"The Divine Comedy" is the epic Italian classical poem composed by philosopher and author Dante Alighieri detailing the author's account of a trip through the afterlife.
Universally regarded as one of the greatest works of Italian literature, "The Divine Comedy" is broken up into three sections: Inferno (Hell), Purgatorio (Purgatory) and Paradiso (Paradise), each of which contain thirty-three chapters or "cantos."
Dante first takes the reader on a trip to the land of the damned, guided by the poet Virgil, where he encounters the nine rings of Hell, each of which contains (and punishes) a separate group of sinners. Sins of indulgence, of violence, sins against God and man, each specific transgression comes with its own appropriate - often ironic - punishment.
Next, he travels to Purgatory, where those who commit the seven deadly sins are sentenced. Here, Virgil hands off Dante to Beatrice, who completes Dante's visit to Purgatory and escorts him to Heaven for the final part of his journey.
Considered one of the greatest works of Western literature, "The Divine Comedy" is presented here in its original and unabridged format, as translated from the Italian by the Rev. H.F. Cary, M.A.
Autorentext
Dante Alighieri (often referred to simply as "Dante") was a legendary Italian poet, author and philosopher who is best known for his revolutionary epic poem "The Divine Comedy," a work that is considered one of the finest works of literature ever created and even helped establish the modern Italian language itself. Born to an aristocratic family in Florence, Dante grew up in a time of great political turmoil. When he was not studying philosophy, he served as a soldier and fought in local battles and skirmishes throughout his life, sometimes becoming embroiled in regional politics. Dante began work on the Comedy in 1308 and completed in 1321, shortly before he died of malaria. The poem - broken into three parts that detail Dante's imagined trip to the afterlife - has since gone on to become one of the most revered poems in history and influenced the writings of countless authors over the centuries, including Geoffrey Chaucer, John Milton and Alfred Tennyson.