Question: Dante as a megalomaniac!!!?
I think Dante could be classified as a megalomaniac!. By definition, megalomania is a mental disorder of sorts marked by feelings of personal omnipotence and grandeur!. Now obviously, Dante acts as God in the Inferno, since he is the author, and defines justice, which in turn produces a kind of ethical lifestyle that Dante seems to emphasize!. Not only that, Dante seems to sufffer from megalomania because he compares himself with the great western intellects, and subliminally relates himself to Aeneas, and also seems to express the "fact" that Dante was chosen by God/divine will to go on this journey!.
**Would you agree with me here!?!? And, perhaps you can give me some prime examples in the inferno where my points relate to!. Orrr, if you know of any other things that point to him as a megalomania (ie!. being full of himself), i'd love to know!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Sorry, but I have to disagree with you!. If I get combative, I apologize :)
1!. Dante acts as God in the Inferno
If you recall, there is no God in the Inferno--which was the whole point of having hell in the first place!. The punishments in the circles of hell are torturous to man, but the distance between them and the Light is so great that Dante points out they are unaware of their dismal eternities!. Dante Alighieri the author meted out justice in the way that renaissance-era thinking naturally would!. Dante the character walks through hell on a tour, not on a judicious rampage!.
2!. Ethical Lifestyle
An ethical lifestyle was de rigeur in Dante's milieu, especially considering his roots as a political author and theosophist!. He didn't come up with the template for justice used in the Inferno; Socrates and Plato and Aristotle did, if you want to nitpick about it!. :)
3!. Great Western Intellect
You disagree that he's a great western intellect!? At the time the Inferno was published, Dante was a heretic--immediately thought of by himself and others as being enlightened, having shrugged off the oppressive yoke of the Catholic church at the time!. Intellectualism comes along with that!. It's not megalomania so much as narcissism!.
Sorry, that didn't answer your question at all!Www@QuestionHome@Com
No, Dante was experiencing a higher state of consciousness and was writing metaphorically about his visions!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
um, sorry never read it
(but im impressed by your question, if that helps)Www@QuestionHome@Com