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Dante's Bones: How a Poet Invented Italy
A richly detailed graveyard history of the Florentine poet whose dead body shaped Italy from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to the Risorgimento, World War I, and Mussolini's fascist dictatorship.
Dante, whose Divine Comedy gave the world its most vividly imagined story of the afterlife, endured an extraordinary afterlife of his own. Exiled in death as in life, the Florentine poet has hardly rested in peace over the centuries. Like a saint's relics, his bones have been stolen, recovered, reburied, exhumed, examined, and, above all, worshiped. Actors in this graveyard history range from Lorenzo de' Medici, Michelangelo, and Pope Leo X to the Franciscan friar who hid the bones, the stone mason who accidentally discovered them, and the opportunistic sculptor who accomplished what princes, popes, and politicians could not: delivering to Florence a precious relic of the native son it had banished.
In Dante's Bones, Guy Raffa narrates for the first time the complete course of the poet's hereafter, from his death and burial in Ravenna in 1321 to a computer-generated reconstruction of his face in 2006. Dante's posthumous adventures are inextricably tied to major historical events in Italy and its relationship to the wider world. Dante grew in stature as the contested portion of his body diminished in size from skeleton to bones, fragments, and finally dust: During the Renaissance, a political and literary hero in Florence; in the nineteenth century, the ancestral father and prophet of Italy; a nationalist symbol under fascism and amid two world wars; and finally the global icon we know today.
Dante, whose Divine Comedy gave the world its most vividly imagined story of the afterlife, endured an extraordinary afterlife of his own. Exiled in death as in life, the Florentine poet has hardly rested in peace over the centuries. Like a saint's relics, his bones have been stolen, recovered, reburied, exhumed, examined, and, above all, worshiped. Actors in this graveyard history range from Lorenzo de' Medici, Michelangelo, and Pope Leo X to the Franciscan friar who hid the bones, the stone mason who accidentally discovered them, and the opportunistic sculptor who accomplished what princes, popes, and politicians could not: delivering to Florence a precious relic of the native son it had banished.
In Dante's Bones, Guy Raffa narrates for the first time the complete course of the poet's hereafter, from his death and burial in Ravenna in 1321 to a computer-generated reconstruction of his face in 2006. Dante's posthumous adventures are inextricably tied to major historical events in Italy and its relationship to the wider world. Dante grew in stature as the contested portion of his body diminished in size from skeleton to bones, fragments, and finally dust: During the Renaissance, a political and literary hero in Florence; in the nineteenth century, the ancestral father and prophet of Italy; a nationalist symbol under fascism and amid two world wars; and finally the global icon we know today.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published May 12, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 4, 2022
I was, at the very first glance at the title, attracted by an idea of someone’s intention to scrutinise and write about the history of Dante’s remains – from his funeral to nowadays. The book is written in pseudo-scientific manner, which I bereaved much, since it is quite evident how much time the author spent leafing the numerous literature which he cited in his manuscript. I declare it pseudo-scientific, for the style is rather remarkably mundane (which, to my experience, is quite often with American authors – the need to ingratiate with the readers) besides all the references and citations, and entwined with subjective statements, which is intolerable for a scientific manuscript. Moreover, quite scornful was British to American English transcription of the quotes – the cites ought to be left in its original form, lest become inauthentic. The narrative is quite dense and congested with names and years, which I find quite unnecessary for each of those occurrences and their actors, for it makes quintessence to become vague. Furthermore, the author often repeats previously explained terms and descriptions which additionally burdens the reader’s attention.
The book is trisegmented: Bones of Contention and Nationhood, Fragments of Redemption and Warfare and Relics of Return and Renewal. The first segment is of the utmost importance and is the very core of the theme, where author meticulously explained every occasion on account of Dante’s relics after his decease: beginning with the funeral, the situs of the sarcophagus, the descriptions of Braccioforte chapel and the entire environment, then – the descriptions of all intentions of the Florence to regain Dante’s bones from Ravenna, which in XVI century lead to “relicsnapping” by the indigenous Franciscan friars and their hiding within the wall of Braccioforte chapel where they lingered to XIX century and were discovered unexpectedly during the renovation of the chapel – and, at length – the description of the bones and all the perplexities they provided to the examiners of that time. To my opinion, the book could be finished herewith, or the second and the third segment could be in, at least, half of current number of pages, for their content much blurs the essence of the theme. The second segment tells about Dante’s pivotal role for Italians and how they, throughout centuries, considered his bones sacred, favouring him as a cult, so much so that the drafts were made for his temple, where he would be, as it was Roman custom, promoted into a deity by apotheosis. Fascists, as well, were prone to Dante’s cult, thus, in one chapter, the author discussed Mussolini’s infatuation with the poet. The third segment is completely redundant, telling about Dante as the inspiration for contemporary authors (mostly from USA) and trivial employment of his persona in film industry and in third-rate commercial prose, of which many other authors are not spared (e.g. Tolkien).
Even though I am not the least bit fond of American maimed English with all-those-omitted-U-letters and distorted spelling, this book grabbed much of my attention, and apart it didn’t nurture it all the way, I’ve learnt about many things which I’ve been seeking for regarding Dante’s remnants.
Taking everything into account, the book is my recommendation for all Dante’s admirers, at least because of the first segment and abundance of additional references for further scrutinisation.
The book is trisegmented: Bones of Contention and Nationhood, Fragments of Redemption and Warfare and Relics of Return and Renewal. The first segment is of the utmost importance and is the very core of the theme, where author meticulously explained every occasion on account of Dante’s relics after his decease: beginning with the funeral, the situs of the sarcophagus, the descriptions of Braccioforte chapel and the entire environment, then – the descriptions of all intentions of the Florence to regain Dante’s bones from Ravenna, which in XVI century lead to “relicsnapping” by the indigenous Franciscan friars and their hiding within the wall of Braccioforte chapel where they lingered to XIX century and were discovered unexpectedly during the renovation of the chapel – and, at length – the description of the bones and all the perplexities they provided to the examiners of that time. To my opinion, the book could be finished herewith, or the second and the third segment could be in, at least, half of current number of pages, for their content much blurs the essence of the theme. The second segment tells about Dante’s pivotal role for Italians and how they, throughout centuries, considered his bones sacred, favouring him as a cult, so much so that the drafts were made for his temple, where he would be, as it was Roman custom, promoted into a deity by apotheosis. Fascists, as well, were prone to Dante’s cult, thus, in one chapter, the author discussed Mussolini’s infatuation with the poet. The third segment is completely redundant, telling about Dante as the inspiration for contemporary authors (mostly from USA) and trivial employment of his persona in film industry and in third-rate commercial prose, of which many other authors are not spared (e.g. Tolkien).
Even though I am not the least bit fond of American maimed English with all-those-omitted-U-letters and distorted spelling, this book grabbed much of my attention, and apart it didn’t nurture it all the way, I’ve learnt about many things which I’ve been seeking for regarding Dante’s remnants.
Taking everything into account, the book is my recommendation for all Dante’s admirers, at least because of the first segment and abundance of additional references for further scrutinisation.
November 28, 2023
Well, this was fun.
Who knew the adventures that Dante's remains got into? From the threat of being burnt in lieu of being able to burn the poet himself at the stake, to fighting over who should own the corpse (Ravenna or Florence), the clandestine removal and concealment by Franciscan monks... the subsequent "loss" and then accidental discovery... and more! It reads like a Boy's Own adventure story!
And it doesn't end there. We watch as interested parties adopt Dante as their own and his burial place becomes a shrine for Italian Nationalism, belligerent banner or fascist icon.
I'd love to know what Dante would have made of it all.
Who knew the adventures that Dante's remains got into? From the threat of being burnt in lieu of being able to burn the poet himself at the stake, to fighting over who should own the corpse (Ravenna or Florence), the clandestine removal and concealment by Franciscan monks... the subsequent "loss" and then accidental discovery... and more! It reads like a Boy's Own adventure story!
And it doesn't end there. We watch as interested parties adopt Dante as their own and his burial place becomes a shrine for Italian Nationalism, belligerent banner or fascist icon.
I'd love to know what Dante would have made of it all.
December 24, 2021
Fascinating story (but probably less so if you haven't read The Divine Comedy) about the fate of Dante's mortal remains after his death as an exile in Ravenna. I had no idea that the location of his burial resulted in so many mechanizations (both secret and overt) of Florentine politicians, Franciscan monks, fascist blackshirts, and Italian academics over the course of the last 700 years.
July 19, 2021
In September 1321, Dante Alighieri died of malaria in Ravenna. Exiled from his home of Florence, Ravenna was the last of the cities he had lived in as a refugee and he was buried there. Yet Dante was revered for his learning and his writings, the most famous of which is The Divine Comedy, and quickly his tomb became a place of devotion and a point of contention. Florence wanted him back – though it would take them until the 21st century to rescind his banishment – but Ravenna did not want to give up the poet who was venerated as something close to a saint. His tomb in Ravenna became a place of pilgrimage for Italians and foreigners alike and his body became one of the most powerful relics of Italian identity.
Guy P. Raffa’s Dante’s Bones: How A Poet Invented Italy studies the influence of Dante on Italian national identity as well as the “graveyard history” of his physical remains. And, frankly, this book is awesome.
In many ways, it is designed to appeal to me directly – it manages to be a cross-section of many of my interests. I have a morbid fascination with historical corpses, a love for historiography and a deep adoration for Dante and his writing so this book is ideally suited for me.
Not only that but Raffa’s writing style is engaging and lively, never dull, as he takes us on what is not only a history of Dante’s remains and relics but a microcosm of Italian history and identity. It is fascinating to see the ways in which Dante’s memory and bones were used and abused: as a call for unification, as a pilgrimage site for writers and politicians, moral boosting in World War I, propaganda for Mussolini and fascism, and more.
My criticisms for this book ultimately do not drag it down. Reading this in 2021, months away from the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death, I found myself wondering whether Dante has been called in again to serve as a morale booster during the pandemic and what are the current plans to celebrate the anniversary of his death. Raffa mentions the possibility of Dante’s bones being disinterred to visit Florence for the anniversary but I can’t find anything more about that... But this is an unfair complaint – Dante’s Bones was probably finalised before the end of 2019.
My main complaint about this book, however, rests squarely with the publisher. There are numerous photographs and illustrations but all are black and white and not printed on glossy paper but the same paper as the rest of the book and often, the images were unclear and grainy. This isn’t a cheap book and the publisher is decent so I was left confused as to why the quality was so poor.
Otherwise, this book is excellent.
Guy P. Raffa’s Dante’s Bones: How A Poet Invented Italy studies the influence of Dante on Italian national identity as well as the “graveyard history” of his physical remains. And, frankly, this book is awesome.
In many ways, it is designed to appeal to me directly – it manages to be a cross-section of many of my interests. I have a morbid fascination with historical corpses, a love for historiography and a deep adoration for Dante and his writing so this book is ideally suited for me.
Not only that but Raffa’s writing style is engaging and lively, never dull, as he takes us on what is not only a history of Dante’s remains and relics but a microcosm of Italian history and identity. It is fascinating to see the ways in which Dante’s memory and bones were used and abused: as a call for unification, as a pilgrimage site for writers and politicians, moral boosting in World War I, propaganda for Mussolini and fascism, and more.
My criticisms for this book ultimately do not drag it down. Reading this in 2021, months away from the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death, I found myself wondering whether Dante has been called in again to serve as a morale booster during the pandemic and what are the current plans to celebrate the anniversary of his death. Raffa mentions the possibility of Dante’s bones being disinterred to visit Florence for the anniversary but I can’t find anything more about that... But this is an unfair complaint – Dante’s Bones was probably finalised before the end of 2019.
My main complaint about this book, however, rests squarely with the publisher. There are numerous photographs and illustrations but all are black and white and not printed on glossy paper but the same paper as the rest of the book and often, the images were unclear and grainy. This isn’t a cheap book and the publisher is decent so I was left confused as to why the quality was so poor.
Otherwise, this book is excellent.
May 2, 2021
An intriguing history of the physical remains of Dante Alighieri, buried in Ravenna (the city of his exile) rather than Florence (the city of his birth, which loves to claim him, but had exiled him) - the attempts by Florence to repatriate the remains and the efforts of Ravenna to resist this, the times the remains were stolen, hidden, restored, opened and viewed (and bits stolen), etc. Alongside this is the history of Dante's legacy, creating the national literature and indeed language predating the unification of Italy as a nation, his uses and abuses by religious figures, atheists, fascists, etc. A really interesting read for anyone with an interest in Dante's work, Italian history, and European history in general.
July 23, 2020
Fascinating detailed report of the political/philosophical/religious fights between Florence and Ravenna over Dante's bones and the role they played as Italy's cities and regions liberated themselves and joined together to form the modern nation of Italy. While the Renaissance certainly had its moments of intrigue, I was intrigued by the (re)discovery and the arrangements for the 600th anniversary. Now I am wondering about 2021--what new cloak-and-dagger activities can we expect?
April 15, 2022
read 3/4 of it for my essay ..................... besides that, it is ... very well ... well continue at some point but got my information from it already..................
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews