By Darius
Preface
To discuss a literary work, one cannot separate it from its historical and cultural context. It is precisely this that often causes us Eastern visitors to experience a kind of cultural dissonance when delving into the vast world of Western literature, due to a lack of familiarity with religious backgrounds, cultural allusions, and other unfamiliar elements. Thus, although the works of Western literary giants from the Renaissance period are widely renowned, few are willing to read them in their entirety.
This is where the advantage of musical theater emerges. After watching the musical Divine Comedy, I felt profoundly enriched.
I. The Musical
As a freshly debuted musical, this Italian production masterfully brings to life the scenes from Dante's original work through diverse forms of expression. Its soundtrack blends classical and contemporary elements, evoking the mystical atmospheres of Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. Authentic costumes, makeup, and props fully immerse the audience in the narrative, while high-definition projections and exquisite artistic designs are equally captivating.
Among these, the appearance of the Furies and the Gorgon Medusa represents the pinnacle of this multifaceted presentation. The wrath of the Erinyes and the gaze of the snake-haired monster sent chills down my spine. The stage seemed to pulsate with life, and I could feel its heartbeat.
If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you. — Friedrich Nietzsche
II. Philosophical Meaning
I dare not claim to understand religion, but religions often emphasize self-reflection and redemption. The Divine Comedy employs extraordinary imagination and richly artistic allusions to illustrate the principle of "rewarding good and punishing evil" across the three realms, showing compassion for souls that have inadvertently fallen and depicting how a lost individual can emerge from the abyss and mist with the aid of reason and faith.
The work underscores the importance of love and free will for humanity: free will guides the way forward, while love is the driving force behind all actions. Excessive love, deficient love, and malicious love form the very foundation of the seven deadly sins. The protagonist, Dante, driven by love, guided by free will, aided by reason, and inspired by faith, traverses the depths of suffering to reach the other shore.
The love that moves the sun and the other stars. — Dante Alighieri
III. Simplifying Complexity
The original Divine Comedy is written in poetic form, replete with obscure allusions and challenging descriptions. Readers without relevant knowledge or a vivid imagination must invest significant effort to comprehend it. Due to time constraints, the musical condenses the plot, retaining the most impactful episodes, such as Paolo and Francesca and Ulysses.
In terms of depth, the musical naturally cannot rival the original. Yet, its ingenious presentation and accessible narrative have won approval from both devoted readers of the original and newcomers alike, breathing new life into the Divine Comedy from a fresh perspective. Theories and virtues that once existed only on paper have been transformed into living entities through the efforts of the entire production team, transcending the limitations of text.
All theory is gray, my friend. But forever green is the tree of life. — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
IV. The Finale of Reflection
Although much of the Divine Comedy aligns with mainstream thought of its time, Dante's heart harbored rebellion. In his writing, some sinners are despicable, while others are pitiable and deserving of sympathy. Among them are the resourceful, the unconventional thinkers, those lost for love, and the betrayed. Perhaps Dante believed that malice is far baser than sin itself—that while justice must condemn, sinners are not beyond redemption.
At the same time, Virgil, representing human reason, quietly departs before Dante enters Paradise, signifying the limitations of human reason: it can confront worldly evil and guide one out of Hell, but it cannot, like faith, elevate one to higher realms. Thus, Virgil exits, and Beatrice, embodying faith, takes the stage.
I, as a newcomer, agree with this perspective, though it originates from centuries past: human reason can prevent one from being consumed by primal desires, but only belief can unlock one's greatest potential within.
The hardest thing in the world is to believe, for genuine belief is an unshakable faith built upon countless doubts.
Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark. — Rabindranath Tagore
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