This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit grandhotelabyss.substack.com

Welcome back to The Invisible College, my series of literature courses for paid subscribers. The introduction to and schedule for the 2026 season is here. The 2024 and 2025 archives are here. This episode, of which the first 15 minutes are free, is about Dante’s Purgatorio. We dwell, in this most human of the Divine Comedy’s three canticles, on Dante’s portrayal of poetic tradition and lineage, his critique of reason, and the tension between his realistic and allegorical tendencies. Please also like, share, comment, and subscribe! The slideshow corresponding to the episode can be downloaded behind the paywall: