Abstract
This chapter defines gluttony in the medieval European context, reviewing
the many spheres that influenced its interpretation: cultural, medical,
social, and theological. It establishes that gluttony in Dante is an interaction
with food that undermines the social contract and breaks down
community. In this way, gluttony becomes a kind of anti-poetry for Dante:
in contrast to the stil novo or “new style” that sought to inspire, unite, and
create understanding at human and divine levels, gluttony is consumption
that takes from others, stunts growth, and makes expression more
difficult. Dante’s gluttons thus become an interpretive key, unlocking a
reading of his poetry that has not yet been appreciated by modern critics.
Publisher
Amsterdam University Press