Oxford Handbook of Dante

The Oxford Handbook of Dante is a comprehensive collection of forty-four chapters by a diverse team of scholars from various disciplines, offering a fresh and critical perspective on Dante's works. It challenges the Commedia-centric approach and explores the themes, formation, and sources of Dante's poetry, highlighting the plurality and interpretative openness of his works.

Format: Hardback
Length: 784 pages
Publication date: 25 March 2021
Publisher: Oxford University Press

The Oxford Handbook of Dante is a comprehensive and innovative exploration of Dante's literary masterpiece, comprising forty-four meticulously crafted chapters. This extraordinary volume brings together an interdisciplinary team of scholars from diverse backgrounds, spanning Anglo-American, Italian, and continental scholarship, encompassing a wide range of disciplines such as philology, material culture, history, religion, art history, visual studies, theory from classical to contemporary, queer, post- and de-colonial, and feminist studies. This comprehensive approach ensures a thorough and multifaceted understanding of Dante's oeuvre.

The Handbook delves into the intricate details of Dante's formation, themes, and sources, offering a rigorous reassessment that remains theoretically up-to-date. By focusing on textuality, it presents a fresh and critical perspective on Dante, challenging the traditional Commedia-centric approach. The volume is organized into seven insightful sections: Texts and Textuality, Dialogues, Transforming Knowledge, Space(s) and Places, A Passionate Selfhood, A Non-linear Dante, and Nachleben.

Through these sections, the Handbook explores the interconnectedness of Dante's works, highlighting their non-teleological relationship and challenging the notion of a linear narrative. It emphasizes the plurality and openness of interpretation, recognizing Dante's unique mark as a writer who embraces both diversity and the pursuit of comprehensive mastery.

The Handbook not only offers a captivating glimpse into Dante's world but also provides valuable insights into the current state and future directions of Dante scholarship. It suggests exciting avenues for exploration and highlights the potential for Dante's works to resonate in a global context. By offering a comprehensive and interdisciplinary perspective, this Handbook serves as a valuable resource for scholars, students, and enthusiasts alike, enriching their understanding and appreciation of Dante's extraordinary literary legacy.

Weight: 1522g
Dimension: 183 x 252 x 52 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198820741