Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
This is my second time reading it, and this time I read it in conjunction with a free Yale course, which really was an enlightening experience.
Dante was absolutely brilliant. The symmetry, the paradoxes, the chiasms, the political commentary, the silver lining, continuous motifs and themes? masterful. not to even begin to mention the gorgeous imagery, the wordsmithing and the use of mythological images! not to forget the neo-platonic ideals!
the personal growth of the poet and the pilgrim as they journey through the spiral of the cosmos? *chef's kiss*
it truly is deserving of being called an encyclopedia, for this? was an education. It takes time to get through and without proper guidance - (not unlike how Dante would have been lost without his guides) - it is overwhelming to chew through, but oh it was worth it.
Dante was absolutely brilliant. The symmetry, the paradoxes, the chiasms, the political commentary, the silver lining, continuous motifs and themes? masterful. not to even begin to mention the gorgeous imagery, the wordsmithing and the use of mythological images! not to forget the neo-platonic ideals!
the personal growth of the poet and the pilgrim as they journey through the spiral of the cosmos? *chef's kiss*
it truly is deserving of being called an encyclopedia, for this? was an education. It takes time to get through and without proper guidance - (not unlike how Dante would have been lost without his guides) - it is overwhelming to chew through, but oh it was worth it.
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Oh to be loved like Dante loved Beatrice, enough to make sure she would be remembered for centuries to come, enough to love her in life and death, enough to dedicate his life to create art where she could be immortalized, The divine comedy might not be a love story but it is an act of love.
Sure, it is also one of the most famous self-insert fanfics which do make it funny, to read how Dante gets to meet all those amazing fictional characters like Odysseus, Chiron, and Helena of Troy (Sparta) it is amazing and comical in itself, and it is also a beautiful masterpiece about belief, human nature and God. But above all of that, this book is a proof of love.
Sure, it is also one of the most famous self-insert fanfics which do make it funny, to read how Dante gets to meet all those amazing fictional characters like Odysseus, Chiron, and Helena of Troy (Sparta) it is amazing and comical in itself, and it is also a beautiful masterpiece about belief, human nature and God. But above all of that, this book is a proof of love.
The Divine Comedy has been on my "to be read" list since I began keeping one. I can acknowledge it's beauty, but this is one of those things I feel I could re-read multiple times, and still find hundreds of things I missed. Something that, despite it's beauty, I imagine only gets more and more so each time one returns to it. I truly get why a person would read this one time and again.
Maybe some people read books like this to feel superior, but frankly, a work like this has quite the opposite effect on someone like me.
Maybe some people read books like this to feel superior, but frankly, a work like this has quite the opposite effect on someone like me.
I feel like I barely scratched the surface of this with just one translation, even with all the additional notes and explanations, so I don't feel qualified to leave a rating, but it sure was A Lot.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I just closed Inferno and it was so trippy (no spoilers). Dante, one of the greatest poets of all time, writes a phenomenal epic from the perspective of a detached third person narrator looking back on his experience through Hell with the guidance of Virgil, who is symbolic of reason.
As he charts his way through the different levels of Hell, Dante encounters historical figures and their stories. In a way, it is a collection of stories within a giant story. I think this was what made Inferno so great for me to take in a classroom setting: I get to learn about Florentine history while reading one of the greatest literary works that is still a
massive influence on products of culture today.
As he charts his way through the different levels of Hell, Dante encounters historical figures and their stories. In a way, it is a collection of stories within a giant story. I think this was what made Inferno so great for me to take in a classroom setting: I get to learn about Florentine history while reading one of the greatest literary works that is still a
massive influence on products of culture today.
What to say about this classic?
Inferno is the most well-known book, full of thoroughly-imagined (and oft-comical) punishments and horrors, often inflicted on unpopular politicians or rivals from Dante's time. (One wonders what a modern Divine Comedy might look like...)
Paradiso, on the other hand, is highly religious and philosophical (and full of goody-two-shoes - stick me in limbo with all the Greek scholars, they seem like much better company), and it's the perfect excuse for our protagonist to wander about staring wide-eyed at a multitude of saints and brightly-shining lights that fill him with happiness and love for God.
That leaves Purgatorio in the middle, the most interesting book as it explores the nature of sin, penitence, and love, and offers a more hopeful vision of what happens to those who don’t walk the straight and narrow path of righteousness.
Overall, a long, often trying, nonetheless rewarding read that is a vivid reflection of its age and a window into the spirit of long-ago Catholicism. (I highly recommend reading a version with footnotes, otherwise you'll miss all the cameos from famous public figures and saints.)
Inferno is the most well-known book, full of thoroughly-imagined (and oft-comical) punishments and horrors, often inflicted on unpopular politicians or rivals from Dante's time. (One wonders what a modern Divine Comedy might look like...)
Paradiso, on the other hand, is highly religious and philosophical (and full of goody-two-shoes - stick me in limbo with all the Greek scholars, they seem like much better company), and it's the perfect excuse for our protagonist to wander about staring wide-eyed at a multitude of saints and brightly-shining lights that fill him with happiness and love for God.
That leaves Purgatorio in the middle, the most interesting book as it explores the nature of sin, penitence, and love, and offers a more hopeful vision of what happens to those who don’t walk the straight and narrow path of righteousness.
Overall, a long, often trying, nonetheless rewarding read that is a vivid reflection of its age and a window into the spirit of long-ago Catholicism. (I highly recommend reading a version with footnotes, otherwise you'll miss all the cameos from famous public figures and saints.)
Accessible translation. I love versions that place the original text to one side so you can read the two at once. The notes were somewhat useful.