The Inferno by Dante Alighieri

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I've just recently completed this timeless classic, as I was very curious to see what the hype was about, why it was put in a group with the works of Shakespeare and Swift.

I liked it. It was fun reading the different writing style, and the story it told truly is classic.

I was just wondering if anyone had read it, and if they did, how'd they feel about it?

thanks,
CS

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To fully appreciate it, I think you have to read it in the original Medieval Italian, not in translation. But few of us are able to do that (not I, certainly). I'll have some comments later. I'm on my way to work now, just checking e-mails before leaving. So this is by way of a bookmark.

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Bookmarking too. Have you read the other 2 books, about Purgatory and Heaven?

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I wonder what Dante would do with the current crop of Famous-For-Being-Famous Fools?

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Re: The Inferno by Dante Alighieri

CarbonSystem wrote:

I've just recently completed this timeless classic, as I was very curious to see what the hype was about, why it was put in a group with the works of Shakespeare and Swift.

Was Dante's primary reason for penning the Inferno to give a moral tale, or was it more for satirical purposes about those governing in that day and age, much like Swift?

I've read bits and pieces, and am aware of the story line. However, when realizing so many of the icons and symbols in the writing was "merely" poking insult or fun at some people of the time, I felt he was not writing for posterity, but more like a editorial in the Sunday paper. Disguised as a story.

But, I really don't know.

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Merry Andrew wrote:

To fully appreciate it, I think you have to read it in the original Medieval Italian, not in translation. But few of us are able to do that (not I, certainly).

I couldn't agree more. I picked it up from the library and stopped reading it about an hour later without any intention of ever looking at it again, unless I need it for a class that is.

To each his own.

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I haven't read Purgatorio, I don't think I'm going to. It was really tough to read the translated version and I'll re-read it someday I'm sure, but as of now I'm moving onto Gulliver's Travels. This is one which is much more in my realm of understanding, plus Swift is one of my favorites.

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Merry Andrew wrote:

To fully appreciate it, I think you have to read it in the original Medieval Italian, not in translation. But few of us are able to do that (not I, certainly).

Having read it in the French version, I've seen this thread, and, out of curiosity I began to read the original medieval Italian work.

It reads pretty well but, to agree with MA, it changes your perspective as the expressed feelings in the writing flow easy like a stream of honey.

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Re: The Inferno by Dante Alighieri

Chai wrote:

CarbonSystem wrote:
I've just recently completed this timeless classic, as I was very curious to see what the hype was about, why it was put in a group with the works of Shakespeare and Swift.

Was Dante's primary reason for penning the Inferno to give a moral tale, or was it more for satirical purposes about those governing in that day and age, much like Swift?

I've read bits and pieces, and am aware of the story line. However, when realizing so many of the icons and symbols in the writing was "merely" poking insult or fun at some people of the time, I felt he was not writing for posterity, but more like a editorial in the Sunday paper. Disguised as a story.

But, I really don't know.

Good question.

It's a poem in the spirit of the "courtly love" style of his time (it's a love poem to Beatrice, his muse). However his political agenda is so overt I find it comical at times. You know, because his enemies are swimming in ****, etc.

Briefly: he was associated with the White Guelph party, who believed the Pope's role in government ought to be limited. When the Black Guelph party took power he was exiled from Florence.

I think that's right.

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Yep, Gargamel is entirely correct on that one, he moved from Florence after being kicked out.

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a friend used to teach Dante in literature classes, and I have, somewhere in my living room packed boxes, the Dante he used. There was, fairly recently but I'm guessing ten years ago, a translation said to beat all translations to english. I'm paraphrasing, of course, re the beat all translations, but that was the gist of the reviews.

I read Inferno in English and some of Inferno in italiano, but all long ago.

Hype? Dante appreciation is hype? <covers eyes>

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osso: I was using hype in the sense of excitement.

Like hearing hype about a certain music act, and going to see them yourself to see what they're about. Just because it is hype, it doesn't make it underappreciated.

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Read The Divine Comedy in undergrad school. As I recall, the translation was by John Ciardi. Don't remember how I felt about it, C.S. I just did the assignment then. Now you have me curious again.

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The Inferno by Dante Alighieri

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