Vernacularization and World Literature: The Language of Women in the World of God

Given Dante's prominent place in discussions of vernacularization, this chapter reconsiders the substance of Dante's theories and their relationship to his poetic practice. It proposes an investigation of vernacularization that encompasses not only the choice to write in the vernacular but also the decision to transmit those works. Taking up Dante's definition of the vernacular as the language of women, it argues that while Dante can use the vernacular in the world of God, the interventions of other mediators (scribes, editors, commentators) are necessary for the work to survive across time and communicate to future generations.

Duke Scholars

Author Martin Eisner Romance Studies