--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No, never mind, I didn't think so. Mead…" description: "\"“No, never mind, I didn't think so. Mead, Dante's theme is man-not a man.' Lowell said finally with a mild patience that he reserved only for students...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/matthew-pearl-17732_dante_no-never-mind-i-didn-t-think-so-mead-dan_963868.png" --- # No, never mind, I didn't think so. Mead, Dante's theme is… ![“No, never mind, I didn't think so. Mead, Dante's theme is man-not a man.' Lowell said finally with a mild patience that he reserved only for students. "The Italians forever twitch at Dante's sleeves trying to make him say he is of their politics and their way of thinking. Their way indeed! To…” quote by Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/matthew-pearl-17732_dante_no-never-mind-i-didn-t-think-so-mead-dan_963868.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/matthew-pearl-17732_dante_no-never-mind-i-didn-t-think-so-mead-dan_963868.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/matthew-pearl-17732_dante_no-never-mind-i-didn-t-think-so-mead-dan_963868.png) > ““No, never mind, I didn't think so. Mead, Dante's theme is man-not a man.' Lowell said finally with a mild patience that he reserved only for students. "The Italians forever twitch at Dante's sleeves trying to make him say he is of their politics and their way of thinking. Their way indeed! To confine it to Florence or Italy is to banish it from the sympathies of mankind. We read Paradise Lost as a poem but Dante's Comedy as a chronicle of our inner lives. Do you boys know of Isaiah 38:10”” [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage critiques attempts to confine Dante’s universal themes to a single nation, emphasizing his broader human relevance. **In simple terms:** Dante’s work belongs to all humanity, not just Italy, and should be seen as reflecting inner lives worldwide. Key Takeaway Recognize universal truths beyond national borders. Themes literature universalism nationalism interpretation Mood thoughtful analytical critical Type interpretive philosophical When to use this quote - academic discussion - teaching literature - cross‑cultural studies - public discourse Key Concepts humanism cultural appropriation literary analysis Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance universal themes with cultural origins? - What risks arise when we universalize specific works? A Different Perspective Some may argue that cultural context is essential for interpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dante/) [Dante-alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dante-alighieri-2/) [Divine comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine-comedy/) [John-milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john-milton-2/) [Paradise Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradise-lost/) [Paradise-lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradise-lost-2/) [Way of thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-of-thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Milton was the gold standard of religious poets for English and American scholars. But Milton wrote of Hell and Heaven from above and below,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/milton-was-the-gold-standard-of-religious-poets-for-english-and/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [ “...\[T\]he three greatest works are those of Homer , Dante and Shakespeare . These are closely followed by the works of Virgil and Milton .” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-devlin/t-he-three-greatest-works-are-those-of-homer-dante-and-shakespeare/) [Joseph Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-devlin/) > [“If the halls of the Hermitage should suddenly go mad, if the paintings of all schools and masters should suddenly break loose from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osip-mandelstam/if-the-halls-of-the-hermitage-should-suddenly-go-mad-if-the-paintings/) [Osip Mandelstam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osip-mandelstam/) > [“Dante is the first Christian poet, the first one whose whole system of thought is colored by a pure Christian theology. But the poem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/dante-is-the-first-christian-poet-the-first-one-whose-whole-system-of/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“Lo giorno se n'andava" - Day was departing..." Dante slows his deliberation as he prepares to enter the infernal realms for the first time:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/lo-giorno-se-n-andava-day-was-departing-dante-slows-his-deliberation/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“But first whom shall we send In search of this new world, whom shall we find Sufficient? Who shall tempt, with wand'ring feet The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/but-first-whom-shall-we-send-in-search-of-this-new-world-whom-shall/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“ALL WHO HAVE THEIR REWARD ON EARTH, THE FRUITS OF PAINFUL SUPERSTITION AND BLIND ZEAL, NOUGHT SEEKING BUT THE PRAISE OF MEN, HERE FIND…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/all-who-have-their-reward-on-earth-the-fruits-of-painful-superstition-2/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“He was, as every truly great poet has ever been, a good man; but finding it impossible to realize his own aspirations, either in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-was-as-every-truly-great-poet-has-ever-been-a-good-man-but-finding/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Blake said Milton was a true poet and of the Devil's party without knowing it. I am of the Devil's party and know it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/blake-said-milton-was-a-true-poet-and-of-the-devil-s-party-without/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“Thus Milton refines the question down to a matter of faith," said Coleridge, bringing the lecture to a close, "and a kind of faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-powers/thus-milton-refines-the-question-down-to-a-matter-of-faith-said/) [Tim Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-powers/) > [ “Milton's learned vocabulary \[...\] and his distant perspectives, represent the authoritative unintelligibility of the parents' speech as heard by the child.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-broadbent/milton-s-learned-vocabulary-and-his-distant-perspectives-represent/) John Broadbent > [“A broad and ample road, whose dust is gold, And pavement stars—as starts to thee appear Soon in the galaxy, that milky way Which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton-paradise-lost/a-broad-and-ample-road-whose-dust-is-gold-and-pavement-stars-as/) John Milton Paradise Lost > [“Thou at the sight Pleased, out of Heaven shalt look down and smile, While by thee raised I ruin all my foes, Death last,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/thou-at-the-sight-pleased-out-of-heaven-shalt-look-down-and-smile/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“He would have been half-hanged, taken down alive, castrated, his genitals stuffed in his mouth, his stomach slit open, and his intestines taken out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-broadbent/he-would-have-been-half-hanged-taken-down-alive-castrated-his/) John Broadbent > [“What about the motorcycle parts?" "Those belong to my sort-of boyfriend. He's in Italy right now, visiting his family, and I like to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-richardson/what-about-the-motorcycle-parts-those-belong-to-my-sort-of-boyfriend/) [Kat Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-richardson/) ## More by Matthew Pearl > [“Money is good, but it is not all about a man. You will have successes and reversals, but remember it is your reaction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/money-is-good-but-it-is-not-all-about-a-man-you-will-have-successes/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [Though a woman tempted man to eat, my dear Longfellow," said Holmes, "you never hear of Eve having to do with his drinking, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/though-a-woman-tempted-man-to-eat-my-dear-longfellow-said-holmes-you/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“We never like the smell of our own vices in other people, Holmes. Ah, let's steer here for a drink or two," Lowell suggested.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/we-never-like-the-smell-of-our-own-vices-in-other-people-holmes-ah/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [He was outwardly calm but inwardly bleeding to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/he-was-outwardly-calm-but-inwardly-bleeding-to-death/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [Shakespeare brings us to know ourselves. Dante, with his dissection of all others, bids us to know one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/shakespeare-brings-us-to-know-ourselves-dante-with-his-dissection-of/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [Remember that there are two things in this life that are never worth crying about: what can be cured and what cannot be cured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/remember-that-there-are-two-things-in-this-life-that-are-never-worth/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“Believe that when I am at once a man's friend I am always so-nor is it so very hard to bring me to it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/believe-that-when-i-am-at-once-a-man-s-friend-i-am-always-so-nor-is/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“On the trees were no longer only leaves but brown fruits, on the bushes no longer blossoms but clusters of red berries. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/on-the-trees-were-no-longer-only-leaves-but-brown-fruits-on-the/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [Books do pretend ...but squeezed in between is even more that is true—without what you may call the lies, the pages would be too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/books-do-pretend-but-squeezed-in-between-is-even-more-that-is-true/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“There was still the temptation to believe the world was a mere trap for human sin. But sin, the way he saw it, was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/there-was-still-the-temptation-to-believe-the-world-was-a-mere-trap/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“The force of Dante's poetry resonated most in those who did not confess the Catholic faith, for believers would inevitably have quibbles with Dante's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/the-force-of-dante-s-poetry-resonated-most-in-those-who-did-not/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“...It is the one time Dante calls such explicit attention to the idea of contrapasso-a word for which we have no exact translation, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/it-is-the-one-time-dante-calls-such-explicit-attention-to-the-idea-of/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [...and luckily I have enough in my head to balance what is wanting in my back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/and-luckily-i-have-enough-in-my-head-to-balance-what-is-wanting-in-my/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“Remember that only when past genius is transmitted into a present power shall we meet the first truly american poet. And somewhere, born to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/remember-that-only-when-past-genius-is-transmitted-into-a-present/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“Why did nature not ask my advice about my features?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/why-did-nature-not-ask-my-advice-about-my-features/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) [Explore all 35 Matthew Pearl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) ## More Dante quotes > [“Kerry pretended to ignore Dante”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-humphreys/kerry-pretended-to-ignore-dante/) [Sara Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-humphreys/) > [“So she was to be savagely heartbroken and then poisoned by one of their cook’s noxious herbal brews in the space of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-anne-long/so-she-was-to-be-savagely-heartbroken-and-then-poisoned-by-one-of/) [Julie Anne Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-anne-long/) > [Whenever we start making a 'Devil May Cry' game, one thing we think about is, 'What new weapons are we going to have for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideaki-itsuno/whenever-we-start-making-a-devil-may-cry-game-one-thing-we-think/) [Hideaki Itsuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hideaki-itsuno/) > [“To say she is only a woman is to say a violin is a piece of wood with strings, and Dante is mere ink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-crown/to-say-she-is-only-a-woman-is-to-say-a-violin-is-a-piece-of-wood-with/) [Bruce Crown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-crown/) > [“Bourbon, Kentucky bourbon especially, is like Dante’s Inferno in a glass, fire walks down your throat, lungs, and heart and everything in between with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-crown/bourbon-kentucky-bourbon-especially-is-like-dante-s-inferno-in-a/) [Bruce Crown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-crown/) > [“In this trunk," she says with a serious face, "is God's gift to women." "Chocolate?" "No." "Midol?" "What? No." "Tampons?" "Stop guessing," she says.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-scott/in-this-trunk-she-says-with-a-serious-face-is-god-s-gift-to-women/) [Victoria Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-scott/) > [“Step one: Invade your opponet's mind. This is just like using mind-speak. Try it on me." "That's easy," I said, casting my mental nets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/step-one-invade-your-opponet-s-mind-this-is-just-like-using-mind/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [“Dante's poem, Langdon was now reminded, was not so much about the misery of hell as it was about the power of the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/dante-s-poem-langdon-was-now-reminded-was-not-so-much-about-the/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“I'm not afraid of death…I'm afraid of life without you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvonne-woon/i-m-not-afraid-of-death-i-m-afraid-of-life-without-you/) [Yvonne Woon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvonne-woon/) > [“I have this idea that the reason we have dreams is that we're thinking about things that we don't know we're thinking about-and those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/i-have-this-idea-that-the-reason-we-have-dreams-is-that-we-re/) [Benjamin Alire Sáenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/) > [“You don’t know who you’re fucking with, princess. Ain’t no one do bad like I do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-scott/you-don-t-know-who-you-re-fucking-with-princess-ain-t-no-one-do-bad/) [Victoria Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-scott/) > [“As lost as I get, I will find you, Heather. Always" - Dante”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-phoenix/as-lost-as-i-get-i-will-find-you-heather-always-dante/) [Adrian Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-phoenix/) > [“Everyone loves a comedy, my dear. It is divine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rawi-hage/everyone-loves-a-comedy-my-dear-it-is-divine/) [Rawi Hage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rawi-hage/) > [“I glanced at Magnus so we could continue our walk side by side and saw that his eyes were still on Dante. And Dante’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-kennedy/i-glanced-at-magnus-so-we-could-continue-our-walk-side-by-side-and/) [Sloane Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-kennedy/) > [“You‘re my best friend. You‘re the only somebody I got.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-suede/you-re-my-best-friend-you-re-the-only-somebody-i-got/) [Damon Suede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-suede/) [Browse all 205 Dante quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dante/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No, never mind, I didn't think so. Mead, Dante's theme is man-not a man.' Lowell said finally with a mild patience that he reserved only for students. \"The Italians forever twitch at Dante's sleeves trying to make him say he is of their politics and their way of thinking. Their way indeed! To confine it to Florence or Italy is to banish it from the sympathies of mankind. We read Paradise Lost as a poem but Dante's Comedy as a chronicle of our inner lives. Do you boys know of Isaiah 38:10”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matthew Pearl" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/no-never-mind-i-didn-t-think-so-mead-dante-s-theme-is-man-not-a-man/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dante" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/no-never-mind-i-didn-t-think-so-mead-dante-s-theme-is-man-not-a-man/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/matthew-pearl-17732_dante_no-never-mind-i-didn-t-think-so-mead-dan_963868.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/matthew-pearl-17732_dante_no-never-mind-i-didn-t-think-so-mead-dan_963868.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/matthew-pearl-17732_dante_no-never-mind-i-didn-t-think-so-mead-dan_963868.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No, never mind, I didn't think so. Mead, Dante's theme is man-not a man.' Lowell said finally with a mild…” — Matthew Pearl", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Matthew Pearl", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“No, never mind, I didn't think...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/no-never-mind-i-didn-t-think-so-mead-dante-s-theme-is-man-not-a-man/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/no-never-mind-i-didn-t-think-so-mead-dante-s-theme-is-man-not-a-man/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```