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Symbolism in Medieval Thought and Its Consummation in the Divine Comedy
Hardcover
PhilosophyLiterary CriticismReligion General
ISBN13: 9781026023105
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 582
Weight: 2.17
Height: 1.25 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Symbolism in Medieval Thought and Its Consummation in the Divine Comedy is a profound exploration of the intellectual and spiritual landscape of the Middle Ages. This scholarly work traces the development of symbolic thought from its roots in early Christian theology and Greek philosophy to its ultimate synthesis in Dante Alighieri's masterpiece.
The book examines how medieval thinkers perceived the universe not as a collection of literal facts, but as a vast tapestry of symbols reflecting a higher divine reality. Helen Flanders Dunbar meticulously analyzes the fourfold method of interpretation-literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical-demonstrating how this framework provided a unified structure for understanding science, history, and scripture. The study culminates in an in-depth analysis of The Divine Comedy, arguing that Dante's poem serves as the definitive expression of the medieval worldview.
Essential for students of medieval literature, theology, and philosophy, this work offers invaluable insights into the symbolic language that shaped Western civilization. It remains a foundational text for anyone seeking to understand the complex relationship between mystical experience and rational inquiry in the pre-modern era.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
1 different editions
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Symbolism in Medieval Thought and Its Consummation in the Divine Comedy
Dunbar, Helen Flanders
Paperback
Also from
Dunbar, Helen Flanders
Symbolism in Medieval Thought and Its Consummation in the Divine Comedy
Dunbar, Helen Flanders
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