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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
was würde ich nur für dantes selbstbewusstsein geben...
While this final book in my 2017 reading challenge covers my about religion category, Dante has been on my TBR list for other reasons over the years. I knew I wanted to hear the poetry through audio, but I also read along in print. I used a matched annotated translation, so that I could simultaneously see and hear the words, particularly the names, and gain a clearer understanding of what I was reading. I'm glad I did this on one hand, but I realize now in doing so, I may have done a disservice to the poem itself; so I may revisit it without notes in the future.
The narrator was skilled and brought a pleasant, subdued emotion to Dante's beautiful language. That being said, I felt like most of Inferno and Purgatorio consisted of judgemental name-dropping from historical Italy, placing friend and foe alike in their appointed place in hell or purgatory. This is where I'm glad to have had the notations, so I could decipher some of the references, but it didn't take long to wear on me. Paradiso is where this epic poem really shines, as Dante shares his glorious vision of heaven.
All in all, I'm glad to have read the whole Comedia, but I'm also glad it's over.
The narrator was skilled and brought a pleasant, subdued emotion to Dante's beautiful language. That being said, I felt like most of Inferno and Purgatorio consisted of judgemental name-dropping from historical Italy, placing friend and foe alike in their appointed place in hell or purgatory. This is where I'm glad to have had the notations, so I could decipher some of the references, but it didn't take long to wear on me. Paradiso is where this epic poem really shines, as Dante shares his glorious vision of heaven.
All in all, I'm glad to have read the whole Comedia, but I'm also glad it's over.
This is basically Dante aligehri writing fan fiction about the Odyssey and aeneid using condescending metaphors about Christianity
Loved that Adam and Eve couldnt even resist temptation for half a day.
Probably better in the original Italian.
You know that saying, when you find yourself in Hell, keep going? Seemed like entering the third year of a pandemic, hellish enough to tackle this classic work. This version is presented in a really BIG book (yay, less eyestrain), and with engraved illustrations.
Still a slog. I can get why it was called Divine Comedy, because much of it is probably satirical digs at personalities and politicians and religious figures of Dante's era, but that kind of name-dropping was lost on me. Possibly the Ghibellines & Guelphs were comparable to today's Repubs & Dems, but I didn't care enough to dig into the political history. Probably better in the original Italian AND read by people of that era. There were historical or mythical people dropped in, too; those I mostly knew.
The humor was, perhaps, lost in translation. This one by Henry Longfellow. Although the form of poetry is preserved, the language comes across dry and stuffy, rather than witty. Dante was apparently a big fan of the number three; there are three sections, Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. Each section has 33 cantos/chapters, and each canto contains 33 three-line stanzas, with a single "closing" line, at the end of each canto. I can admire how making this fit this format is clearly a masterwork of a lifetime.
Dante travels through the first two realms escorted by the poet, Virgil. Many horrible sights & sounds are seen in Hell. I am curious as to what, exactly, happens in a river of "boiling blood?" Does it get thicker, like gravy, or thin, like soup? Dante must have had fun putting his various enemies in dicey spots in Hell and Purgatory, and I can imagine the folks of his time, reading feverishly to find out where he had put THEM, or their grandparents. The third realm, Paradise, his guide is Beatrice. Now an angel, she was apparently someone he had a big crush on, back when she was alive.
One thing I found entertaining is the folks discovered in these realms were naked, clothed, or somewhere in between, and it didn't always make sense according to what torture or pleasure they were experiencing. Lots of fantasy creatures, plus angels and demons. The illustrations, from engravings by Gustave Dore, quite interesting and helped me understand what was happening in the cantos. When nakedness was depictured, genitals (except for boobies & nipples) were obscured by positioning. Virgil wears a cloak and laurel leaf headdress, always. Dante is in a hooded cape, although sometimes he also has a laurel headdress, and his posture is usually of someone afraid or ashamed. Beatrice is in a white robe and halo.
I'm glad I read it, because there are takeaways from this classic work that have seeped into current imaginings of what might come after THIS life. And I can check it off my TBR list. I feel more eddicated, now. But it's wasn't a fun read for ME. YMMV.
You know that saying, when you find yourself in Hell, keep going? Seemed like entering the third year of a pandemic, hellish enough to tackle this classic work. This version is presented in a really BIG book (yay, less eyestrain), and with engraved illustrations.
Still a slog. I can get why it was called Divine Comedy, because much of it is probably satirical digs at personalities and politicians and religious figures of Dante's era, but that kind of name-dropping was lost on me. Possibly the Ghibellines & Guelphs were comparable to today's Repubs & Dems, but I didn't care enough to dig into the political history. Probably better in the original Italian AND read by people of that era. There were historical or mythical people dropped in, too; those I mostly knew.
The humor was, perhaps, lost in translation. This one by Henry Longfellow. Although the form of poetry is preserved, the language comes across dry and stuffy, rather than witty. Dante was apparently a big fan of the number three; there are three sections, Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. Each section has 33 cantos/chapters, and each canto contains 33 three-line stanzas, with a single "closing" line, at the end of each canto. I can admire how making this fit this format is clearly a masterwork of a lifetime.
Dante travels through the first two realms escorted by the poet, Virgil. Many horrible sights & sounds are seen in Hell. I am curious as to what, exactly, happens in a river of "boiling blood?" Does it get thicker, like gravy, or thin, like soup? Dante must have had fun putting his various enemies in dicey spots in Hell and Purgatory, and I can imagine the folks of his time, reading feverishly to find out where he had put THEM, or their grandparents. The third realm, Paradise, his guide is Beatrice. Now an angel, she was apparently someone he had a big crush on, back when she was alive.
One thing I found entertaining is the folks discovered in these realms were naked, clothed, or somewhere in between, and it didn't always make sense according to what torture or pleasure they were experiencing. Lots of fantasy creatures, plus angels and demons. The illustrations, from engravings by Gustave Dore, quite interesting and helped me understand what was happening in the cantos. When nakedness was depictured, genitals (except for boobies & nipples) were obscured by positioning. Virgil wears a cloak and laurel leaf headdress, always. Dante is in a hooded cape, although sometimes he also has a laurel headdress, and his posture is usually of someone afraid or ashamed. Beatrice is in a white robe and halo.
I'm glad I read it, because there are takeaways from this classic work that have seeped into current imaginings of what might come after THIS life. And I can check it off my TBR list. I feel more eddicated, now. But it's wasn't a fun read for ME. YMMV.
As interesting as hell is, I think this guy really has his theology mixed up. I guess it's my own personal belief but I was kind of puzzled by the fact that Dante took "artistic license" to mix up biblical doctrine with Greek myth. It was interesting to see his point of view, but I could also see how it would confuse someone very easily. It was fun to see how he tormented all his political enemies in hell. Again, interesting to read for school, but honestly, I wouldn't even pick up this book on my own.
One of my goals (and maybe a bit of a fantasy as well) is to collect as many of the oldest ediitons of The Inferno as I can find. And of course afford.
3.5 stars
But I reserve the right to change this rating, lol! I need to put it out there that poetry has never been my natural cup of tea. But I've heard about this book for years and thought that perhaps I should at least check it out. I ended up listening to and reading this book simultaneously. I don't think I couldn't have gotten through it without having both the narrator and me following the words. As I implied, my brain doesn't naturally process poetry and "see" all the things that are happening. So I really needed a bit of help to grasp this. But it was worth it because overall, I ended up enjoying the process more than I thought I would. The narrator I followed was James Langton, and I thought he did a great job of conveying meaning, switching back and forth between the speakers, and not put me to sleep. So while this is not a 4 or 5 star read for me, this is definitely a case of it's me, not the book. I think I enjoyed it enough that I will eventually dive into the other three parts, but I suspect I'll do them in small bites.
But I reserve the right to change this rating, lol! I need to put it out there that poetry has never been my natural cup of tea. But I've heard about this book for years and thought that perhaps I should at least check it out. I ended up listening to and reading this book simultaneously. I don't think I couldn't have gotten through it without having both the narrator and me following the words. As I implied, my brain doesn't naturally process poetry and "see" all the things that are happening. So I really needed a bit of help to grasp this. But it was worth it because overall, I ended up enjoying the process more than I thought I would. The narrator I followed was James Langton, and I thought he did a great job of conveying meaning, switching back and forth between the speakers, and not put me to sleep. So while this is not a 4 or 5 star read for me, this is definitely a case of it's me, not the book. I think I enjoyed it enough that I will eventually dive into the other three parts, but I suspect I'll do them in small bites.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
"En mitad del camino de la vida
me hallé en el medio de una selva oscura
después de dar mi senda por perdida."
Estos días por fin he podido sacar tiempo para acabar la Divina Comedia de Dante, que tenía a medias. Lectura densa pero fascinante que, aunque no soy creyente, me ha ganado del todo en su último canto con la visión de Dios.
me hallé en el medio de una selva oscura
después de dar mi senda por perdida."
Estos días por fin he podido sacar tiempo para acabar la Divina Comedia de Dante, que tenía a medias. Lectura densa pero fascinante que, aunque no soy creyente, me ha ganado del todo en su último canto con la visión de Dios.