Research Symposium

BIO

Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio.
Research Interests: I plan to pursue more psychological studies in the future. I plan to participate in DIS and complete an Honors in the Major project.
Career Goals: My goal is to be a clinical therapist for adolescents.

Dante Today: Gustave Doré Illustrations in Modern Music

Abstract

This study is an archive of modern renditions of Dante Alighieri and his Divine Comedy. It hosts many examples of modern media reiterating the famous words written over 700 years ago. The work on Dante Today allows a look into the impact the Divine Comedy has had across all forms of media. The postings are each categorized by topic and then further tagged by their thematic characteristics. Then, they are posted to the site where viewers can search for Dante in contemporary culture to draw their own ideas and conclusions. One particular rendition of the poem is the artist Gustave Doré’s illustrations, which since their creation in the 19th century have become almost synonymous with the poem itself. These illustrations, alongside the poem, have made their way into a plethora of modern cultures. They are especially prevalent in the music industry with Doré’s drawings being used in countless instances as album covers and art while the Dantean themes are being worked into the titles, lyrics, or even feelings of the music. This study contributed its research by showing examples of how one singular piece of work, the Divine Comedy, can now influence so much media around the entire world over 700 years after publication.

Keywords: Dante, Inferno, Music, Culture, Art