Handout with schedule for reading through the year of Mercy is below.
Listen online [here]!
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Outline for reading the
Divine Comedy during the Year of Mercy
January: Inferno, Cantos 1-9
February: Inferno, Cantos 10-18
March: Inferno, Cantos 19-27
April: Inferno, Cantos 28-34; Purgatorio, Canto 1-2
May: Purgatorio, Cantos 3-11
June: Purgatorio, Cantos 12-20
July: Purgatorio, Cantos 21-29
August: Purgatorio, Cantos 30-33; Paradiso 1-5
September: Paradiso, Cantos 6-14
October: Paradiso, Cantos 15-24
November: Paradiso, Cantos 25-33
Hints for Reading the
Divine Comedy
1)
Read the brief summary/introduction which Ciardi
places at the beginning of each canto.
2)
Read the poem carefully and attentively,
realizing that every word is placed there for a reason.
3)
After reading the canto (or during your reading,
if you prefer) read the notes at the end of the chapter which explain various
points about particular lines and people in the canto.
4)
If you have time, re-read the canto.
5)
In a separate journal, make a couple notes about
what strikes you about each canto and anything you want to remember or any
questions you have. Go back once a month and review your notes about what you
have read in the past month(s) and what has struck you.
6)
Remember that you are reading this is part of
the year of Mercy! Look to see where God’s love and mercy is shown in the text,
and what Dante is trying to tell us about God’s love and mercy.
7)
This is the best human book ever written – Enjoy
yourself!
