Introduction

Categories like feminine and masculine can constrain as much as illuminate. But there is no denying that men and male entities play a major, often surprising part in Dante's journey through the Divine Comedy. 

This talk complements my look at Dante and the Divine Feminine, now considering Dante's encounters with figures such as Belacqua and Statius,  Bernard and Cacciaguida. Archetypal qualities such as the warrior, magician, lover and king assist. 

The talk ends with the figure of Beatrice, who might be said to integrate the feminine and masculine, and so be the guide Dante needs to understand the human-divine connection.

For more about Mark's work on Dante, including his book, see - https://www.markvernon.com/dantes-divine-comedy.