The Literary Club of the Asiatic Society of Mumba in collaboration with the Centre for European Studies, University of Mumbai and the Italian Cultural Institute invites you to an Online talk: Politics and religion, literature and poetics in Dante's Commedia A reading from the prologues of Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso by Dr. Roberto Bertilaccio on 27th October 2021 at 6 pm on Zoom
The Literary Club of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai is pleased to invite you to a talk by Dr. Roberto Bertilaccio on Politics and religion, literature and poetics in Dante's Commedia: A reading from the prologues of Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso. The lecture will be held on Wednesday, 27th October 2021 at 6 pm on a Zoom platform.
Dante Alighieri is one of the greatest poets in Italy, he was also a prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher and political thinker. His Divine Comedy originally called Comedìa (modern Italian: Commedia), a monumental epic poem, is one of the world’s most important works of literature. The poem may be read as an allegory, taking the form of a journey through hell, purgatory and paradise. It is a profound Christian vision of humankind’s temporal and eternal destiny.
We are happy and proud to have, in our collection at the Asiatic Society, one of the manuscripts of Dante’s great work. It is indeed one of our prized possessions.
The lecture will be divided into two sections. The first part will introduce Dante’s life and times in the historical Florentine context of the 14th century. The second will focus on Dante’s poetics and analyse the literary features of the Commedia, through a reading of the prologues of Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso.
Dr. Roberto Bertilaccio holds an M.A. degree in Italian Literature from Università degli Studi “La Sapienza”, Roma (Italia) and a Ph.D. in Theory and Critics of Literature from Università degli Studi, Siena (Italia). He was deputed by the Ministry of External Affairs of Italy to teach at the University of Mumbai, Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia University for 9 years from 2008-2017.
Dr Bertilaccio is a Member of the Advisory Board and Visiting Faculty at the Centre for European Studies.

Join Zoom for the programme at 5.45 p.m.:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82531361443?pwd=OFhSSmw5bmh1TVVVYlJWa3YvTy9uQT09
Meeting ID: 825 3136 1443
Passcode: 172068

- Dr Usha R Vijailakshmi, Officiating Hon. Secretary, The Asiatic Society of Mumbai
- Meenal Kshirsagar, Vice President of the Society & Chairperson - ASM LitClub