User:Deliz21/Nino Visconti

Draft:


 * Dante refers to him as "giudice Nin gentil" or "Noble Judge Nino" (Alighieri, 167)
 * Dante remarks that he is glad to see that Nino is not in the Inferno below (Alighieri, 167)
 * Nino Visconti tells Dante that he thinks his wife does not pray for him any longer because she has remarried. He comments that women move on quickly and that without "frequent sight and touch" they forget their husbands (Alighieri, 167)
 * Correct nephew to grandson in the Wikipedia article (Alighieri, 167)
 * He was in charge of the Guelf party in 1288 & got kicked out (Alighieri, 167)
 * He went to Lucca and then counter attacked Pisa for 5 years
 * Make a section to separate "Nino Visconti" historical vs. in Dante
 * Fix run-on sentences

In 1288, he began to share power with his uncle in Pisa, but the two quarreled. The elder Ugolino tried to enlist the archbishop Ruggieri degli Ubaldini to expel Nino from the city, but the archbishop instead exiled them both and appointed his own podestà and capitano del popolo. Then a Pisan army was sent to take control of Nino's giudicato. The betrayed giudice never set foot in his giudicato again. However, after his exile, Nino Visconti counterattacked Pisa with Genoa, Lucca and the Florentine Guelfs.

Nino Visconti's Role in Dante's Purgatorio
Dante Alighieri was assumed to be a friend to Nino Visconti. According to historians, they may have become friendly with each other when Nino lived out part of his exile in Florence. In the eighth canto of his Purgatorio, to his mild surprise, Dante meets Nino in the region of Purgatory outside St. Peter's gate. This area was devoted the souls of those who neglected their spiritual welfare for the sake of their country. Here they are detained for a period equal to their earthly lifetimes before beginning their purgation.

When they meet, Dante describes his journey, and that he is not yet dead. This is a great surprise to Nino. As they speak, Dante refers to him as "giudice Nin gentil" or "Noble Judge Nino". Dante remarks at how glad he is to see that Nino is here, and not in hell. Nino Visconti mentions that his widow remarried Galeazzo de’ Visconti of Milan, into the Milanese branch of the Visconti. Because of this, Nino complains to Dante that his widow does not love or respect him anymore. He asks Dante to remind Giovanna, his daughter, to pray for him. Nino then continues to berate his widow and the Milanese. He tells Dante that in her death she will no longer be associated with his family's symbol, which he sees as a great loss for her. Visconti directly comments on how quickly women move on from their husbands. This comment of his is very similar to an excerpt from Aeneid, furthering the parallels between Dante's writing and Virgil's works.

Interpretations of Nino Visconti in Purgatorio
There have been many investigations into the importance of Nino Visconti in Dante's work. Some critics claim that Nino represents the independence and peace of mind, in Purgatorio as a contrast from Inferno. This is because Dante makes Nino appear so sure of his path. There have also been connections drawn between Nino Visconti and Forese Donati who appears later on. Both have similar conversations about the women in their life, and both foster a close bond to Dante. Although Nino speaks harshly of his wife, this is justified by Dante, as Dante deems his cause worthy enough. Again there is the notion of him being "truthful" as the "Noble Judge"- he is exposing the truth of his life to Dante.

Nino's family is also interpreted as being symbolic. Many commentators agree that Nino's daughter and wife may represent a Mary and Eve dynamic. Giovanna fits the archetype of Mary, especially in the fact that she prays for her father as a young girl. Beatrice on the other hand, is compared to Eve due to her fall from ladyhood. Because of her remarriage, there is what many see as extreme misogyny in descriptions of her. It is commonly agreed that Nino's character uses Beatrice to broadly criticize the women of the time. Furthermore, according to Dante interpreters, Beatrice's infidelity is akin to the serpent that appears in this canto. This is due to her promiscuity, which is explained as symbolism of original sin. Since Beatrice remarried a Ghibelline while Nino was a Guelf, she is seen as remarrying as a political and personal disloyalty.