The Seven Addresses To The Reader In PURGATORIO
From Walking With Dante by Mark Scarbrough
April 19, 2026 · 25 min · Season 2 · Episode 259
About this episode
Mark Scarbrough explores the seven direct addresses Dante makes to the reader in PURGATORIO, analyzing their significance and implications for the text and its themes.
Dante, the poet, steps out of the story seven times in PURGATORIO to address his reader directly--sometimes to spur the reader on to action, sometimes to put a bridle on the reader's intentions or thoughts. If we trace these seven addresses, can we find a developmental pattern? Or uncover Dante's changing attitude toward his work? Or toward his reader? Can we see a growing frustration or even fear about what lies ahead in COMEDY? Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we work our way through these seven call-outs to find ways to summarize the greater work and ingenuity of PURGATORIO. Here are the segments for this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE: [01:31] PURGATORIO, Canto VIII, Lines 19 - 21. [05:23] PURGATORIO, Canto IX, Lines 70 - 72. [08:00] PURGATORIO, Canto X, Lines 106 - 111. [11:55] PURGATORIO, Canto XVII, Lines 1 - 9. [15:39] PURGATORIO, Canto XXIX, Lines 97 - 105. [19:20] PURGATORIO, Canto XXXI, Lines 124 - 126. [22:22] PURGATORIO, Canto XXXIII, Lines 136 - 138.
People in this episode
Host: Mark Scarbrough
Topics covered
- Dante
- PURGATORIO
- reader engagement
- literary analysis
- poetic structure
- authorial intent
Keywords
- Dante
- PURGATORIO
- reader addresses
- literary analysis
- poetry
- Canto
- authorial intent
- frustration
- fear
- developmental pattern
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: PURGATORIO, COMEDY
More episodes of Walking With Dante
- An Update about PARADISO and WALKING WITH DANTE · May 28, 2026 · 3 min
- Walking With Dante is going on a short hiatus · April 30, 2026 · 3 min
- Final Thoughts On PURGATORIO · April 26, 2026 · 20 min
- Dante's Theories Of Writing Across INFERNO and PURGATORIO · April 12, 2026 · 31 min
- All The Hopeful Ambiguity Of The Second Canticle: PURGATORIO, Canto XXXIII, Lines 124 - 145 · April 8, 2026 · 20 min
- At Long Last, Matelda: PURGATORIO, Canto XXXIII, Lines 103 - 123 · April 5, 2026 · 33 min
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