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How did Dante contribute to the development of an Italian literary language?
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Renaissance
Last Supper, wall painting by Leonardo da Vinci, 1495–98, after its restoration was completed in 1999; in Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan.
Dante Alighieri played a pivotal role in the development of the Italian literary language by choosing to write his masterpiece, The Divine Comedy, in the Italian vernacular rather than in Latin.1
His contributions included:
- Standardization: By primarily utilizing the Tuscan dialect, Dante helped establish the foundation for what would eventually become standard literary Italian.1
- Theoretical Foundation: In his work De vulgari eloquentia, Dante provided the first theoretical discussion and definition of an Italian literary language.2
- Literary Legitimacy: Through his ambitious writings, such as The Banquet, he demonstrated that the vernacular was capable of expressing complex philosophical and intellectual ideas, avoiding both the artificiality of Latin translations and the simplicity of popular writers.2
- Cultural Impact: By lending a voice to the emerging lay culture, Dante ensured that Italian became a significant literary language in western Europe for centuries.1