Jersey medievalist to guide Islanders through Dante's Inferno

Saturday 31 December 2022

A local specialist in medieval Italian poetry will offer insights into one of the greatest works of European literature through a six-week introductory course beginning in February.

Katie Bastiman, who first studied Italian at Jersey College for Girls, will guide students through an exploration of Dante’s ‘The Divine Comedy’, examining the text itself as well as the long-lasting cultural impact that it has had.

Katie developed her passion for Italian literature whilst undertaking both an undergraduate and postgraduate degree in Modern Languages at the University of Oxford, graduating with first class honours and a distinction in her master’s degree. During her time at university,  she chiefly focused on Dante and his contemporaries. 

Katie’s previous work on Dante includes the translation of a book entitled ‘Dante’s Ravenna: A path between art, history, and literature in the city of Ravenna’, which she translated into English while working at the Dante museum within the Centro Dantesco dei Frati Minori Conventuali in Ravenna. 

Pictured: The Divine Comedy is a narrative poem in which the poet places himself as the main character who must voyage through the three realms of the afterlife – Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise.

Written by Dante Alighieri in the early 1300s, The Divine Comedy is a narrative poem in which the poet places himself as the main character who must voyage through the three realms of the afterlife – Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise – and speak to the souls of the dead who reside there.

It is widely regarded as one of the most important works in the Italian language, providing a rich image of the world in which Dante lived, including an insight into the social and political concerns of the time, all presented through a sophisticated and elegant poetic form.

Katie said of the course: “The Divine Comedy is an extremely beautiful and culturally significant work of Italian literature, and I am very excited to be sharing my love of this poem through this course. I encourage anyone with an interest in poetry, Italian culture, history, or translation, to join us as we look together at why this poem was so important at the time when it was written, and why it continues to engage and fascinate readers 700 years later.”

Pictured: The Divine Comedy is widely regarded as one of the most important works in the Italian language, providing a rich image of the world in which Dante lived.

The course costs £70 and will be taught in English. Classes will take place at the Philip Mourant Centre in Trinity from 18.30-20.30 on Wednesday evenings from 22ⁿ February until 29 March.

For more information about the course, please contact Katie at katiebastiman@gmail.com or click HERE to access the Highlands Adult Community Education website.