Dante Alighieri
Though primarily known as a poet, Dante wrote some of the most important philosophical and political prose of the medieval period. De Monarchia argues for the separation of church and state, while De vulgari eloquentia theorizes literary language.
Works
- Divine ComedyEpic poem journeying through hell, purgatory, and paradise with divine guidance
- La Vita NuovaAutobiographical narrative of spiritual awakening and love for a woman named Beatrice
- De Vulgari EloquentiaTreatise on Italian vernacular language and literary composition
- Il ConvivioPhilosophical dialogue on love, knowledge, and the levels of human understanding
- De MonarchiaPolitical treatise arguing for universal monarchy under a single world ruler
- ConvivioPhilosophical dialogue on love, knowledge, and the levels of human understanding