anyone else, and I am personally not opposed to the death penalty when humanely carried out and as a matter of justice, but brutal torture? No, I have no desire for that for anybody. Has human nature changed (unlikely)? Thoughts?

[@jodyvandiver5407]

Mine had notes saying in effect, if justice is a characteristic of God, then we should hunger for it, passionately with all our bodily might. The language here being one to stir the reader. It would be fierce, but not cruel, such as the reader is innocent enough to see things set right ( as children who love justice because they are innocent, as opposed to adults who love mercy). She briefly referenced what I thought Dante the pilgrim being to soft on the lovers, now sanctified in his maturity of seeing things as God does. It does hurt our modern days ears. I completely hear what you’re saying. Love must be just.

[@RS-zh4gn]

Great content, but too fast and the editing was too choppy!

[@linvillelr]

Great content, editing is distracting.

[@philryan3540]

Would be nice if she slowed down!

[@VoltismProductions]

Funnily enough I actually followed better because of the increased speed, looks like I'm in the minority on that though.

[@bej5000]

I was fine with it also.

[@treborketorm]

Less than optimal presentation. Disappointing.

[@jennifermelton9598]

Glad she was never one of my professors. She talks too fast and doesn’t seem to be aware. Let Canto 6 guy do them all

[@csapienza001]

lol! yes he was good. But she's good too. Try slowing down the video in settings.

[@alitaqwa8501]

Watch ,,.,THE LADY OF HEAVEN Movie trailer 🎬👌,,, and thank you