Purgatorio, Canto 19 with Dr. Kathy Storm

Dr. Kathy Storm of Whitworth University introduces us to Canto 19 of Dante's Purgatorio.

[PatMcAnn]

Interesting analysis, although I don't agree that Dante is generalizing character traits from the attributes of appearance; I think he dose the opposite by graphically showing that appearances can be deceiving; that the physical appearance does not necessarily reflect the inner being.

[treborketorm]

Thank you Dr. Storm for a fine presentation. It was a good follow-up to Purgatorio Canto 17 with Dr. Brian Williams and Canto 18 with Dr. Steve Boyer and a reminder that when faced with earthly urges we must turn away from excess and concentrate on spiritual matters and to know that what is good and what is evil is essential to doing good and avoiding evil, ever since Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge. God is merciful and so we are given "a priori" knowledge of the difference between good and evil at conception. To deny this is cognitive dissonance which renders us spiritually blind and deaf and mentally conflicted. So now I am looking down in sorrow like Pope Adrian V and staring at my grocery list and recognizing my lust for things of earthly excess and realizing that I must turn away from bagels with cream cheese for the time being and look forward to the bread of Heaven above. Onward and upward ever, downward and backward never!

[kathleenbasil]

Another excellent commentary. Thank you! 10:41

[johndunham]

Dr. Storm's presentation here was mostly well done. The middle point between deficiency of good and excess of bad was a great point. The Pilgrim's dream was a useful and powerful image to use for avarice specifically and disordered goods as a whole.

I believe the feminist overstatement about the temptation from women is quite out of hand and distracts from the Canto's point. As rightly pointed out elsewhere in the comments, Dante's point seems to be the opposite of what you said. The image is a false one and the outward appearance does not reflect what is within. Temptation and sexual/aesthetic desire has always been a serious danger for men to fall into. To see truly and rightly order his perception of the Siren is part of his moral education, is it not? Pure, beautiful women have central roles in the Commedia and Dante is not being unfair. I fear this type of critical theory is reflective of where the classics in academia are heading. Enough already. Only a psychology academic could dream of putting Freud and St. Paul on the same level. Ridiculous.

The grit and suffering of this Canto are truly necessary for the moral growth we are aimed at. We must turn our eyes upon God and rise to the Light!

Thank you, Dr. Storm.

[elizabethbrink]

Thank you Kathy! This was so helpful and gives me a lot to think about.

[frankcahill]

Thank you, Dr. Storm, for your very interesting contribution on Canto 19.

[carolynfouse]

Excellent, clear, and helpful. Thank you.

[patcamerino]

Canto 19: Overcome by the left-over feelings of “accidia” (not caring) of the Fourth Cornice, Dante drifts off to dream of a withered crone who metamorphosizes into a beautiful siren whose song captivates him, until a holy and alert woman appears to challenge Virgil into ripping off the siren’s garments, revealing a body whose stench awakens the poet. His vision foreshadows the next three Terraces of Avarice, Gluttony and Lust, the sins of unfulfilled love. The Angel of Zeal, who overcomes sloth, directs Dante and Virgil towards the next staircase, having wiped off another “P, ” allowing Dante to move faster, since he is no longer encumbered by the sin of sloth. On the crowded Fifth Terrace, they encounter penitents who, with bound legs and arms, lie prone, and are reminded, during their purgation, with the words: “My soul cleaves to the dust.” Their contrapasso contrasts with that of the unrepentant hoarders and spendthrifts who raced in opposite directions around the Forth Circle of Hell. The two pilgrims encounter the soul of Adrian V, who was pope for a mere thirty-eight days, during which he had continued his avaricious life, which he now repents. When Dante attempts to honor this penitent, he is reminded that there is no hierarchy in Purgatory-Paradise; everyone is equally a servant of God.

[tomlabooks]

Nope. Modern feminism should have remained, silently, in the professor’s brain. That comment really lowered the level of this lecture, and skewed everything else. Of course “we can infer someone’s personality from their appearance” if we’re looking at an allegory !! 🙄🙄

[BGV]

I find the images he uses powerful, and don’t take offence that women are used to depict the ugliness of temptation. Temptation is just that- beautiful and alluring, and not until it traps you do you see the true nature of the thing. I don’t read a passage like that and think ugly=terrible human and beautiful=wonderful human. That would be such a simplistic understanding and it’s obvious that he’s just using the images to depict what is going on under the surface.... like when Jesus calls the Pharisees white washed tombs. I’ve always found this a powerful literary device and not exclusive to women (Dorian Grey comes to mind). Other than that, I enjoyed this presentation and I’m so appreciative of these videos. Thank you❤️

[Balz]

TRANSCRIPT OF LECTURE
Dante’s Purgatorio canto 19 opens in the crisp dark hour of the early morning just before dawn. Dante and his guide the poet Virgil are ascending the mountain of purgatory making their way to paradise. Dante is on a journey of learning, of preparation, necessary for entry into the pure realm of heaven.

Now in this canto he stands between the ledges of two vices; on the one hand he is leaving the terrace of sloth, the lack of motivation for seeking good by calling out examples of sloth and contrasting examples of fervor for good people are educated, zeal for good reclaimed and souls made increasingly worthy of heaven. Dante is also at this moment on the cusp of the next ledge the terrace of avarice or greed, the desire for fleeting goods that cannot satisfy.

Here between these two ledges he is located between two misplaced loves, sloth a deficit of love for all that is good and avarice, an excess of love for the banal, the unworthy. Dante stands between over-restraint and lack of restraint in this moment of transition. Dante has a second of his three dreams in Purgatory. As in all dreams, the message is symbolic rather than linear, significance is conveyed through images rather than logic.

Dante’s dream begins with the appearance of a disfigured stammering woman, sickly and deformed. As he gazes upon her, Dante transforms her from an object of distaste to an object of desire. With his eyes fixed on her she is unable to speak, her crooked limbs are straightened her cheeks gain color, now that she has a voice she becomes a siren, a mythological creature who holds allure for Dante.

Just as the siren tempted Ulysses from his intended path with potentially devastating results, now the siren tempts Dante threatening to draw from him his ascent symbolizing greed, gluttony and lust. She represents human urges lying ahead that can so easily morph into vices. But wait, just as a siren finishes speaking a holy lady aware of the danger the siren presents appears beside Dante. The holy lady calls on Virgil, asking him who the siren is. Virgil alerted, rips open the clothing of the siren exposing the horror of her inner corruption and threat. Dante seeing and smelling her revolting true nature is repelled.

At this moment Dante awakens haunted by the sickening image of temptation he has just witnessed. Unsettled, he follows Virgil as they walk now in daylight Dante hears an otherworldly voice, come here is the passage. These words are spoken by an angel whose voice offers comfort. The travelers move on but still Dante is distracted by the disturbing dream from which he has so recently awakened. What is wrong? Virgil asks. My spirit is troubled by the apparition I’ve seen, Dante replies. Let that serve as a lesson to turn from the allure of earthly urges, say Virgil, and to remain focused on what truly matters, on God on the spiritual and eternal.

With renewed energy then, Dante moves forward arriving at the ledge of the fifth vice, avarice. However his view of avarice is deeply troubling. Ahead he sees people lying on the ground weeping. Pausing by one of the souls lying in the dust face down in sorrow Dante asks, who were you on earth and is there something I can do to help you? I was the pope successor to Peter the rock on whom the church was established, comes the startling reply, I succumbed to avarice. Rather than focus on things of God my eyes were turned toward the allure of temporal things. The sanctity of papal office was no protection from guilt, now as punishment I am bound to view those earthly goods that are not reachable.

At that confession Dante kneels out of respect for the papal office, however the people tells him to stand we are all in the end the same the pope says, we are all servants of God. There is much to unpack in Dante’s dream and his journey between sloth and avarice, this canto offers insight into human nature, theology and ethics. However there are also elements of this vision that are troubling. We see the tension between good and evil represented as it has been across centuries by two women. One is holy and wholesome; the other is disfigured, deceptive and dangerous. While using concrete images to symbolize deeper truths is an effective literary plow, there are problems with these images.

Generalizing from appearance to attributes of character is inaccurate at best and destructive at worst. How often have people wrongly assumed that differences of appearance revealed defects of character or capacity? Further, presentation of evil as a seductive siren to easily cast blame for male decisions on temptation by females. This iconic theme repeated since the Garden of Eden has been used to diminish the role and moral status of women across time. Thus of all the power of Dante’s images we should not receive them uncritically.

However these problems do not negate all that is of meaning, let’s consider three main themes; human nature, human progress and human loves. First, what does Dante’s canto 19 reveal about human nature. In his journey through sins, Dante offers a starkly realistic view of human urges. Canto 19, in its position between sloth and avarice comes at an especially interesting moment. We are vulnerable to deficiencies, we are vulnerable to excesses. We can describe these tendencies theologically as sins of omission and commission. We can also describe these inclinations psychologically as Freudian drives toward pleasure and toward quiescence. These dual urges, part of human nature, morph easily into vices.

Next Dante’s contrast between two women, one representing temptation and the other saintly caution is a reflection of our own inner conflict. This tension between urges I captured by Plato, Freud and even Paul, “I do not do what I want”. And in one last insight into human nature, how interesting it is when it Dante’s dream the woman on who he gazes is transformed into an object of desire. We are vulnerable to projecting our longings idealizing that for which we yearn. All of these important insights into human nature are captured in a single canto. We are vulnerable to distortion, we are vulnerable to access and deficiency, we are all broken as indicated movingly by the pope and Dante’s poem, we are all in the end the same.

Second, what do we learn from Dante about moral progress? Dante’s ascent through purgatory is a story of penitence, of learning and ultimately of hope. Education is key to know the good, for Dante as for Plato seems essential for doing the good. However in Dante’s vision progress is not just a function of rational insight but of practice in Aristotelian fashion. The value of habit is also central to purification. Modern psychological science bears witness to the power of practice in shaping behavior and affect. Dante’s insight into human improvement is prescient.

So far the Purgatorio’s picture of moral progress is practical and hopeful. However we can’t overlook suffering which also plays a pivotal role. In canto 19 the image of the pope lying face down in the dust in sorry, forced to confront the futility of earthly goods beyond reach is poignant. Suffering is central to the journey forward.

Third, what do we learn about human loves through Dante? Canto 19 speaks to our affections. In sloth we see the danger of love for good that is too tepid, too half-hearted. Moral clarity requires loves for all that is good, especially for God. On the other hand in avarice we see the danger of excessive love for things that are fleeting and cannot satisfy. The seduction of power, the allure of pleasures, these objects are temporal and futile. Like Augustine, Dante is pointing to the importance of ordered love, of love for the divine above all else. This is the only realm worthy of our highest devotion.

Dante’s canto 19 is rich in meaning. This canto convicts us of all that absorbs our attention that distracts and disappoints. It is a mirror pointing to our conflicting motives even in pursuit of good. It is a call to fix our sights on God, to remain clear-eyed about what matters most.

Canto 19, despite the picture of human frailty and vulnerability ends on a hopeful note and with a call to action: straighten your legs, rise from error, Dante enjoins us, there is light up ahead.

Thanks for the lecture, I hope this transcript helps others out in the spirit of the 100 days project.

[kidsNeverDullMoment]

Thank you for your critical viewing of this canto as another literary piece of women being the temptation or saving of men.

[eliezersalazar]

It’s puzzling to see someone so well-studied miss the point and waste time on an otherwise great review of the canto on a non-issue. Dr. Storm must also have an issue with the Bible (ex.: Galatians 4:22-27). But what about men? Doesn’t the Bible also speak of the first Adam negatively and of the second Adam positively or in a generalizing manner? Does Dr. Storm seriously think Dante was trying to lump all women into a category by using two women to make a point? A little study of lyrical medieval poetry might correct and put to rest her concern. Far from leaving men off the hook, Dante shows men time after time in the Inferno alone being justly punished. Why isn’t her criticism also directed there?

[pamelawhitham]

It diminishes not the poetic and spiritual journey Dante has bequeathed us to acknowledge our changes in understanding over the last 700 years. Dante was writing for men, and the image of the ugly temptress disguised as female beauty served well. It does not sit so well today, when it is clear that, in reality, ugliness and deceit disguised as good and tempting us to be satisfied with glossy emptiness is more often the work of men than women. (And angels are more often found in the form of women than men.) We can still gain everything this metaphor has to offer while acknowledging the slight discomfort this imagery evokes in many of us. And I thank Dr Storm for acknowledging this, and for her commentary on the underlying truth of this Canto.

[thant]

I think the presenter failed to show the significance in the second dream as she put it on 6:00, and will have trouble to interpret Dante's last dream as well, who is related to Jacob's second wife Rachel sitting beside Beatrice in heaven.
Actually not too many people can interpret this dream which is sit at the center of the whole divine comedy, it's related to lust or love, the journey starts with inferno 5 Francesca story, passionate love, woman's is the passion itself, the one exalted by passion, and the man is the instrument of passion (as Wallace Fowlie mentioned in his inferno notes page 48), Wallace also mentioned that not use Paolo to speak the story too btw. Descend to the center of the hell (pride), ascend as the worms (canto 10 pride, in purgatorio), and end to the firewall in purgatorio before enter earthly paradise. The firewall represents to purify the lust. The dream signals the transition to the last realm or firewall, to purify your own desire (lust) as the last step.
I always contemplating on my Buddhism master's saying, "human being is born from desire(lust), and dead to desire", the devine comedy manifest like that at least to me.

[AmeliaDíaz-lk]

Believe it or not, avarice or greed pops all pockets!

[laurahirschfeld]

Thank you so much for bringing out the problematic nature of the images of stammering and physical deformity as being evil, along with the images of women as temptresses. I see other commenters don't see a problem with it, but I agree with you that people have equated beautiful women, physical deformity or differences with evil or things to be afraid of for generations, and it needs to be discussed. I really appreciate your highlighting this topic.

[pilarmeola]

Thank you Dr Storm,

I appreciate your comment about women being the representation of good and evil. Leaving men off the hook for their errors.

[lawrenceblume]

Dr. Storm: I think you presentation was very enlightening. Thank you. However, you lost me on your feminist take on the Siren . I think Dante, by showing the 2 transformations of the Siren, is making the opposite point. Also, I do not read Genesis 3 as the woman tempting the man, but as both being drawn by the fruit "being a delight to the eyes" and by the mendacity of the devil. 
Finally your quote of St Paul on the problem of evil was well placed, but to paraphrase Tetullian, what has Freud to do with Paul?