WIXLIB

Teaching the Inferno inWisconsin:A Guide for Educators2006-2007 Great World Texts Programof the Center for the HumanitiesPrepared by: Alice Astarita and Matteo Soranzo320 University Club, 432 East Campus Mall, Madison, WI t/about-gwt  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

CloseReading?.351Teaching  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

HowtoUsethisGuideA  note  on  context:  Reading  Across  Tim e  and  SpaceDante’s  Inferno  is  a  work  of  fiction.  While  its  sociocultural  and  geopolitical  contexts  areintegral  to  its  impact,  and  to  our  critical  reflections  on  the  texts,  it  is  important  to  rememberthat  this  is  a  work  of  literature  and  not  a  historical  document.  While  literature  can  help  usteach  culture,  history,  psychology,  current  affairs,  and  so  on,  no  one  text  can  bear  the  burdenof  representing  an  entire  nation,  culture,  or  people.How  to  Use  this  GuideThe  material  in  this  guide  is  intended  to  provide  much  of  what  you  will  need  to  teach  thenovel  and  its  context.    We  believe  that  the  historical  and  cultural  background  is  necessary  tounderstanding  the  novel,  its  characters,  and  their  decisions,  but  we  encourage  you  to  teachthe  novel  thematically,  and  tie  it  into  other  disciplinary  issues  and  regular  features  of  yourcore  curriculum  wherever  possible.Readings,  reviews  and  handouts:    The  reviews  and  readings  in  the  guide  are  intended  forteachers,  but  some  of  them  may  also  work  well  as  student  handouts.    These  include  readingsthat  provide  further  background  information  for  instructors  as  well  as  a  variety  of  materials(especially  from  the  internet)  that  might  aid  instructors  in  creating  handouts,  for  example.You  are  encouraged,  where  possible,  to  use  the  materials  in  this  guide  as  handouts  for  yourstudents.Lesson  plans  and  suggestions  for  discussion:    The  lesson  plans  and  activities  provided  in  thisguide  are  designed  to  allow  you  the  opportunity  to  tailor  the  way  you  teach  the  text  to  yourown  course,  time  constraints,  interests,  and  goals.    The  individual  units  could  be  taught  overone  or  several  days  or  weeks,  and  you  can  mix  and  match  ideas  from  the  various  sections  tocreate  your  own  syllabus.Focused  Reading:  Although  the  guide  assumes  that  one  has  read  the  entire  novel,  most  unitsinclude  specific  passages  for  a  focused  reading—an  area  of  the  text  from  which  the  majorideas  and  themes  of  that  unit  are  drawn  and  which  can  serve  as  an  example  of  the  majorconcepts  discussed.Close  Reading  StrategiesMost  of  the  lesson  plans  include  focused  readings,  which  are  passages  from  the  novel  thatillustrate  a  certain  theme  or  idea  for  that  particular  unit.    During  discussion  and  forassignments,  students  should  be  encouraged  to  support  their  interpretations  with  evidencefrom  the  text.    Close  reading  lends  itself  well  to  group  work  and  to  small- ‐group  discussions,and  is  an  excellent  way  for  students  to  learn  both  critical  thinking  and  analysis  skills  as  theymake  connections,  use  evidence  to  support  their  views,  and  discuss  the  impact  of  variousliterary  techniques.    For  close  reading  to  work  successfully,  it’s  important  that  the  teacher2Teaching  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

always  remind  the  students  to  point  to  the  passage/line/occurrence  that  supports  theirposition  as  they  share  their  ideas.    Close  reading  teaches  students  the  difference  between“opinion”  or  “personal  reaction”  and  “analysis.”    It  also  helps  teach  students  to  assess  thetexts  of  its  own  merits,  and  avoid  essentializing  the  cultural  components  of  the  text  orstereotyping  based  on  generalizations.Reading  a  portion  of  text  out  loud  as  a  class  or  small  group,  followed  by  group  analysis,  canbe  an  excellent  way  to  develop  close  reading  skills  in  the  classroom.The  guide  also  includes  a  handout  on  close  reading  that  we  encourage  you  to  use  in  yourclasses.For  Further  Inform ationIf  you  have  any  questions  about  this  guide,  or  would  like  additional  information  on  any  of  thematerials  here,  please  contact  the  Great  World  Texts  coordinator  atgreattexts@humanities.wisc.edu.3Teaching  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

ation- ‐- isitssubject?Themetricalscheme- ‐- ‐terzarima"thirdrhyme"- ‐- iterarytradition- ‐- alarchetypal/typological4Teaching  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

teron- dethegreatrefusal"(vv.59- mula"Vuolsicosì."("Itissowilled.")(vv.95- ‐96)5Teaching  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

TheVirgiliansubtext(AeneidVI,309- etree(vv.112- 2- aching  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

dusaThecrucialtercet:vv.61- fElijah- ‐- ‐ascentandapotheosis- ‐- ofthecantoandFortunatus'shymnThearch- ng  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

Luciferasthe"Anti- dthepassagefromHelltoPurgatory8Teaching  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

roductoryDiscussionSuggestedprompts Whatdoyoumeanwhenyousay“MiddleAges?” Whatdoes“MiddleAges”makeyouthinkabout? dleAges? Wheredidpeoplelive?How? Whatdoes“inferno”mean? Whatishell?Whogoestohell?Why?Whobelievesthat? WhatdoyouthinkamedievalbookentitledInfernoisabout? Whatdoyouthinkthestoryisabout? toread? DoesanyoneknowwhoDantewas? ressthefollowingquestions:AbouttheAuthorandhisTime ? tydidDantebelongto? ? hatwashisoccupation? WheredidDantegowhenhewasexiled? g  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

AboutthebookentitledTheDivineComedy Whatistheoriginaltitleofthebook? tos(songs)doestheInfernocontain? Howmanycantosdotheothercanticlesinclude? Whereistheoriginalmanuscript?Wastheworkwell- ‐knowninDante’slifetime?In- heletter.Pre- CanGrandedellaScala 0Teaching  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

deservingofrewardorpunishmentbyjustice.Mini- wmanycanticlesdoesthetextinclude?a) 100b) 34c) manyd) onsin- ‐Madisond)LocationUnknownWastheworkwell- rice?a)Dante’swife11Teaching  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

wersingroupsof2ormore.HomeworkAssignmentI ltorparticularlywonderful. nt. Write2- ‐3sentencesforeach. ondshouldtheyguess!12Teaching  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

prompts Whichones? Whatarethefeaturesofanautobiography?[first- ‐personnarrative,pictures,etc.] ivatestoryofapublicevent,etc.] l/written,nativelanguage/adoptedlanguage] out?How? ksupanautobiographys/heentersintothatpact. scriptions(Unit1Homework).]Close- racticeinclass.Here,wesuggestorganizingtheclose- organizedin“pre- erstandingofthetext,and“post- eaching  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

Canto1CloseReadingQuestionsPre- 1- didhearriveinthewood?6,13- ‐14,19,21,28,588- ‐97.Whatdoeshecomparehimselfto?22- ‐2410- ‐12Post- /WhatdoesDanteLeopard:31- - ‐48beastsandofVirgil.She- ‐wolf:49- ‐54Whatisallegory?HowdoesitVirgil:61- .WhathappenstoDante34- ‐36,44- ‐48,49,54,61- ters?toa“trueman”?10.HowdoesDantetellus37- Virgilfrom?68- - ‐72when?14.WhatwasVirgil’s73,79- ‐80profession?15.WhatdoesVirgilask76- ‐78Dante?16.WhattonedoesDante79- ?17.WhatadvicedoesVirgil92- ‐99;112- ‐12014Teaching  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

und101- ‐105106- ‐108106- 109- ‐111WhymustItalybesaved?121- ‐123Whoisthiswoman?124- birthdatetothedatesofChrist.71- ‐72,125,131,25.WhydoesDantewishto130- lingedition.OtherReadings/Activities/Games1. Whatisterzarima?(SeeDurlingpages20- ‐23.)Afterresearchingterzarima,trywriting6- 2. istoshowthateveryonecanbeapoet.15Teaching  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System

ching  the  Inferno  in  WisconsinGreat  World  Texts:  A  Program  of  the  Center  for  the  Humanities,  University  of  Wisconsin- ‐Madison  2014  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  System