i THE SACRAMENTAL POETICS OF DANTE'S COMMEDIA A ...

mention Adam in the following comments, it is simply to note that the latter was the
first human being created by God. The commentator discovers no meaning for Adam,
nor does he try to understand the purpose of Adam’s appearance here; for in
personification allegory, the purpose and the personified meaning are indeed
indistinguishable from each other. Yet Adam’s appearance here is stupefying, to use
Dante-Poet’s term, and surely has meaning.
Even as late as the 20 th century, some commentators continued to describe the
Comedy in personification terms. Dino Provenzal writes, “B[eatrice], la Verità rivelata,
con gli occhi che rispecchiano la luce di Dio, restituisce a D. la vista della mente.” 16
Beatrice is “la Verità rivelata,” revealed truth—Revelation personified. Regarding
Adam’s stupefying appearance, however, Provenzal only says, “È l’anima di Adamo.” 17
Adam is now referred to, but like the previous commentator Provenzal makes no
attempt to understand Adam’s appearance. Why here? Why now? And if it is really
stupefacente, as Dante claims, why is the sudden revelation of Adam unaddressed?
Dissatisfied with the limits of personification allegory as applied to the Comedy,
recent critics have put forth other possible exegetical principles. The basic counter-
argument to the personification reading claims that the literal meaning of the poem is
meant to affect the lives of readers as much as the deeper meaning(s); it is not an outer
16 Dino Provenzal. La Divina Commedia, commentata da Dino Provenzal. Venice: Stampato oresso
le Arti Grafiche delle Venezie di Vicenza, 1983. Paradiso 26.70-78.
17 Provenzal Paradiso 26.79-81.
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