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Binding: PaperbackDewey Decimal Number: 808 EAN: 9781853267871 ISBN: 1853267872 Label: Wordsworth Editions Ltd Manufacturer: Wordsworth Editions Ltd Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 224 Publication Date: April 01, 1998 Publisher: Wordsworth Editions Ltd Studio: Wordsworth Editions Ltd Editorial Review: Product Description: Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) is one of the most important and innovative figures of the European Middle Ages. Writing his Comedy (the epithet 'Divine' was added by later admirers) in exile from his native Florence, he aimed to address a world gone astray both morally and politically. At the same time, he sought to push back the restrictive rules which traditionally governed writing in the Italian vernacular, to produce a radically new and all-encompassing work. The Comedy tells the story of the journey of a character who is at one and the same time both Dante himself and Everyman. In The Inferno, Dante's protagonist - and his reader - is presented with a graphic vision of the dreadful consequences of sin, and encounters an all-too-human array of noble, grotesque, beguiling, ridiculous and horrific characters. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - Nice balanceChoosing which translation of Dante's Divine Comedy to read is a very subjective and personal question. Any translation involves balancing the meaning, feel, and artistry of the work, normally at the expense of at least one of these qualities. A major consideration is the topic of rhyme. The Divine Comedy has a complex rhyme scheme that suits itself well to the rhyme-rich language of Italian (where, unlike English, many words end in vowels). Translations that attempt to maintain any type of rhyme ... Read More Rating:  - A powerful translation of a masterpieceThere have been several excellent translations of Dante in the past few years, all worth reading in their own right. But I retain a special affection for John Ciardi's version, as it's the first one I ever read, at the unprepared & overwhelmed age of 15. I knew of its reputation as a major classic & I was ignorant enough to be unfazed by the prospect of reading it. Well, to say that I was soon in over my head is an understatement! But Ciardi's fine, lyrical translation, as well as his extensive ... Read More Rating: - One of the Best TranslationsThis is an excellent translation by John Ciardi, a fine poet in his own right. But Ciardi displays admirable grace under fire (pun intended) to let Dante shine through without intruding with his (Ciardi's) own poetic intentions. My favorite translation is actually by Sandow Birk, but this is my second favorite. Brilliant notes are a highlight of this text. Everything is explained, everything! Rating: - Mandelbaum for beauty, Hollander for notes, Esolen for argumentsOn page 167 of his translation of the Inferno, Anthony Esolen gives the following definition: "A comedy is a song written in the humble style wherein the main character begins in grief and trouble and ends in happiness." Wonderful, isn't it? Who wouldn't wish to be scooped up in such a Commedia? But this Esolen, though he aims to be helpful, can be both pushy and pious. I had a boyfriend once just like him. This boyfriend used to get me in the car and start playing cassettes of ... Read More Rating: - Sets the bar high for future B&N ClassicsI ended up reading this book twice. The first time, I read straight through the poem and was thoroughly unimpressed. The story, as Longfellow himself says, is "tedious" and self-congratulatory and mostly a platform for attacking his enemies. It isn't really great reading. So what made me read it a second time? This time, Barnes & Noble seems to have found the right person to write the introduction and put together endnotes and discussion notes. The second time through, I read the poem along with each ... Read More |
