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BOOK REVIEW: Inferno by Dante Alighieri

Imagine that feeling, when you are reading a book and by the end it makes you feel complete. We all have observed that by one or the other book(s). Dante’s Divine Comedy: Inferno is one of them. Written almost 700 years ago, it still has the mesmerizing capacity to capture a human’s attention. It’s iconic for a literary work to survive a 700 years and Dante’s work has reached that status: most people at least know of the Inferno, even if they haven’t read it.

Dante’s Inferno, the first third of what has come to be known as the Divine Comedy. Dante himself only referred to it as a Comedy and the “Divine” characterisation was added later. A long poem whose narrative describes what amounts to the poet’s tour of the afterlife. The whole poem is divided into 100 cantos, the Inferno (Hell) has 34, the other two parts– Purgatorio (Purgatory) and Paradiso (Paradise) each have 33. Each canto is written in a form referred to as terza rima, where every three lines rhymes. Getting that rhyming scheme from Italian into English has been one of the major challenges of every translator of the work. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow‘s translation is reasonable to some extent.more

The first book, the Inferno, is the beginning of Dante’s spiritual odyssey. He wakes one day in the middle of his life to discover that he is lost in a dark forest and surrounded by mortal dangers. Against all hope, rescue comes in the form of the ancient poet Virgil, who has been commissioned by Heaven to lead Dante back to the true path. Virgil, to whom Dante often refers as his master in the text, must lead Dante down through the nine circles of Hell where he will begin to learn the wisdom that leads back to life, which will ultimately be found only in Christ. Each circle in Hell is the final resting place of souls who have died in their sins, the punishments at each level being perfectly suited to the sin that defined the earthly life of the soul.

The tortures of Hell are graphically described by Dante in his words. The description of each circle is unique and imaginative yet gruesome. Each punishment truly portrays the sin such as the instances of the fortune tellers seeing only behind them forever, of those who killed in anger boiling in a river of blood, and of Judas and Brutus both been chewed by the Satan, himself.

Longfellow’s translation is more or less good and tries to capture the complexity of the original text which is essential for a reader to have a better and a deep understanding. I can honestly say I haven’t found a better overall volume for reading and understanding the Inferno.

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Dw says: January 19, 2019 at 8:47 AM I always wanted to read Dante’s Inferno, but never got around to it. However, recently I happened across the television version on the ROKU channel. The movie was great. After reading your review of the book it appeared spot on with the movie and inspired me so I read the book as well….they were both great. Thank you for the great review.
cellenbogen says: October 13, 2017 at 8:12 AM Okay, I'm gonna do it. I have always wanted to try the Inferno and thought maybe I'd tackle one part of it, but you've convinced me to try the whole thing.
Helena says: December 30, 2016 at 5:08 PM Hello, I enjoy reading through your article post. I wanted to write a little comment to support you.
Quotes says: December 30, 2016 at 1:08 PM Pleased New Year 2017.
Jimmy says: December 27, 2016 at 3:06 PM I’ll immediately snatch your rss feed as I can’t in finding your e-mail subscription hyperlink or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please allow me realize so that I may just subscribe. Thanks.
Https://www.pinterest.Com says: December 25, 2016 at 5:30 AM Thankfulness to my father who informed me on the topic of this blog, this website is really remarkable.
Melissa Paz says: June 6, 2016 at 10:23 PM I remember reading this in college. Years later, my son's name is Dante, lol
Constance A. Buckley says: February 6, 2016 at 11:07 AM I wanted to thank you for liking my blog on Discipline at Write LIght. I keep hearing about Dante and have been thinking of the book lately. To see your review really piqued my interest in it. I will have to read it. Thanks for your review. It was really well written and got me thinking. I grew up Catholic and learned about purgatory. I don't believe in purgatory, actually. Take care.
grandmapeachy says: October 21, 2015 at 7:37 AM I read Dantes Inferno many years ago at a time I was just beginning in my spiritual walk. You've prepared an excellent review. It would be fit many to read this timeless classic written centuries ago.
ShiraDest says: September 2, 2015 at 7:02 PM Nice diagram. Shira

I always wanted to read Dante’s Inferno, but never got around to it. However, recently I happened across the television version on the ROKU channel. The movie was great. After reading your review of the book it appeared spot on with the movie and inspired me so I read the book as well….they were both great. Thank you for the great review.

Okay, I'm gonna do it. I have always wanted to try the Inferno and thought maybe I'd tackle one part of it, but you've convinced me to try the whole thing.

@amanhimself says: October 13, 2017 at 10:01 AM I am glad you consider reading it as a whole. Do share your views, I'd love to listen what you have to say.

I am glad you consider reading it as a whole. Do share your views, I'd love to listen what you have to say.

Hello, I enjoy reading through your article post.

I wanted to write a little comment to support you.

Aman(@amanhimself) says: January 4, 2017 at 12:10 AM Thank you.

Thank you.

Pleased New Year 2017.

I’ll immediately snatch your rss feed as I can’t in finding your e-mail subscription hyperlink
or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please allow me realize so
that I may just subscribe. Thanks.

Thankfulness to my father who informed me on the topic of this blog, this website
is really remarkable.

I remember reading this in college. Years later, my son's name is Dante, lol

I wanted to thank you for liking my blog on Discipline at Write LIght. I keep hearing about Dante and have been thinking of the book lately. To see your review really piqued my interest in it. I will have to read it. Thanks for your review. It was really well written and got me thinking. I grew up Catholic and learned about purgatory. I don't believe in purgatory, actually. Take care.

Aman(@amanhimself) says: February 6, 2016 at 4:28 PM Thanks and I am glad you my words could pique up the interest towards.

Thanks and I am glad you my words could pique up the interest towards.

I read Dantes Inferno many years ago at a time I was just beginning in my spiritual walk. You've prepared an excellent review. It would be fit many to read this timeless classic written centuries ago.

Aman(@amanhimself) says: October 21, 2015 at 2:07 PM Thanks for reading the review.

Thanks for reading the review.

Nice diagram.
Shira

Aman(@amanhimself) says: September 3, 2015 at 11:29 AM It is :)

It is :)

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