Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Dante Alighieri - The Inferno
This epic poem was originally written in Italian in rhyming triplets. I flicked through a number of translations at the university library until I settled on this one, which seemed the most natural, aimed more at a literal translation than twisting meanings to the confines of rhyme. This meant that only the first and last lines of each triplet rhymed, and occasionally not even them, but I think it preserved the scope of the poem quite well.
The poem itself is quite incredible, and this is actually only the first of three books, to be followed by Purgatory and Paradise, which complete the Divine Comedy. Dante himself is led by Virgil through that circles of hell and witnesses the punishments that God metes out to sinners of different ilks.
The footnotes of the edition I read were enormously helpful, and allowed me to appreciate the genius of this work, and it is without doubt genius. The talent required to create an epic poem of this scope, and to include within it such precise symbolism is mind boggling.
If you get a chance to read this poem – do it!
The poem itself is quite incredible, and this is actually only the first of three books, to be followed by Purgatory and Paradise, which complete the Divine Comedy. Dante himself is led by Virgil through that circles of hell and witnesses the punishments that God metes out to sinners of different ilks.
The footnotes of the edition I read were enormously helpful, and allowed me to appreciate the genius of this work, and it is without doubt genius. The talent required to create an epic poem of this scope, and to include within it such precise symbolism is mind boggling.
If you get a chance to read this poem – do it!
