Dante Alighieri: Theory of Illustrious Vernacular

Dante Alighieri, and Italian poet and critic, was the first scholar who developed very comprehensive theory of the medium of poetry. He popularized the use of native language or mother tongue in poetry. Dante, born in Florence, Italy in 1265 was the Italian poet and critic of high reputation. He began his career as a writer at an early age. His important works as a poet and as a critic are as follows:

1.   Vita Nuova, a collection of love poems

2.   De Vulgaris Eloquentia, a critical treatise on the use of language

3.   The Divine Comedy, an epic

In Dante's time, the language of the educated people was Latin. Despite Latin's predominance, different dialects and accents emerged throughout Italy. As such, these vulgar languages where spoken largely by the uneducated or artistic Italians. Overtime, however, the vulgar languages developed and became more prominent. Despite many and varied forms of vulgar languages, Italians could understand one another, although Latin had become very foreign to them. The Italian language developed in response to Latin during the 13th and 14th centuries.

Dante was very active in politics of his times. He was exiled from his city, Florence because of some political conflicts. Then he was exiled for two years and was also fined. He was unable to make payment and so his exile became permanent and punishable by death if he attempted to return to Florence.

The impact of exile had, no doubt, influenced Dante's perception of the different dialects throughout Italy. As he observed and studied the different communication styles, Dante began to appreciate the beauty and importance of the vernacular. Before Dante, literary scholars had only appreciated Latin because it was the language of noble men, of the clergy and of the scholars. The awesome power of the Catholic Church in Europe had made Latin the language of authority. Scholars and Church authorities all used Latin in their official work and business. Now, however, Dante saw the Italian vernacular (local dialect) as something "illustrious, cardinal, courtly and crucial." In 1304, Dante wrote 'De Vulgari Eloquentia', a critical treatise to advocate for the use of local vernacular or dialects in poetry.

In an attempt to persuade the aristocracy of the importance of the vernacular, Dante wrote 'De Vulgari Eloquentia' in Latin and he argued for the nobility of the vernacular. Then the wrote the 'Divine Comedy' in the vernacular language in order to prove that great poetry can be written most effectively in one's own mother tongue.

IMPORTANCE OF MOTHER TONGUE / VERNACULAR:

Dante advocated for the use of local mother tongue or vernacular in poetry. He believed that art is natural and natural expression of ideas and emotions in poetry is done more effectively and successfully in one's own language. He writes:

"This mother tongue shall be new light and a new sun which

shall rise when the old sun shall set, and shall shine on those

who are in darkness and mist because of the old son which

gives no light to them."

Dante wrote his epic 'The Divine Comedy' in his own native language, Italian, not in Latin because he knew that if he wrote it in Latin only a few learned scholars would read it. It would not appeal all. True poetry should be universal which appeals all.

DANTE'S CONCEPT OF ILLUSTREOUS VERNACULAR:

Dante favoured the use of native language, but he emphasized on the use of illustrious vernacular. Local dialects and slang language must be avoided. According to him, the language of poetry must be the language of the men of letters, the common language which is adopted and understood by the larger mass. Dante said that this vernacular must be polished in such a manner that it fits to poetry as the ideal medium of expression. He believed that the language of poetry must be ideal, elevated and illustrious. He writes:

"Poetry and the language proper for it are

an elaborate and painful toil."

USE OF GRAND WORDS:

According to Dante, the vocabulary of his illustrious vernacular should be composed of grand words only. He distinguishes between the noble and ignoble words. The ignoble words must be avoided in order to make the vernacular ideal or illustrious. In every language, there are some childish, effeminate, rough or slippery words. But the poet should choose only the urban words which are common to all and also noble. He comments:

"Avoid rustic words altogether and even of urban words

let only the noblest remain in your sieve."

 SUBJECT MATTER OF POETRY:

High language or ideal language needs great thoughts and vice a versa. Then he said that all true and great poetry must present three broad subject matters. They are:

1.   Salus (safety of the nation)

2.   Venus (love)

3.   Virtua (virtues)

CONCLUSION:

In this way, one can say that Dante holds a high position in the history of literary criticism. Though he was influenced by Aristotle and Horace, he carved a special niche for himself in the annals of literary criticism. He has been remembered as an outstanding critic for his comprehensive theory of Illustrious Vernacular. In the words of Saintsbury:

"No ancient critic could have made such a survey as

he makes of the different languages of Europe;

no ancient critic made such  a survey of the dialect of Greek

as he makes of the dialects of Italian."

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