Ok now, you may laugh at me for whatever reason, buuuuut, after playing the game "Dante's Inferno,"
I'd like to read the book the game was based off of. I heard there were different translations/books or whatever???
What's the recommended way or book to read Dante's Inferno? (Is it inferno or "the divine comedy?") All help is really appreciated. I just really want to read it.
>after playing the game "Dante's Inferno," I'd like to read the book the game was based off of
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>>8004501
You will not enjoy it.
>>8004501
Hi, italian guy here who spent a lot of his highschool time to read and understand the book "The Comedy" by Dante Alighieri, called "The Divine Comedy" after Petrarca's review.
I liked the game "Dante's inferno" too, however, it has nothing to do with the book:
- Dante was never a crusader, he was a knight in his youth that fight for his city Firenze
- Beatrice was never kidnapped by satan, she just died and went to paradise
- Beatrice was just a beautiful woman but of a too prominent family for Dante
The book calls "The Comedy" because a comedy is a poem that starts bad and end well (as opposite of tragedy that start well and has a bad ending), Dante starts at the hell and ends in heaven so... comedy.
The poem is divided in three books (Inferno-hell, Purgatorio-purgatory, Paradiso-heaven) wich are divided in 100 "chants" (33 for books and 1 for the prologue).
Every chant was in ryme, but now there's his prosaic version.
In each books Dante put the V.I.P. of his time (and some of the romanic past) and his ipotetical conversation with them.
The hell is regulated by the "divine's retaliation" so each sinners is punished in a appropriate way (such the schismatics that are divided by demons with swords)
Dante had put in hell all the people that he didn't like, even the Pope of his time (Bonifacio VIII) one of the cruelist pope of all time
In the purgatory Dante meet the souls of the ones that are trying to reedem themselves
In the heaven he meet the saints, Beatrice, and at the end god.
I don't think you will like it because he wrote the comedy to roast and exalt the people he dislike or like and much of them are italian medieval VIPs and he makes a lot of references at italian city and italian's issues (wich I assume you don't even know)
BUT if you want to read just the inferno only to see the cruel punishment and the demons inside go ahead, maybe you will like it.
>>8004501
Here's a guide for you anon.
>>8005109
I envy that you get to read it in it's original language, I'm sure it's a lot more beautiful that way. I wish I knew Italian.
>>8004501
It's nice to hear that a /v/irgin wants to read a classic, but I don't think you'll enjoy it a lot. If you really want to, give it a shot, but don't be surprised if it bores you.
>>8005109
> of a prominent family
Bice Portinari was the daughter of a banker, and he couldn't marry her because when he met her the second time she was already married ( the first encounter was before puberty IIRC)
I read The Divine Comedy as a freshman in high school and enjoyed it quite a bit... but that was only because I was dedicated to seriously studying it and learning the history behind Dante and the prominent figures in his story. If you can stick with learning the history of Florence and the time period of Dante, go for it. If not, it will probably be very dull aside from just the first part (the Inferno, which the game is [obviously] based off of, where he details sinners and punishments). You also should have quite a bit of interest in Christian ideals and beliefs or it will just seem plain stupid. I recommend you start with the John Ciardi version. I also recommend the Dorothy Sayers and Robert Pinsky translations for further reading. There are nice, in-depth notes included along with the story to help you understand. Good luck, man.
also berserk pic a+
