what was dante's role?
Here are some great sites on Dante:
http://www.sacklunch.net/biography/D/Dante.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04628a.htm
(Be sure to check the links for further info.)
http://elvis.rowan.edu/~kilroy/JEK/09/15.html
You need to narrow the question, in my opinion: role in politics, history, literature, poetry, romanticism all were a part of Dante Alighieri's forte. Some have ventured to even say he is the father of American Literature and Poetry.
There is no doubt he shaped history, and literature (including poetry).
To determine the role of Dante, we need more specific information about which Dante you are referring to.
There are several notable individuals named Dante throughout history, but the most commonly referred to is Dante Alighieri, an Italian poet who lived in the 13th and 14th centuries. His most famous work is "The Divine Comedy," a long narrative poem that explores the journey of the protagonist through Hell (Inferno), Purgatory (Purgatorio), and Heaven (Paradiso).
Dante's role as a poet was to express his moral and theological beliefs through vivid imagery, allegory, and symbolism. Through his literary work, he provided a unique interpretation of Christian theology, explored the nature of sin, redemption, and the afterlife, and commented on the political and social conditions of his time in Italy.
If you were referring to a different Dante, please provide more details, so I can provide a more accurate response.