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September 23, 2005
On teaching Dante
As though 3 courses weren't enough for me this term, I'm doing what is called here at these Colleges a Readers College in Dante. Here's a description of how the process is supposed to work:
Join a group and meet new friends over great readings! Requirements are simple: read books, join the discussions and do some writing. Students who satisfy the leader's requirements receive 1/2 course credit. To sign up for one of the reading groups below simply contact the leader. Welcome back and happy reading!So far it's doing that pretty well - the 4 students didn't know each other well before the course began but are beginning to do so. So far we've spent more time talking about the structure of the Ptolemaic cosmos than we have doing line-by-line readings, but those are happening, too.
The course is answering a felt need of mine, too -- I wanted to read my way through the whole Commedia again before I tackle teaching Dante in a regular class. It's certainly working for that.
We're using the Mandelbaum translation (though one person is using Mark Musa, so we have 2 texts for immediate comparison). I'm also reading my way through the California Lectura Dantis commentary on the Inferno. It seems they haven't gotten a 2nd or 3rd volume out. I'm also reading the Singleton notes, which are copious. Coooooopppppious. Oh, well - fun will be had by all.
Posted by CrankyProfessor at September 23, 2005 12:18 PM