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by Dante Aligieri (Author), John Lotherington (Introduction by)
Comprised of three books - Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso - Dante's Divine Comedy follows Dante Alighieri's epic poems follows Dante through the different sections of the afterlife; hell, purgatory, and heaven.
Divine Comedy began as a project in 1308 and ended in 1320, the year before Dante's death. Told in first person, Dante follows the poet Virgil through the rings of hell and purgatory. The Divine Comedy is a highly allegorical text and renowned as one of the most influential Italian masterpieces in literature.
This classic translation by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) was the first to be published by an American author and is a staple in every library. With this accurate and eloquent translation, the beauty of Dante's amazing epic poetry can be fully appreciated. Inspiration to a slew or popular authors and poets, Divine Comedy is well remembered and Gustave Dore's illustrations bring Dante's masterpiece to life.
Essential volumes for the shelves of every classic literature lover, the Chartwell Classics series includes beautifully presented collections from some of the most important authors in literary history. Offering the most complete compilation of each set of works, Chartwell Classics are the editions of choice for the most discerning literature buffs. Other titles in the Chartwell Classics Series include: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland And Other Tales, Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft, Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales, Complete Novels of Jane Austen, Complete Sherlock Holmes, Complete Tales & Poems of Edgar Allen Poe, Complete Works of William ShakespeareAuthor Biography
Dante Alighieri (c. 1265-1321) was an Italian poet, writer, and political thinker. After studying at the University of Bologna, he married and had four children. Dante was exiled from his hometown of Florence in 1302 due to his political leanings, finally settling in the city of Ravenna in 1307, when he began writing The Divine Comedy.
John Lotherington has written widely on Renaissance literature and history, including co-authored surveys of sixteenth-century Europe, Years of Renewal, and sixteenth-century England, The Tudor Years. He is at present a Program Director at the Salzburg Global Seminar.
