Читать книгу Gesammelte Aufsätze zur romanischen Philologie – Studienausgabe. Herausgegeben und ergänzt um Aufsätze, Primärbibliographie und Nachwort von Matthias Bormuth und Martin Vialon онлайн

123 страница из 203

Anyway, the motifs bella figlia, pelle bianca, nera, sole contain for the mediaeval reader a reference to another passage of the Canticles, namely 1, 4–5: nigra sum sed formosa, filiae Jerusalem, sicut tabernaculum Cedar, sicut pelles Salomonis; nolite me considerare quod fusca sim, quia decoloravit me sol. The allusion is the more evident (not for us, but for the mediaeval reader), since before in the entire 27th canto the theme of the corruption of the Church (or anger and shame about it) had constantly been connected with change or loss of colour (V. 13–15; 19–21; 28–36; see also Par. 22, 91–93). The interpretation of Cant. 1, 4–5 has produced such rich and varied speculation that the explanation of DanteDante’s verses is not immediately facilitated by this reference; one thing at least is evident, that the filia or sponsa of the Canticles is the Church or Christianity, that therefore we have to deal with its corruption. Moreover, I shall quote some commentaries on the Canticles which may perhaps help to a more accurate understanding of DanteDante’s intention.