La Vita Nuova

16 Pages·2015·0.39 MB·English

Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences 12 (2015 8) 2875-2890
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УДК 81.733
The Way to God as the Way to Love in Dante Alighieri’s
“La Vita Nuova”
Natalia P. Koptseva*
Siberian Federal University
79 Svobodny, Krasnoyarsk, 660041, Russia
Received 12.06.2015, received in revised form 24.09.2015, accepted 08.11.2015
The article is devoted to the study of the early works of Dante Alighieri Vita Nyova («New Life”). Vita
Nyova is regarded as representant of a new cultural space of the Renaissance, more precisely, as the
product of that stands on the border of the ideological principles of the culture of Middle Ages and the
Renaissance culture. Vita Nyova – complex literary and philosophical work that surpasses framework
of a love story and tells the story of the transformation of sensual love in the spiritual.
Keywords: Dante Alighieri, Vita Nyova, Renaissance, literary genres, Beatrice, sensual love, spiritual
love, the way to God.
DOI: 10.17516/1997-1370-2015-8-12-2875-2890.
Research area: culture studies.
The greatest work of the world literature is for Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius’s treatise
Dante Alighieri’s poem “The Divine Comedy”, “Consolation of Philosophy” (Boethius 1990)
his most famous piece of art. However, “The which was well known to educated people of the
Divine Comedy” proceeds “La Vita Nuova” Middle ages and influenced Western European
(Alighieri 1985), a literary evidence of his “noble literature of this period in many formal and plot
love” to Beatrice. “La Vita Nuova” was written lines. Combination of poetry and prose fragments
in 1294, its finished version was published in reflects the great author’s thinking process,
Rome in 1513. This work is original and complex proves his skill, knowledge and ability to create
in its genre. There is still no clear definition of in different literary forms.
this text’s genre in the world literature. The Another source of prosimetrum was
author’s idea obviously manifests itself in poly- obviously Provencal lyric poetry in which
genre nature of “La Vita Nuova”. To understand poems are explained through the troubadours’
this idea one should come to know its genre biographical details and other stories. However, it
specifics. Prosimetrum, a combination of both is known that prose fragments of Provencal lyric
prose and verse, is the basis of this text. Prior poetry developed later than the poems themselves
to “La Vita Nuova” there existed a certain (Golenishchev-Kutuzov 1971; Poeziia trubadurov
prosimetrum tradition. This style was peculiar 1995). Similarly, poems in “La Vita Nuova” were
© Siberian Federal University. All rights reserved
* Corresponding author E-mail address: [email protected]
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Natalia P. Koptseva. The Way to God as the Way to Love in Dante Alighieri’s “La Vita Nuova”
written at the time other than that of its prosaic Inner integrity is manifested in the unity of the
fragments. According to most researchers, poetic characters. They are involved in various external
works were created by Dante from 1283 to 1292, and internal events but remain unchanged. A.
prose ones – from 1292 to 1294. Dante’s poetic Valognes believes that prose fragments perform
forms in “La Vita Nuova” are very diverse. These two functions: a) instrumentality (when prose
are a stanza, four canzoni, and 25 sonnets. The fragments clarify poetic ones); 2) dynamism
Provencal poets’ influence on Dante is probably (when prose episodes create a plot, the author’s
felt in both cultivation of the Beautiful Lady course of history) (Vallone 1971). Both aspects
and combination of mystic and secular rituals. are present in the prose elements of “La Vita
Like Provencal lyric poets, Dante was a master Nuova”. Narrative novels are often transformed
of the border. He equally belonged to both the into a confessional essay where Vita Nuova is the
great Outlook of the Middle Ages (He studied life of the soul, its twists and turns through the
under Franciscan monks, had good knowledge of external plot of a biographical line.
scholastic tradition, Aristotle’s philosophy) and Special attention should be paid to the prose
new thinking of the Renaissance. chapters in which Dante does auto-hermeneutic
The first five sonnets in “La Vita Nuova” analysis, expands and explains the meanings of
are similar to Provencal poems in presence of a his poems. These chapters are not linked to the
choir and a traditional plot in which the Beautiful general plot outline. Why does Dante include
Lady eats the heart of a troubadour who is in love them in “La Vita Nuova”? Dante probably wants
with her. This plot is associated with the poet to say that poetry is an integral part of his soul’s
Guillem de Cabestany. The legend of eating the life; that a poet and a thinker are inseparable.
lover’s heart and the Beautiful Lady’s suicide Dante-philosopher and Dante-poet are one and
after she had learned about her terrible meal is the same person; his inner life is holistic and
a sign, marker indicating a relation of deep and poetry is inherent to it. G. Boccaccio had a good
passionate mutual love. reason to say that within his lifetime some people
There is neither a choir nor addressing to the called Dante a poet, other ones – a theologian,
readers in the canzone and the next four sonnets. the others – a philosopher (Boccaccio 2012).
The main thing here is a dialogue, struggle Identity of thinking and poetry was obvious for
of Love and Death. The greatest woe of the Dante since poets cannot write “without reason”,
Universe is Beatrice’s death; Love and Death are without clear understanding of the meaning of
both present. Like Provencal troubadours, Dante their writings.
recounts the reasons for creation of the sonnets It is “La Vita Nuova” which establishes
or canzone, clarifies the shades of meaning to the capacity of the Italian grass-roots language
the readers in his prose fragments. He wants the to be the language of thinkers and poets to the
readers, listeners to know not only the outward extent Golden Latin is. Love is a true creator of a
life, but, in a greater degree, the inner life, its literary national language when the poet wished
content, and its course. His own inner integrity to make his feelings clear for his Sweetheart. “The
is very important for Dante. He embodies it in Divine Comedy” is also written in the name of
complex genre polyphony. “La Vita Nuova” is Love, in the name of fulfilling the promise given
not a collection of poems and prose fragments. to Beatrice by Dante in “La Vita Nuova”. The
This is a complete work with the poetic forms promise was to write about Beatrice the way that
connected to each other through prose. no one and never will ever be able to do. Poetic
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Natalia P. Koptseva. The Way to God as the Way to Love in Dante Alighieri’s “La Vita Nuova”
thinking and Love are inseparable. The choice of Dante’s heavenly visions where Beatrice lives and
the Italian vernacular language to be the language affection for her is experienced. Holy visions are
of “La Vita Nuova” is a part of the author’s plot, associated with Jesus and sacred persons. Dante
an element of an integral literary composition. contemplates Amor and Beatrice. According to
These are not only Love and Death but his anticipations, the meeting with Beatrice will
also Love and War which are a single whole. A be experienced as a sacred ecstasy not only in the
confessional feature becomes evident in “La Vita past or present but also in the future.
Nuova” when Dante speaks of himself in the first “La Vita Nuova” is full of images and
person, narrates about the events that took place quotations from the Old and New Testaments. In
in his real life and even more about their trace in the Book of Exodus the words “Ego sum Dominus
the life of his soul. He writes about his meeting Deus tuus” are associated with Jehovah’s
with Beatrice, the death of his father who was appearance to Moses. In “La Vita Nuova” Amor
Dante’s friend, Beatrice’s death, the poet’s passion appears to the poet with these words. There are
for another lady... Yet, he mentions neither his signs and shocks of Apocalypse in Dante’s work.
name nor the place of the events. He is extremely He reacts to Beatrice’s vision with “Hosanna in
laconic in the descriptions of the circumstances exrlsis” words just as the people of Jerusalem
of one or another event. The only evidence of welcomed Jesus’s entry into the city. Heaven and
time is associated with Beatrice who belongs Earth are connected through Love to the Beautiful
to “the thirteenth generation of the Christians”, Lady. Dante’s poetry is sacred. Its content is
lives in the 13th century A.D. A person of border the following: intense spiritual life, the Bible
is present in this documentary duality again: comes to life, and sacred history is transformed
whereas anonymity and universality of a literary through the loving poet-philosopher (whereas
work are the qualities of the culture of the Middle Holy Writ begins with the fall of men through the
Ages, the first-person narration and description seduction of Eve, “La Vita Nuova” begins with
of some real events are signs of the author’s Dante’s meeting with Beatrice when Amor tells
personality of the Renaissance epoch. However, Dante about Beatrice as salvation of his eternal
“La Vita Nuova” is a more medieval work of art. soul. “La Vita Nuova” continues Holy Writ in a
Absolutization of a personal origin, continuity symmetric response action. Sandro Botticelli
of cosmos and a man’s fate here weigh upon the properly understood this and drew God, Dante
intimate details of the poet’s life. and Beatrice in a circle in his illustrations to “The
Many researchers note that while describing Divine Comedy” (Danilova 1989).
dreams, visions, and personal experiences in B. Terracini (Terracini 1951), an Italian
“La Vita Nuova” Dante uses a few definitions scholar studying Dante’s creative work,
expressed by the adjectives. The interpreters characterized the style of “La Vita Nuova” as
believe this to be no coincidence: Dante describes “smooth, rather slow, and most importantly,
the reality of visions in a laconic language and, coherent”. Dante reaches these coherence and
at the same time, he lacks earthly human words wholeness through the repetition, a poetic device
to dwell upon the experiences. Heavenly events he often uses both in poetry and prose fragments.
have no earthly means of expression. Sometimes the same prose fragment is repeated
The Renaissance faces the birth and vigorous in a poetic one. Repetitions are often associated
growth of the literary form associated with the with self-awareness: Dante wants to explain to
description of the Catholic saints’ visions. It is in the listener and the reader what the verses will be
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Natalia P. Koptseva. The Way to God as the Way to Love in Dante Alighieri’s “La Vita Nuova”
about (chapters XIII, XXXIV). In these chapters for the choice of prosimetrum genre? Dante
mediation and internal struggle are caused by the creates a synthetic work in which he integrates
visions, and the repetitions are of an intensifying, poetry and prose similar to the way the masters of
suggestive meaning. the late Middle Ages put painting and sculpture
In cases when Dante writes that in his together while colouring the statues. This
sonnets he wishes to express his state (chapter synthetical character is a sign of the Middle Ages,
XLI) his poems are linked with a psychological the boundaries of which are overrun by “La Vita
aspect of prose. They intensify and develop self- Nuova”.
awareness. At the same time transition from inner The poet calls his creation “the book of my
reflection and self-withdrawal to communication memory””. In the medieval literature the books
with people helps to establish harmony with the combine poetry and prose. “The memory book”
outside world. is not a mere metaphor. This expression should
Sometimes poetry is directly associated be understood in the allegorical context of the
with the scheme of the plot of “La Vita Nuova”. book peculiar for the literature of the Middle
When Beatrice refused to the poet in a bow, Ages (“the book of the heart”, “the book of the
Amor appeared to him once again, explained spirit”), the context rooting to biblical images
the cause of this disgrace and advised to write of “the book of life”. The poet-thinker mentions
Donna the verses that would manifest great love the word “memory” in light of the traditional
to her. Dante follows this advice. The ballad is a religious expression about “sweet memory of
continuation of the plot line. It becomes clear for Jesus”, i.e. the continuous concentration of
the reader that the poet really followed Amor’s imagination on the name of Jesus, his passions.
advice as well as what he wanted to say in these This concentration should lead to spiritual
verses. enlightenment. “La Vita Nuova” is built on
Thus, an element of the plot line is the frequent usage of the conjunction “and”: “And
canzone “O ye who turn your steps along Love’s I thought... and I saw...”, etc. The language is
way”. It is the end of the conversation between the reminiscent of that of the Holy Writ with its text
poet and the ladies who asked what the happiness preceded and connected with this conjunction.
of his love was. This question sparked the poet’s Jaufre Rudel, a Provencal lyric poet, says that
thoughts about the nature of his feelings as well love is not associated with a feeling but with
as doubts on whether he will be able to express mneme (memory). Then “The book of memory”
his state in his poems. Yet the “desire to tell” is “The Book of Love”.
wins. In a prose fragment Dante dwells on the Time and space in “La Vita Nuova” are
strength of his feelings in his inner monologue, conventionally nominated. These are “City”,
in secret, whereas in the poems he speaks of it “the thirteenth generation of the Christians”,
openly, aloud. etc. They also introduce chronotopos similar to
So, we have a work of art that is an ensemble a biblical one. Beatrice’s presence in “the city”
of poems, prose, commentary, stories, confession, makes it reasonable to presume that Florence of
diary, psychological novel, as well as visions, the XIII century is meant here. Yet, the specifics
poetic and philosophical treatises. Universalism of the city are not important for Dante. What is
of the poet-thinker’s personality fully manifests important is the fact that Beatrice lived here.
itself in it. At the same time this universalism has Beatrice was a center of his Universe and stayed
its individual and unique features. What stands there forever.
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Natalia P. Koptseva. The Way to God as the Way to Love in Dante Alighieri’s “La Vita Nuova”
Many literary critics underestimate the role disappear. Bliss falls upon all those contemplating
of Beatrice, although it is she who is a driving Beatrice: “whom she regards is gentle made”.
force of “La Vita Nuova”. This work of art Goodness is a heavenly, divine feature. So,
already contains something that will sound like Beatrice reverts back to herself, her significance
“The Divine Comedy”: and idea when rising to God. Dante writes about
“Look at us well, for we, indeed, are, we, this “divine power” in his essay “Convivio” (“The
indeed, are Beatrice!” Banquet”): “And thus is defined this our good
(Purgatorio, XXX, 73) gift, which descends into us in like manner from
In “La Vita Nuova” Dante dwelt on his real the Supreme and Spiritual Power, as virtue into a
meeting with little Bice Portinari, a Florentine precious stone from a most noble celestial body”
Folco Portinari’s daughter. Beatrice is a real (IV, XX, 10) (Alighieri, http://lib.ru/POEZIQ/
historical person. The following details of her DANTE/pir01.txt).
life are known: Beatrice di Folco di Ricovero In the canzone “Ladies that have intelligence
Portinari (1266-1290) was married to Simone of Love” Beatrice’s beauty is a container for the
dei Bardi, she had children, and she died at qualities, dignifying and administering to God
the age of 25. Her contemporaries mention her and, thus, saving a sinful man:
beauty and noble character. For Dante she was Yet hath God given her for greater grace,
a divine creation, “who was called Beatrice That who hath spoke with her cannot end ill
by many who knew not what to call her”. The (XIX, canzone 1) (Alighieri 1985).
name “Beatrice” means “full of grace”, and in She brings universal spiritual self-perfecting.
the canzone of Chapter XIX she is called “the Dante speaks of it as of the way to blessing: “...the
hope of those in bliss”. Eidos of bliss is hidden progress of … life … from bad to good, and from
in her name. This name is her earthly one, its good to better, and from better to best” (Alighieri,
meaning being not quite clear to people calling http://lib.ru/POEZIQ/DANTE/pir01.txt).
her by this name. Her inwardness is gracious, Beatrice belongs to the transcendental world.
her name is no coincidence. She fits her name. Dante claims this truth as something immutable.
Dante uses the epithet gloriosa, the epithet being Whereas Guinizelli does not go beyond the
permanently assigned to the Virgin (similar exchange of words between himself and God,
to scarlet garments, the Virgin’s attributes, Dante tells the dialogue between the angel, the
which were also attributed to Beatrice in “La saints and the Divine mercy:
Vita Nuova”). She does not thrill to trembling An angel crieth in the mind divine,
but favourably effects the poet’s soul. Taking And saith: “O Sire, on earth is to be seen
the advantage of gender uncertainty in the A miracle in action, that proceeds
vernacular language of the XIII century, Dante From out a soul which far as here doth
replaces “saluto” (a bow) with “salute (“a bow” shine.
and “salvation”). This word renders the idea Heaven, which hath not any other effect
of Beatrice giving the hope for salvation to Save want of he, demands her of its Lord…
everybody she bows to. …And thus speaks God, who of my lady
Dante calls Beatrice “my bliss”, “my gentle thinks:
lady”, “a beautiful soul which is a source of “O my elect, now suffer ye in peace
happiness” (beato, anima bella, chi te vede). That, while it pleaseth me…”
Bliss is something that can neither be undone nor The lines below sound prophetic:
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Natalia P. Koptseva. The Way to God as the Way to Love in Dante Alighieri’s “La Vita Nuova”
“… your hope abide Trinity, he deifies her as the Absolute. In his
There, where is one who dreads the loss of treatise “De institutione arithmetica libri duo”
her: Boethius notes that any number consists of odd
And who shall say in hell to the and even, the elements opposite to each other.
foredoomed: These heterogeneous elements are in harmony
‘I have beheld the hope of those in bliss’.” in an integer number. Giving the example of
These lines are usually associated with the Philolaus’s statement, Boethius explains the
idea of “The Divine Comedy”. R.I. Khlodovskii, significance of the number “three”, a root of
Dante Alighieri’s creative work researcher, argues Beatrice and the Trinity:
that these Dante’s words assure that after death he “Everything undoubtedly consists of these
will be in hell where he puts himself, the reason two – of finite and infinite nature – similar to the
being “some basic modesty” (Khlodovskii, 1979). number that is made up of one and two... And
This statement is not entirely consistent with thus it runs – everything consists of opposites
the logic of “La Vita Nuova”. In its denouement and is united in a sort of harmony. For harmony
Dante says he will be contemplating Beatrice is the unity of plenty and agreement of those in
that is unlikely to take place in hell. Thus, “La dissonance” (Boethius, http://early-music.narod.
Vita Nuova” is actually related to “La Divina ru/biblioteka/estetika-mages-renais/estetika-
Commedia” via “the word about the blessed mages-renais-09.htm. Дата обращения 08.01.
Beatrice”. 2015). One may notice that Aristotle’s doctrine
The name of Beatrice – “bliss”– means that of harmony as combination of heterogeneous
she is the crown of all his aspirations: Dante elements and Platonism with its doctrine that a
writes that God set two goals for a man. These similar one attracts a similar one join in the organic
are the bliss of this life, i.e. the opportunity to whole in Dante’s work. If the number “three”
show his virtue, and the bliss of eternal life, consists of “one” and “two”, that is harmony
i.e. contemplation of the face of God. It is not according to Aristotle, and it is also the root of
accidentally that Beatrice is called “the Noble”. the Trinity and Beatrice, according to Plato’s
Dante puts the nobility, i.e. disposition to all doctrine, then Beatrice is a world harmony. It is
virtues, on the first place. In “The Banquet” he she for whom the anthem “Hosanna in exelsis...”
writes: “This word “Nobility” expresses in all is sung, the fact regarded inadmissible by the
things perfection of their nature” (IV, XVI, 4) Council of Trent. By this Dante Alighieri shows
(Alighieri, http://lib.ru/POEZIQ/DANTE/pir01. a true Renaissance idea of the identity of man
txt). Therefore, Beatrice has a divine nature. and God. Before Dante’s works there existed a
Speaking of epithets describing Beatrice, we tradition of presenting Ladies as angels. However,
cannot but remember the episode about Dante’s previously there wasn’t such a convergence of
meeting with Primavera and Beatrice. People images of Donna and Christ. Dante canonizes
called Beatrice an angel, not a woman. Prior to Beatrice, although in reality only the highest
this episode Dante called her “a miracle”. Now spiritual dignitaries had the right on it. Beatrice’s
the poet compares Beatrice with God: comparing death shakes the cosmos and stormy acts of God.
Giovanna with St. John the Baptist who gave Beatrice’s deification was probably due to
way to Jesus Christ, he proclaims Beatrice to the influence of the Franciscan tradition, as the
be personified Love. In Holy Writ Love is God. Franciscans tried to resemble St. Francis of Assisi
When the poet proves that Beatrice was the to Jesus Christ. This caused the denunciation
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Natalia P. Koptseva. The Way to God as the Way to Love in Dante Alighieri’s “La Vita Nuova”
of the Catholic Church. Dante obviously knew is about “the ultimate goal of all beauty”, Love,
about these attempts. The Franciscans brought which is Beatrice herself. Love is the path to the
their righteous women closer to the image of good, heaven, God. “The ennobled Soul, – argues
the Virgin Mary, canonizing them. Two nuns the poet, – proceeds in due order along a single
from the d’Este family enjoyed great popularity path, employing each of its powers in its time and
among the Franciscans: Beatrice I (died in 1226) season, or even as they are all ordained to the final
and Beatrice II (1231-1264). According to their production of the perfect fruit” (“The Banquet”,
hagiographies, these virgins were born “to IV, XXIV, 8) (Ibid.).
manifest a miracle”. Their lives are governed The hero evidently travels the way of
with the numbers 3 and 9, too (for example, 9 his Love in three stages – from sensual love
years, preceding the service, are mentioned, to spiritual flame and rebirth into love for the
etc.). The researchers note the parallels of “La beautiful. “Sensual love” does not imply physical
Vita Nuova” with the Franciscan hagiographic passion. The spiritual dominates in it. Earthly
literature: “Clothed with humility” (“The Life of love involves reciprocity (this is what shows a
St. Margaret” – “benignly vested with humility” loving soul’s “self-interest”):
(Beatrice, “La Vita Nuova”, XXVI); “The whole Beauty in lady sage doth then appear
heavenly court of the blessed, waiting for the Which pleaseth so eyes, that in the heart
coming of your soul, urged me to expedite your Desire for the pleasing thing hath birth;
exodus from this world” (Jesus Christ’s words And sometimes it so long abideth there,
to St. Margaret) – “Heaven, which hath not any It makes Love’s spirit wide awake to start:
other defect / Save want of her, demands her of its The like in lady doth a man of worth
Lord, / And every Saint doth for this favour beg” (La Vita Nuova, XIX) (Alighieri, http://lib.
(“La Vita Nuova”, XIX). ru/POEZIQ/DANTE/pir01.txt).
Beatrice is an earthly woman. Yet, “human Both Beatrice’s death and Dante’s love
nobility … excels that of the angels”, says Dante in appear before the world as the events of universal,
“The Banquet” (Alighieri, http://lib.ru/POEZIQ/ cosmic significance:
DANTE/pir01.txt). This idea is repeated in “La I say that when I think upon her worth,
Vita Nuova” (poem, Chapter XXXIII): So sweet doth Love make himself feel to
My gentle lady, who from us is gone me,
Unto the world deserving of her worth; That if I then should lose not hardihood,
And then, in scorn of this life, making Speaking, I should enamour all mankind.
moan, (La Vita Nuova, XIX) (Ibid.).
As though the grieving soul itself they Donna is beautiful. This is stated with a
were, greater force not due to the description of her
Abandoned by its welfare upon earth beauty but awesome reverent feeling of those
(Alighieri, http://lib.ru/POEZIQ/DANTE/pir01. looking at her:
txt). Whence he is blessed who hath seen her
Beatrice contemplates the beauty of God on erewhile.
a par with the angels. (La Vita Nuova, XIX, sonnet 1) (Ibid.).
It should be admitted that the core of “La A year after Donna’s death Dante recalls
Vita Nuova” is Love, Dante’s Love for Beatrice. her and thinks of an angel, i.e. remembering her
According to Nikolai Kuzanskii, “La Vita Nuova” earthly beauty, he speaks of heavenly beauty
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Natalia P. Koptseva. The Way to God as the Way to Love in Dante Alighieri’s “La Vita Nuova”
peculiar to Beatrice (a lovely spirit in a lovely The climax of a complex semantic construct
form). Plato’s dialogue “Phaedrus” runs: “… of “La Vita Nuova” is Chapter XIII: Dante’s vision
when he sees the beauty of earth, is transported about Beatrice’s death integrates all the symbolism
with the recollection of the true beauty; he would of the first part of the book. It is here where the
like to fly away, but he cannot; he is like a bird idea of the unity of love and death reaches its
fluttering and looking upward and careless of climax: Beatrice must die to get a heavenly bliss.
the world below… And I have shown this of all The Renaissance code is introduced in contrast
inspirations to be the noblest and highest and the to this medieval code: a former Dante must “die”
offspring of the highest to him who has or shares to be spiritually reborn. According to Marsilio
in it, and that he who loves the beautiful is called Ficino, “each lover, moving away from himself,
a lover because he partakes of it” (Plato, http:// approaches the other and, dying in himself, rises
odinblago.ru/platon_4/fedr). in the other” (Ficino, http://www.platonizm.ru/
On his way to the Divine Love Dante is content/marsilio-fichino-kommentariy-na-pir-
constantly in struggle with himself. This mystical platona). This resurrection as spiritual rebirth is
feature – the war – manifested itself in the battle New Life, Vita Nuova.
of spiritual love and sensual love. Dante writes The fact that Donna is dying must not
that his different ideas began “to fight and try interfere with the path of Love: “Now you are
him”: one idea convinced him of the goodness afraid of losing your beauty, suffer from the lost
of Love’s reign, “as it rejects the desire of the one... There is none of these spiritual unrests in
faithful to her from all the harm”, the other one heaven” (Lorenzo Valla) (Valla, http://korolev.
argues the opposite – love brings not blessings but msk.ru/books/TOR/doc/Vozrozhdenie_Valla_
sufferings. However, Dante’s another mystical Sochineniya_Ob_istinnom_i_lozhnom_
idea won this “battle”. It is the Beautiful. Love blage_i_dr.txt). “You should refrain from
to spiritual divine beauty took over love to an love to earthly beauty if you want to have
earthly body: this heavenly beauty... I’m telling you this not
O happy human race, to keep you from the contemplation of your
if love guides your souls own beauty and the beauty of the others in
As heaven is guided! order to be honoured with seeing the angels
(Boethius) after... But I replace contemplation of women
Thus, love to Beatrice leads the poet- with the angels” [Ibid.]. “Let us climb up the
philosopher to the Kingdom of God. This is what stairs, which at the lowermost step have the
Vita Nuova is. It is New Life. shadow of sensual beauty, to … of the world,
Vita Nuova means “new”, “renewed”, a mean betwixt heavenly and earthly things”
“young”. The Latin word nova has many meanings: (Castiglione B., “The Book of the Courtier”)
alternation of periods of life; one’s renewal in his (Castiglione 2002). This is what the poet-
love to the lady, and finally, a spiritual rebirth in its philosopher Dante Alighieri says long before
religious understanding, that is in the meaning of the thinkers of the High Renaissance. This
the Apostle Paul’s words: “If Anyone is in Christ, is his way to the Beautiful, the way through
he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has Beatrice to her spiritual beauty inseparable
come” (2 Corinthians 5: 17). This renewal takes from the universal Beauty and God.
place in “La Vita Nuova” in stages – from earthly The beginning of Dante’s attraction to
life to heavenly contemplation. Donna of Compassion reminds of the lines of
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Natalia P. Koptseva. The Way to God as the Way to Love in Dante Alighieri’s “La Vita Nuova”
the Holy Writ “Let this cup pass from me”. The Was Death grown clamorous for one thou
spirit of Beatrice averts him from this love which lovest,
leads to lust although it arose from the feelings Love fed her with thy heart in dread of this,
of empathy. Dante rejects this love as weakness; Then, when it seemed to thee he left in
he has drunk his bowl of fate, going against his sadness,
principles. Love to Beatrice is the most beautiful, A dear dream was it which was there
it wins. Thus, the poet’s divine nature wins out completed
over his human one. As it will be clear in “The Seeing it contrary came conquering
Divine Comedy” Dante went the right way, (Cavalcanti, http://www.dante.velchel.ru/index.
avoiding the temptation. This is mentioned by php?cnt=5&rhime=11).
Beatrice: The poet speaks about an amazing plot –
These looks sometime upheld him; for I Dante’s dream in which Love came to him,
show’d carrying sleeping Beatrice in one hand and
My youthful eyes, and led him by their light Dante’s burning heart in the other hand. He tells
In upright walking. Soon as I had reach’d how Amor convinced Beatrice to taste Dante’s
The threshold of my second age, and heart.
chang’e Giving his work the title of “Incipit Vita
My mortal for immortal, then he left me, Nova”, Dante used the word nova in all its
And gave himself to others. When from polysemy. In the Middle Ages, this “nova” also
flesh meant “strange”, “extravagant”, “wonderful”.
To spirit I had risen, and increase We can conclude that Dante referred to neither
Of beauty and of virtue circled me, “wonderful” nor “strange” but to spiritual
I was less dear to him, and valued less. renewal. However, I think here there are
His steps were turn’d into deceitful way, both “strange” and “wonderful”, the story of
Following false images of good, the creation of man and the story of his fall.
No promise perfect. According to the Holy Writ Adam named his
Dante’s “first friend”, Guido Cavalcanti, wife “Eve”, the name meaning “life”. Eve ate a
sent him amazing lines in reply to his sonnet “To fruit from the tree of knowledge and gave it to
every captive soul...”: Adam. In “La Vita Nuova” the process is directly
Thou sawest, it seems to me, all things opposite: the biblical story is turned as in the
availing, reverse shooting. Amor, Love provoked Beatrice
And every joy that ever good man feeleth. to eat Dante’s heart, just as the serpent provoked
Thou wast in proof of that lord valorous Eve to eat a fruit from the tree of knowledge. In
Who through sheer honour lords it o’er the the Bible Adam disobeyed God for the good of
world. Eve, she seduced him. The fall took place. Eve
Thou livest in a place where baseness dieth, dragged Adam down. On the contrary, Beatrice
And holdest reason in the piteous mind; raises Dante high in Paradise. The Bible speaks
So gently move the people in this sleep of the fruit eaten. It was desirable to the eye.
That the heart bears it ‘thout the feel of In “La Vita Nuova” it is a spiritual heart that is
grief. eaten. Dante’s heart is described not as a physical
Love bore away the heart, because in his organ but as something burning with the fire of
sight love. Beatrice tasted Dante’s spirit. Eve sought
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Natalia P. Koptseva. The Way to God as the Way to Love in Dante Alighieri’s “La Vita Nuova”
to be equal to God, Beatrice was eager to merge not avert from God but directs the way to God.
with God. One woman brought a man down It is no wonder he appears in pilgrim’s clothes
from God; the other raised him up to God. The before Dante. Love is a journey of the spirit to
first one is Eve, the second one is Beatrice. God. A man “rolls” himself back to God.
Dante, who knew the Holy Writ, loved Every work of art is a portrait of the
the texts associated with David and Solomon artist, this principle being characteristic to the
most of all. The Parabels, Chapter 12 runs: “A Renaissance in the highest degree. Viacheslav
virtuous woman is a crown to her husband; and Ivanov wrote: “Dante created his world in his
as rottenness in his bones is one causing shame”. own image and likeness, and thus presented one
Beatrice leads Dante to God through the path of of the most beautiful images of a man” (Ivanov
love. He reaches the Kingdom of God while alive. 1996). Dante Alighieri is a poet and thinker, who
This is a very important moment characteristic of lived and worked on the boundary of the Middle
the Renaissance period. This rebirth is the crown Ages and the Renaissance. As a “thinker of the
of human life. Whereas “Eve” means “life”, border” he belongs to both spaces separated
Beatrice is a New Life, a New Eve, newborn Eve by this boundary. As a creator-demiurge of his
leading a man to God. worlds he is entirely a Renaissance man. He is
Beatrice mysteriously eats Dante’s heart the author and protagonist of “La Vita Nuova”.
in her dream. In courtly lyric poetry the motif Dante was fully aware of being a new demiurge.
of eating a lover’s heart is well-known after the In “The Divine Comedy” he writes:
tragic story of Guillem de Cabestany. In this story … As now my notes to thee,
the lady ate Guillaume’s heart without knowing that understand’st them not,
what she was doing. After she had learnt this such to you mortals is Eternal Justice.
she killed herself. Beatrice ate a spiritual heart In his childhood Dante remembered the
and died (at first in her dream, then in reality). legend that his family comes from the Roman
Yet Beatrice died in order to rise and cause clan of the Eliseis who took part in the foundation
Dante live forever when ascended from flesh to of the city of Florence. Thus, he got the spirit of
spirit. Beatrice’s death is a cultural code of the a demiurge from his ancestors. In his works he
Middle Ages. It is through death that the spirit is defends the Roman Empire and glorifies it. The
released. Grace eat the heart, it should no longer main evidence of the eligibility of the Roman
lust after. Empire in Dante’s eyes is the fact that the right
Amor in “La Vita Nuova” is a new driving of the Roman emperors to dispose of the people’s
force (the old adversary was the biblical serpent). earthly fates was recognized by Jesus Christ,
It is Amor who encourages Beatrice to eat Dante’s who wished to be born under Emperor Augustus.
heart. Amor has the appearance of an angel: Dante believes Augustus century to be the Golden
white clothes, he is terrible to look at. This fear age. It is true that the God-man is born in the
suggests that Amor could bring wonderful love course of this very epoch. Marsilio Ficino will
or unrequited passion and anguish. Dante’s heart also call his epoch the Golden age, as he believed
is in Amor’s hands. Solomon’s Parables run: “The that a new God-manhood is born.
king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord...” and Emperor Augustus united many peoples,
“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but Roman law spread to the whole world, population
the Lord pondereth the hearts” (Chapter XXI). census was carried out, and the Son of God himself
Amor here is a tempter, on the contrary. He does wished to write himself a man. Adam’s original
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