The Inferno - Dante Alighieri, John Ciardi & Archibald T. MacAllister

The Inferno

By Dante Alighieri, John Ciardi & Archibald T. MacAllister

  • Release Date: 1954-08-01
  • Genre: Poetry
Score: 4
4
From 62 Ratings

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 Dantes 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

Reviews

  • Sample

    5
    By Politologue
    If you guys wanna read a sample, use the internet. Stop giving this amazing book bad reviews because you are too lazy to make some research about the book.
  • Very Difficult to Know How to Review this Classic

    3
    By Fpiano
    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.
  • Awesome book!

    5
    By za13akdf;dkfjs;
    This book is great! I'm not surprised since it is written by the GREAT poet Dante. Buy it, it's totally worth it!!!:)
  • Nothing against Dante but...

    1
    By DeafDanish6
    The story and book itself is great, but is poorly edited. I don't think the editors have heard of spell check.
  • Dante's inferno

    1
    By Ashadowonthewall
    If I'm going to spend the money, especially for this particular book, I need to know who translated it. All versions of this are not created equal and I think John Ciardi, by far is the best.
  • A suggestion

    1
    By BHchurchil42
    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.
  • Poor preview

    1
    By Harleygolf
    Want see examples of illustrations. All we get is the preface