This paper caters to those with an interest in Dante's Comedy, above all its English-language translations. Week 1 offers background discussion on vernacularity and translation in Dante’s own time, the bilingual reception contexts in which he fashioned his Comedy and how the poem was first translated. We will also discuss how Dante conceived of his own vernacular in relation to Latin, how he ‘translated’ materials into his poem and how he viewed the translation of poetry. Subsequent weeks - the majority of the paper - explore the rise of English-language translations of his poem from the late eighteenth century to today, examining their features, strategies and their own reception, literary, and publishing contexts. Sessions will also involve discussion and comparison of a wide range of English-language translations.

Languages: Italian