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The individual insights employed in this reading of the Purgatorio are those of a twentieth-century mind, as are the author's references: T. S. Eliot, Henry James, I.A. Richards, Jacques Maritain, and many others. Purposely avoiding the pitfalls of Dantean scholarship, Mr. Fergusson reveals the drama of the order of Dante’s vision, the developed form of the poetry, and the meaning of the canticle for modern man. "The Purgatorio," he says, “has light to shed upon history and its making; upon psychology, ethics, and education; upon politics and the transmission of our tradition. There are many reasons for learning to read it; it is a central clue.” This brilliantly written book by the author of The Idea of a Theater is itself a central clue to the meaning of the Purgatorio.

Originally published in 1953.

The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Table of Contents

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  1. Cover
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  1. Title Page, Copyright
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  1. Foreword
  2. pp. v-vi
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  1. A Note on the Translations in the Text
  2. p. vii
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  1. Contents
  2. pp. ix-x
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  1. Part 1. The Pathos of Earth (The First Day: Cantos I-IX)
  1. 1. The Metaphor of the Journey
  2. pp. 3-13
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  1. 2. Before Understanding
  2. pp. 14-21
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  1. 3. The Fine Veil of Poetry
  2. pp. 22-29
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  1. 4. Canto IX: The Prophetic First Night
  2. pp. 30-41
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  1. 5. On the Dramatic Coherence of the Canto
  2. pp. 42-46
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  1. Part 2. The Ancient Path to Self-Knowledge (The Second Day: Cantos X-XVIII)
  1. 6. Virgil's Guidance
  2. pp. 49-52
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  1. 7. The Pattern of Liberation
  2. pp. 53-62
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  1. 8. Canto XV: The Light of the Mind
  2. pp. 63-68
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  1. 9. Canto XVI: Reason in Darkness
  2. pp. 69-79
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  1. 10. Canto XVII: The Analogous Forms of Human Loves
  2. pp. 80-87
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  1. 11. Canto XVIII: The Fruit of Philosophy
  2. pp. 88-98
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  1. 12. On Interpreting Virgil
  2. pp. 99-104
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  1. Part 3. The Pilgrim Against Time (The Third Day: Cantos XIX-XXVII)
  1. 13. The New Thirst
  2. pp. 107-114
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  1. 14. Canto XXI: A Ghostly Scene of Recognition
  2. pp. 115-124
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  1. 15. The New Life of History
  2. pp. 125-134
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  1. 16. The Fragrant Trees: Paradoxes of Human Nourishment
  2. pp. 135-142
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  1. 17. Canto XXV: The Perilous Passage
  2. pp. 143-150
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  1. 18: The Dolce Stil Nuovo
  2. pp. 151-160
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  1. 19. Canto XXVII: Love's Sacrifice
  2. pp. 161-172
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  1. Part 4. Time Redeemed (The Morning of the Fourth Day: Cantos XXVIII-XXXIII)
  1. 20. The Developed Form of the Purgatorio
  2. pp. 175-182
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  1. 21. Beatrice: Center of the Allegory
  2. pp. 183-193
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  1. 22. The Poetry of the End of the Earthly Journey
  2. pp. 194-203
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  1. 23. Matelda: The Letter for the Spirit
  2. pp. 204-216
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  1. Notes
  2. pp. 217-232
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