L'arca della mente: Riccardo di San Vittore nella 'Commedia' di Dante

The allusions to Richard in the Commedia are better understood after Mocan's suggestion to read them as signs of the adoption, in the Commedia, of the doctrine of the 'alta fantasia' (to use Dante's own terminology) and of the techniques of the 'visual exegesis' (see chapters IV and VI), that both assure us a higher comprehension not only of the dynamics of Dante-the-character's ascension to God, but also of the ways in which Dante - the-poet could write down in a poem his exceptional journey.