The Divine Comedy Divided into three parts Inferno

The Divine Comedy • Divided into three parts – Inferno (hell) – Purgatorio (purgatory) – Paradiso (heaven) • In each realm, the narrator is escorted through a hierarchy of levels – In hell, a hierarchy of crimes and punishments – In purgatory, a hierarchy of sins and purgatives – In heaven, a hierarchy of the blessed

The Divine Comedy • In summary, a complete picture of the ordering of medieval society. • An attempt to achieve the medieval synthesis of Christian belief with Classical ideals. – Classical reason (Virgil) and Christian faith (Beatrice) • A “spiritual odyssey”

Architecture during the High Middle Ages • In about 1000 the Romanesque style emerged (the First Romanesque 1000 -1080 and the Second Romanesque 1080 -1200). By 1150 the Gothic style was developing out of the Romanesque. It was the dominant style of the remainder of the Middle Ages, succumbing finally to Renaissance fashion in about 1500. Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is an example of the Early Gothic style. Amiens Cathedral is an example of the High Gothic style.

Romanesque style • Buildings based on Roman “basilica” model – Heavy-looking, “squat, ” fortress-type buildings • Use of Roman arches – Division into “bays” • Innovation of vaulted interior ceilings – Groin vault • Use of columns for support and decoration • Church of Sainte Marie-Madeleine (Vezelay, France, 1089 -1206).

Architecture during the High Middle Ages • Romanesque – Named for the inherited Roman style buildings – Style dominates 1000 s -1100 s • Gothic – The term was coined by later scholars who thought the style primitive and graceless – Style originates in mid 1100 s and lasts until 1400 s

Gothic style • Evolves out of Romanesque • Evolves out of a desire to create more dramatic, heavenly buildings, that would focus the faithful on “higher” things. – “height and light” • Despite the cost of building, citizens in the towns wanted the prestige of having a cathedral in their city.

Gothic Style • The Romanesque groin vault is transformed into a ribbed vault • The Roman arch is transformed into a pointed arch • The weight of higher walls is supported and directed outward by flying buttresses. • Development of the apse and emphasis on the “choir, ” where most of the rituals took place. • Development of highly ornate stained glass.

Early Gothic Style • Choir as long as nave • Best example: Notre Dame in Paris (begun 1163

High Gothic Style • Taller buildings • More extensive use of flying buttresses, which allows for larger windows. • Generally, far more ornately decorated. • Best example: Amiens Cathedral (Amiens, France, begun 1220)

Amiens Cathedral

Amiens Cathedral

Notre Dame

Notre Dame