GeorgetownXTheDivineComedy:DantesJourneytoFreedom

Canto15SupplementalCommentary

Schematically,theanalogyIbelieveAuerbachisreferringtowouldbestructuredthisway:
Word(Mystery)>Flesh(Jesus)>Word(gospel)
Word(Jesus/Mystery)>Flesh(Beatrice)>Word(poem)
Auerbachhimselfexpressesthisinsightinthefollowingway:
ButthefullnessoflifewhichDanteincorporatesintothat[JudeoChristian]interpretation
issorichandsostrongthatitsmanifestationsforcetheirwayintothereaderssoul
independentlyofanyinterpretationWeexperienceanemotionwhichisconcernedwith
humanbeingsandnotdirectlywiththedivineorderinwhichtheyhavefoundtheir
fulfillment.Theireternalpositioninthedivineorderissomethingofwhichweareonly
consciousasthesettingwhoseirrevocabilitycanbutservetoheightentheeffectoftheir
humanitypreservedforusinallitsforce.Theresultisadirectexperienceoflifewhich
overwhelmseverythingelse,acomprehensionofhumanrealitieswhichspreadsas
widelyandvariouslyasitgoesprofoundlytotheveryrootsofouremotions,an
illuminatingofmansimpulsesandpassionswhichleadsustoshareinthemwithout
restraintandindeedtoadmiretheirvarietyandgreatness.(Mimesis:TheRepresentation
ofRealityinWesternLiterature)

Thedignityofpersonalidentityconferredbyfinaldecisivefaithin,hopeforandloveofthe
absolutemysteryofunconditionalresponsibilityistheGoodNewswhichDantetakesthe
GospelsofJesustobeproclaiming.Heidentifiedhimselfwiththisgospelthroughthewritingof
thepoeminfulfillmentofthepromisemadeattheconclusionoftheVitaNuova.Byvirtueofthat
promise,hehadsolemnizedthevocationwhichhadsingledhimouttobethepoetofBeatrice
andtowriteofherinversewhatneverbeforehadbeenwrittenofwoman:thatshewasand
remainsalwaystheincarnationofthegraceofdivineloveinhislife,bywhichhehasbeenand
willalwaysagainbesaved.TheinscriptionoffaithexpressedbyDantesgospel,Auerbachtells
us,isChristianbecauseitwouldhavenopossibilityofexpressionexceptthroughthecentral
metaphors(resurrection,incarnation,etc.)thatarisehistoricallyfromtherootmetaphorofthat
tradition,thepersonalidentityofJesus,asitisinscribedinthegospelstory.Atthesametime,
however,thatfaithcannotbeconfinedtoitsChristianexpressionorenculturation,becausethe
depthofthatfaithsimmersioninthehumanexperienceofhope,thehopeofresurrection,
whichtranscendsbothlifeanddeathandwhichalsotranscendstheseparationbetweenhuman
anddivinepersons,whichparallelstheseparationoflifeanddeath,ahopewhichdoesnotend
becauseitishopeinthefaceofaMysterywhichprovesitselfoverandoveragaintobewithout
endandthereforebeyondanypossiblelimit.Itisthisidentification,notwithmysteryinsome
vaguelymysticalsenseofanobscurantismwhichrefusestobemarkedorconstrainedbythe
limitsenforcedbythedefiniterealityofanyearthlyparticular,butratherwiththeMysterythatis
revealedinandthrough,andonlyinandthrough,personalexistence,withitsinimitabledramaof
responsibility,themysterythatrevealsitselfwhollybutsolelyinthequestion,WhoamI?This
mysteryinDantespoemisthepower,calledlove,thatmovesthesunofhopeandalltheother

starsfromwhichwewholiveinhistorytakeeverypointofreferenceregardingthemeanings
whichspreadthemselvesacrossthehorizonthatthisquestionfirstbringstolight.