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Guelph vs. Ghibelline: A Free Crash Course in the Political War Behind the Commedia

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Guelph vs. Ghibelline: A Free Crash Course in the Political War Behind the Commedia

Here’s a secret about Dante’s Commedia: half the people he torments in Hell or praises in Paradise are there because of a political war most English readers have never heard of. Understanding Guelphs versus Ghibellines unlocks dozens of passages that otherwise feel baffling. This wasn’t ancient history to Dante—it was his life. It destroyed his … Read more

Farinata degli Uberti: The Ghibelline Hero Dante Put in Hell But Couldnt Stop Admiring

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Farinata degli Uberti: The Ghibelline Hero Dante Put in Hell But Couldnt Stop Admiring

Lucy Bamboo explores Canto X’s greatest marvel: a political enemy rendered with unmistakable admiration, rising from his tomb in Hell as if the place itself were beneath him. The Heretic in His Tomb Dante descends into the sixth circle of Hell—the circle of heresy—and encounters something unforgettable. Flaming open tombs stretch across a landscape of … Read more