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Walking With Dante

Mark Scarbrough
Purgatorio
Envy
Dante Alighieri
Sapía
Canto XIV
Virgil
Dante
Inferno
Florence
Romagna
Divine Comedy
Dante's Divine Comedy
Canto XIV Of Purgatorio
Guido Del Duca
Sapia
Identity
Tuscan Valley
River Arno
Cersei
Cain

Ever wanted to read Dante's Divine Comedy? Come along with us! We're not lost in the scholarly weeds. (Mostly.) We're strolling through the greatest work (to date) of Western literature. Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as I take on this masterpiece passage by passage. I'll give you my rough English translation, show you some of the interpretive knots in the lines, let you in on the 700 years of commenta... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes489Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksFictionArts

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Artwork for Walking With Dante

Latest Episodes

As one of three sum-up episode to conclude our time on Mount Purgatory, this one’s about Dante’s conception of what he’s doing when he’s writing, outlined in nine selected passages from INFERNO and PURGATORIO.

We’ve moved far enough into the poem th... more

We come to the end of the second canticle, of PURGATORIO . . . and it includes all the ambiguity and humanness we've come to expect, plus hopeful notes for the journey ahead into Paradise.

Dante complicates his ending of PURGATORIO with notes about ... more

The procession continues away from Lethe and farther into the Garden of Eden until they come to a dark, frigid spot that stops them . . . a curious moment in this innocent landscape.

And it gets more curious as we discover rivers named and then rena... more

After her final discourse in PURGATORIO, Beatrice and Dante enter into a brief conversation in which he admits he already has images stamped into his brain but he doesn't know what many of them mean, particularly those from her.

She, on the other ha... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Recent Guests

Guido Guinizzelli
A famous poet considered the father of the sweet new style in Italian poetry.
Episode: Queenly Embeasting: PURGATORIO, Canto XXVI, Lines 67 - 93
Forese Donati
A significant figure in Dante's narrative, known for his past poetic rivalry with Dante.
Member of the Donati family
Episode: Gluttons For Poetry: PURGATORIO, Canto XXIII, Lines 28 - 48
Marco of Lombardy
A central figure in Dante's work, representing worldly knowledge and lost valor
Literary character from Dante's Divine Comedy
Episode: Greeting The Wrathful And Slowly Changing COMEDY Itself: PURGATORIO, Canto XVI, Lines 25 - 51

Host

Mark Scarbrough
Host of Walking With Dante; provides rough English translation, interprets historical commentary, and guides listeners through Dante's text.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 294 ratings
  • I learn and laugh

    This is such a clever and enjoyable discussion which is really well pitched for an educated lay audience. Fun and revelatory, can't recommend highly enough.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Michael from Waramanga
    Australia22 days ago
  • The Journey Not the Destination

    We hear, “It’s not the destination but the journey.” This auditory Baedeker to Dante’s masterwork is proof positive. Thoroughly detailed, refreshingly candid, enormously good natured… Mark is the perfect professional guide to a monument of world literature. Walk this way and enjoy. You too will be so glad you did!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    A Cape Ann Perambulist
    United Statesa month ago
  • Great Walk

    Just a Catholic philosopher here, taking in these episodes like manna. Thank you, Mark!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    "mom of 6" was taken
    United States2 months ago
  • A True Pleasure

    This podcast is an absolute godsend for anyone wanting to understand Dante’s masterwork better. The episodes are engaging and bite-sized, and the host does a phenomenal job diving deep and bringing his medievalist expertise to bear on the text while always keeping it wonderfully enterable and delightful. I listen to a lot of different podcasts but this one has become my favorite. If you’re interested in the Divine Comedy, I couldn’t recommend it more highly!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jdolson12
    United States3 months ago
  • What a time to be alive!

    If you are considering reading the Comedy, if you are not considering reading the Comedy, if you don’t even know what the Comedy is…. GIVE THIS A GO! The passion of Mark Scarbrough and the insights are beyond compare. You will be entertained on the journey of a lifetime.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cheina Day
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some criticism about pacing or padding but overall high engagement.
Listeners praise clarity and warmth of delivery.
Many appreciate the balance of scholarly context with engaging narration.
Audience notes depth and accessibility; some call it a reliable, thoughtful guide to Dante.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#227
Australia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#84
Austria/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#187
Austria/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Love Maps Purgatory: PURGATORIO, Canto XVII, Lines 106 - 126
Q: Can Virgil, a pagan-damned poet, be a scholastic thinker?
Virgil shows traits of a scholastic thinker through the way he articulates the nature of love, but he continues to use language like 'first cause' instead of directly referencing God, making him more of a scholastic philosopher than a theologian.
The Chatty Conclusion Of The Angry Marco's Discourse: PURGATORIO, Canto XVI, Lines 130 - 145
Q: What does this conversational tone do for the poet?
It provides a relaxed atmosphere after the tight theological discourse, aiding in pacing and allowing Dante to transition into contemporary topics.
The Chatty Conclusion Of The Angry Marco's Discourse: PURGATORIO, Canto XVI, Lines 130 - 145
Q: Why is there so much Torah here in Marco's speech?
It's to show a foundational relationship between the papacy and the Jewish priesthood, linking both territories and authority within historical contexts.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Walking With Dante

What is Walking With Dante about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, scholarly yet accessible exploration of Dante's Divine Comedy, with a steady rhythm of reading, translation notes, and interpretive knots explained for modern audiences. Episodes balance close readings of key cantos with broader context, linking medieval scholarship to contemporary themes like governance, virtue, and spiritual awakening. Listeners seem drawn to a slow, methodical approach that makes intricate poetry approachable without dumbing it down, and they likely appreciate personal storytelling from the host as part of the interpretive process. A notable strength is the host's ability to connect Dante's poem to wide-ranging references while maintaining clarity and warmth, making it appealing to both students and lifelon... more

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1. EconTalk
2. In Our Time
3. The LRB Podcast
4. Close Readings
5. The Ezra Klein Show

How many episodes of Walking With Dante are there?

Walking With Dante launched 6 years ago and published 489 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Walking With Dante?

Recent guests on Walking With Dante include:

1. Guido Guinizzelli
2. Forese Donati
3. Marco of Lombardy

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