abstract
| - Word of God is stuff the creators have said is true about their universe, even though it's not in the actual work. Word Of Dante is stuff the creators haven't said is true about their universe -- but everyone assumes it is true because an independent authority, scholar of the work, or Big Name Fan has said it -- often with supporting arguments. It's a kind of ascended Fanon. A more literary criticism friendly technical term for it would be deuterocanon. Why does it matter? Because everyone thinks the Word Of Dante applies to the original work, and so it gets mixed into future adaptations and popular allusions. It can even overrule original canon (if that isn't known as much as it's known of) or Word of God. Take our Trope Namer: if it weren't for Dante Alighieri, later writers wouldn't speak of hell having circles with specific Karmic Punishments. Hell is depicted in broad strokes in The Bible -- a place of darkness and wailing and gnashing of teeth, a lake of fire -- but doesn't even really say there actually is a Hell beyond that. That there are specific places in hell to send the unchaste, the literal infidels, and the betrayers is Dante's idea. This is especially likely to happen if there is no one who can unambiguously provide Word of God. Without Word of God, Word Of Dante is the strongest authority you have on how to interpret the canon. Often created when an Expanded Universe claims to be "official" and thus canon, but is ignored by the primary canon. If there is a Word of God, however, then what Word Of Dante does get produced is just as likely as Fanon to be Jossed at some point. Frequently creates Adaptation Displacement. May also help create Misaimed Fandom if the Dante's ideas contradict true canon or Word of God. May be the cause of Newer Than They Think, especially if Dante is much younger than the work. Again, it's easier to have Word Of Dante if there is no longer anyone to give Word of God. Beam Me Up, Scotty is a version of this, where the Word of Dante is a phrase. Also related is the Death of the Author, a concept from the field of literary criticism which states that all theories about a work (regardless of their source) can be equally valid. See also God Never Said That. Examples of Word of Dante include:
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