Dante's Divine Comedy in Early Renaissance England: The Collision of Two Worlds

Dante's Divine Comedy in Early Renaissance England explores the comparison of Dante's 13th-century Florence with a group of English intellectuals gathered around Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester. It highlights the Renaissance in 15th-century England, encouraged by the discovery and translations of Greek philosophers and developments in science and medicine. It also emphasizes the importance of vernacular writers in Gloucesters circle, such as John Lydgate and Robert Hoccleve, in exploring the meaning of the self and man's relationship with the natural world and the classical past. However, the appearance of Dante's Commedia in 15th-century England serves as a reminder of the cost of intellectual enquiry, including the loss of faith in a harmonious and beautiful world, the redemptive power of love, and the tangible presence of an afterlife.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 440 pages
Publication date: 24 February 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Dante's Divine Comedy in Early Renaissance England explores the profound connections between Dante's intellectual, emotional, and religious world in 13th-century Florence and a group of English intellectuals gathered around Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, uncle of the King, Henry VI. In his groundbreaking work, Jonathan Hughes establishes that there was indeed a Renaissance in 15th-century England, fueled by the discovery and translations of works of Greek philosophers and advancements in science and medicine. Moreover, he highlights the crucial role of vernacular writers in Gloucester's circle, such as John Lydgate and Robert Hoccleve, in delving into the essence of the self and the complex relationship between man and the natural world, as well as the classical past.

However, the appearance of Dante's Commedia in 15th-century England served as a poignant reminder of the profound costs associated with intellectual inquiry. It brought to light the loss of faith in a harmonious and beautiful world, the redemptive power of love, and the tangible presence of an afterlife. Written with engaging prose and meticulous research, this innovative study offers a fresh perspective on Dante scholarship while providing a unique analysis of intellectual thought and culture in 15th-century England.

Weight: 670g
Dimension: 158 x 234 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350146273