Divine Comedy: Paradiso Lesson Plan

Cacciaguida tells Dante a lot about what has changed Florence for the worst. What might change Florence for the better, in your opinion?

Some students, going off of Cacciaguida's remarks, might suppose that the simplest solution would be to make Florence as it was once again. Efforts to weed out corruption and reduce conflict would go a long way towards improving Florence, in this view. Other students might suggest more complicated or exotic proposals, such as investing more in the city's economy and improving education and civic life.

Do you sympathize with Dante's pride in his ancestry? In what circumstances is this pride a good thing, and in what circumstances is...