The Inferno
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3.9 • 62 Ratings
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- $4.99
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
Belonging in the immortal company of the works of Homer, Virgil, Milton, and Shakespeare, Dante Alighieri’s poetic masterpiece is a visionary journey that takes readers through the torment of Hell.
The first part of Dante’s Divine Comedy is many things: a moving human drama, a supreme expression of the Middle Ages, a glorification of the ways of God, and a magnificent protest against the ways in which men have thwarted the divine plan. One of the few literary works that has enjoyed a fame both immediate and enduring, The Inferno remains powerful after seven centuries. It confronts the most universal values—good and evil, free will and predestination—while remaining intensely personal and ferociously political, for it was born out of the anguish of a man who saw human life blighted by the injustice and corruption of his times.
Translated by John Ciardi
With an Introduction by Archibald T. MacAllister
and an Afterword by Edward M. Cifelli
Customer Reviews
Very Difficult to Know How to Review this Classic
I first downloaded a free Inferno without knowing who translated it. It turnout that the translation had been done by H. W. Longfellow, and was very difficult to enjoy. I remembered reading the Chiardi translation in college so I bought this version. Indeed, Chiardi's translation is wonderful and the Inferno a fabulous and influential work. I like Chiardi,s introductions to each Canto & his footnotes following each Canto as well. The typographical errors are ludicrous, however. Some words make no sense and very frequently words ending in "l" end with a capital "L" for some unknown reason. For instance, "HelL." Other randomly selected howlers--yourg for your, one becomes onel, she becomes obe, wanton becomes warton, and fire becomes firel. Then there is "divine paternity of Chritt.". No exaggeration, there are hundreds of these errors. These translations need to be plain as to who the translator is before one is able to choose a book and the terrible typos tarnish a wonderful thing.
A suggestion
Allowing only the introduction to be read in the sample is not going to entice anyone to purchase this book, given that the preface has next to nothing to do with the main story.
Awesome book!
This book is great! I'm not surprised since it is written by the GREAT poet Dante. Buy it, it's totally worth it!!!:)