Dr. Anthony Esolen Lectures on Dante's Divine Comedy

by Jaime Bates, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

Dr. Anthony Esolen, professor of English at Providence College, will give a lecture on "How to Put Your Soul on Ice: Freedom and Autonomy in Dante's Divine Comedy" at 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, in the Alexander Reading Room on the Baylor campus. A reception with the author will follow. This lecture, which is co-sponsored by the Honors Residential College, the Honors College and the Division of Student Life, is part of the Honors College Lecture Series and is free and open to the public.

Esolen received his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina. He specializes in classical, medieval and Renaissance literature. He is the author of several translations and editions of On the Nature of Things by Lucretius, Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso and more recently, his 2004 translation of The Divine Comedy by Dante. Esolen also has published articles on Spenser, Shakespeare, Dante and Tasso, and is a contributing editor for the theological journal, "Touchstone."

"Many students have been requesting a lecture by Anthony Esolen for some time now," said Dr. Sarah-Jane Murray, assistant professor of medieval literature and French at Baylor. "His translation of the Divine Comedy is assigned in a good number of courses at Baylor and has become quite a favorite."

Dante's Divine Comedy had a significant influence on western literature and is still prominent in discussions of literature today.

"I would also like to encourage local high school students to take advantage of this visit, as well as members of the greater Waco community," Murray said. "Esolen's visit will provide those in attendance with the occasion to think about the writings of one of the greatest authors of all times."

The Honors College Lecture Series is held throughout the fall and spring semesters on a variety of topics and is designed to stimulate thought and discussion.

Past topics include:
? The HIV pandemic - Dr. Ray Corrin, World Health Organization, Spring 2008
? The importance of Christianity in Hollywood - Ted Baehr, Fall 2008
? C.S. Lewis's Narnia Chronicles - Dr. Michael Ward, Spring 2009

For more information on this lecture and the Honors College Lecture Series, please visit www.baylor.edu/honors_college or contact Sarah-Jane Murray at (254) 710-7865 or SJ_Murray@baylor.edu.