The Inferno (Barnes & Noble Classics)

By Dante Alighieri

Book Overview

The Inferno , by Dante Alighieri , is part of the Barnes & Noble Classics series, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of Barnes & Noble Classics New introductions commissioned from today's top writers and scholars Biographies of the authors Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural events Footnotes and endnotes Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the work Comments by other famous authors Study questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and expectations Bibliographies for further reading Indices & Glossaries, when appropriate All editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. Barnes & Noble Classics pulls together a constellation of influences biographical, historical, and literary to enrich each reader's understanding of these enduring works. The Inferno remains literature s most hallowed and graphic vision of Hell. Dante plunges readers into this unforgettable world with a deceptively simple and now legendary tercet: Midway upon the journey of our life I found myself within a forest dark For the straightforward pathway had been lost. With these words, Dante plunges readers into the unforgettable world of the Inferno one of the most graphic visions of Hell ever created. In this first part of the epic The Divine Comedy , Dante is led by the poet Virgil down into the nine circles of Hell, where he travels through nightmare landscapes of fetid cesspools, viper pits, frozen lakes, and boiling rivers of blood and witnesses sinners being beaten, burned, eaten, defecated upon, and torn to pieces by demons. Along the way he meets the most fascinating characters known to the classical and medieval world the silver-tongued Ulysses, lustful Francesca da Rimini, the heretical Farinata degli Uberti, and scores of other intriguing and notorious figures. This edition of the Inferno revives the famous Henry Wadsworth Longfellow translation, which first introduced Dante s literary genius to a broad American audience. Opening the book we stand face to face with the poet, wrote William Dean Howells of Longfellow s Dante, and when his voice ceases we may marvel if he has not sung to us in his own Tuscan. Lyrically graceful and brimming with startlingly vivid images, Dante s Inferno is a perpetually engrossing classic that ranks with the greatest works of Homer and Shakespeare. Features a map of Hell and illustrations by Gustave Dore. Peter Bondanella is Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature and Italian at Indiana University and a past president of the American Association for Italian Studies. His publications include a number of translations of Italian classics, books on Italian Renaissance literature and Italian cinema, and a dictionary of Italian literature."

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1593083319
• ISBN13: 9781593083311
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Barnes & Noble Classics
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.4" x 1.2" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

Difficult to read.

It's written in old English and I wonder how accurate it is because the notes in the back don't jive with the text. Even Longfellow said in the beginning it doesn't translate into English well. "More beautiful in Italian." I'm a amature theologian and I have to say it's amazing this poem was turned into a belief system.

Classics

So many classics on my list, but ever since I watched the animated film and heard about this book in middle school I’ve always wanted to read it!

it came fast and it looks brand new!!

love it

Audacious journey

This is a review of the Nicholas Kilmer 1985 translation, illustrated by Benjamin Martinez.There have been over 700 years of commentary on this classic, so I won't add anything original here. On the web search for "Dartmouth Dante Project" and you will find many. The reading is helped by added commentary, for example understanding the role of Beatrice or Francesca as heroine. The Dorothy Sayers translation offers more background information. The audaciousness of the poet to enter this realm of Biblical themes is remarkable, as his ability to garner sympathy for some of the sinners, such as Ugolino. Its fun to think where Dante would have placed some of today's public figures. Kilmer's translation is clear and straightforward, fairly modern sounding. For example contrast Kilmers(from Cantos XXiv):Quicker than I cross t, dot i, he kindled, burned, and falling down, was completely changed to ashes versus Sayers:Never did writer with a single dashOf the pen write "o" or "i" so swift as heTook fire, and burned, and crumbled way to ash.After I read the poem, I studied the dark illustrations by Benjamin Martinez and they present another view of the journey.

Ciardi's the Best

There's no doubt about it...Ciardi's is the best translation of the haunting and powerful poem about the medieval view of God's divine plan. Ciardi dumps archaisms and goes for the throat of Dante's poetry and meaning. You'll never touch another translation after you read this!