Let me admit this right up front: I’ve never read the entirety of the work mentioned here.
That being said, this claim seems very similar to the claims that were made in my youth. In particular, a fair amount of derp was generated around the Franco Zeffirelli version of Romeo and Juliet, where a 15 year old Olivia Hussey got nekkid.
I went to Catholic schools from K-12. They showed us this film in English class.
Now, I’m not saying that the claims about the Divine Comedy aren’t necessarily true. It is, indeed, a product of its time. However, that’s the role of the teacher to define for the student. That is, they are, in fact, paid to provide the background and context for the work.
I don’t think that’s too high a hurdle to jump.
