It's worth asking why the story of Paolo and Francesca has charmed readers for centuries. The verses by Dante, indeed, touch some soft spot of our sensibility, "myths", so to speak, related to love and everyone, absolutely everyone, even when we do not want to believe in them, feels nostalgia for them. I used the word "myth" but not in a derogatory sense, indeed. Instead, myths can convey very real meanings: they tell the truth in a poetic way.
· First, the bond between the two lovers is going to last forever:
This one, who ne'er from me shall be divided,Francesca adds, hinting to Paolo at v.135; and then, above:
Seized me with pleasure of this man so strongly,
That, as thou seest, it doth not yet desert me.....(vv.103-105).
Their love is such a strong passion, so intense, that it will bind them forever: even in hell, the two lovers will always be together, without ever separating from each other. And what else do you want when you're in love?· Hence the classic combination of "Love and Death", is but a short step further. It 's true that the history of European literature has often declined this motive masochistically, to not say in a gloomy way, but the real reason why this partnership is so fascinating is that we all feel (or hope) that love is greater than death and every evil. Strong as death is love, relentless as hell the passion, says the Song of Songs 8.6: and the same Bible book praises just that, a spousal love overcoming every evil and even stronger than death and hell. Paolo and Francesca's love, in this, seems to be fully accomplished.
The whirlwind of lovers, by W.Blake· Hence, another inevitable consequence: if love is eternal, if it unites two people heart and soul forever, and it is stronger than death or even than hell, then (once again, we all hope for this) for each one of us called to couple's life, there is one person suiting us and predestined to us. "I did not think there was a person made for me," a colleague said, widowed after a very happy, but short-lived marriage, whose happiness had been cut short by the illness of his wife. While in tears, he found comfort in knowing that he had found the right person, who really loved him and that she was still spiritually close to him. Each one of us hopes so, because, after all, so we hope to see confirmed our place in life; and we hope to find a love unique for us: almost an image of God for ourselves.- True love is always reciprocated:
Love, that exempts no one beloved from loving...(v.103).
My teacher of literature in high school observed, a little cynically, that it is not true, because the world is full of people in love not reciprocated, but I think she was mistaken. Infatuation has no right to fit the verse by Dante: just true love, a noble one, fed by sensitive hearts like those of Paolo and Francesca, who let themselves be gently carried away by passion for the beauty of the other (but a beauty that is nobility and courtesy and elegance, as evidenced by the attitude of Francesca): this love deserves to be reciprocated and no one else. It 's almost an election.Love, that on gentle heart doth swiftly seize,
Seized this man for the person beautiful
That was ta'en from me .... (vv.100-102).
Seized this man for the person beautiful
That was ta'en from me .... (vv.100-102).
Another version of the Kiss by Auguste Rodin, in the museum entitled to him in Paris
These are the sweet thoughts mentioned by Dante at v.113, which alone can feed a love like that: and they definitely arouse love in the heart of the other. I remember last year, when I said in my class that true love is always reciprocated, one of my students, Enrico, was fascinated by this idea (I'm sure he was not the only one): this is something everyone of us hopes for.After all, few of us come to mystical experiences, but love promises horizons of absolute, love seems to contain within itself a promise directly blossomed in heaven, a spark of God's love for each one of us. Some say that when we fall in love, we see the other as God wants him to be: and in all of us, even in the most disillusioned ones, the hope is harboured that our love could reach something divine. For this, the more we feel the cruel fate of Paolo and Francesca. So, why so much evil? How many pleasant thoughts, how much desire,
Conducted these unto the dolorous pass! (vv.113-14).Can this love story put philosophical and existential questions?(I'll tell you Tomorrow: now I'm going to bed ...)
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