The Divine Comedy: Inferno; Purgatorio; Paradiso (Everyman's Library)

Book Description

The Divine Comedy begins in a shadowed forest on Good Friday in the year 1300. It proceeds on a journey that, in its intense recreation of the depths and the heights of human experience, has become the key with which Western civilization has sought to unlock the mystery of its own identity.

Allen Mandelbaum’s astonishingly Dantean translation, which captures so much of the life of the original, renders whole for us the masterpiece of that genius whom our greatest poets have recognized as a central model for all poets.

This Everyman’s edition–containing in one volume all three cantos, Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso–includes an introduction by Nobel Prize—winning poet Eugenio Montale, a chronology, notes, and a bibliography. Also included are forty-two drawings selected from Botticelli's marvelous late-fifteenth-century series of illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

The Divine Comedy: Inferno; Purgatorio; Paradiso.......2007-07-27

It's a good book, it's new and i received it in a timely manner for a really low price.

Unbelievable!.......2007-05-15

I was really pleasantly surprised by the condition of this book. I just needed a copy for a college class, so anything would have done the job, but this copy was something I will keep on my shelves forever! Good job !
BTW it got here fast, too!

A Many-Splendored Thing.......2007-05-05

The book arrived today and I am overjoyed to have it in my hands. Aside from the grandeur of Dante's masterpiece, it is quite beautiful to look at! It's an 800-page hardcover from Everyman's Library, respectfully produced, the dust-cover embellished by Botticelli's painting of the noble poet. Allen Mandelbaum's translation is a famously fine one, endorsed by such as the late, great Hugh Kenner, and I am the lucky one now able to read the entire poem.

Amazing Dante!.......2007-05-03

This is incredible! I am in love with this translation! I can read the original Italian (I am fluent), and this version is very faithful to what Dante actually wrote. Nonetheless, it is still extremely enjoyable, and I have taken much pleasure from reading this English version.

Pretty Good.......2007-04-30

This book is amazing. The way its made is perfect. I love the feel of it my hands, i just want to snuggle with it all night......the text in the book is good. It is a great copy to read, can get a little crazy with some of the archaic words, but that will make you more smart, hahaha, it also has a ribbon book mark in it, its cute......

Average customer rating:

The Best Translation for the Student of Italian
Medieval vision of the afterlife
Another Classic Masterfully Translated
A masterful blend of poetry and theological innovation
The Comedy Continues...

Purgatorio (Bantam Classics)
Dante Alighieri
Manufacturer: Bantam Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 055321344X
Release Date: 1983-12-01

Book Description

This splendid verse translation by Allen Mandelbaum provides an entirely fresh experience of Dante's great poem of penance and hope. As Dante ascends the Mount of Purgatory toward the Earthly Paradise and his beloved Beatrice, through "that second kingdom in which the human soul is cleansed of sin," all the passion and suffering, poetry and philosophy are rendered with the immediacy of a poet of our own age. With extensive notes and commentary prepared especially for this edition.

Customer Reviews:

The Best Translation for the Student of Italian.......2007-08-22

There are two things that set this edition of Dante's
Purgatorio apart. The first is the evocative 1982 translation
by Allen Mandelbaum. The Italian government itself has
showered prizes on Mandelbaum and indeed, from an Italian
perspective this is also the best translation available. It
has a fidelity to the Italian that is all the more jealously
guarded because, for modern Italian speakers, Dante's
14th contury language is not so remote.

The second is that the original Italian text is supplied
side by side with the translation. For the student of Italian
or any non-native speaker, this is an arrangement that
facilitates the appreciation of the lyricism of the original
because you are not distracted by the only slightly archaic
language.

Mandelbaum's notes are illuminating and the illustrations by
Barry Moser are inventive and evocative masterpieces.

When the Italian comedian Robert Benigni visited the U.S.
to accept his Oscars for La Vita e Bella, the story was that
the only person he wanted to meet was the famed Dantista,
Allen Mandelbaum.

--Lynn Hoffman, author of THE NEW SHORT COURSE IN WINE and
the novel bang BANG. ISBN 9781601640005

Medieval vision of the afterlife.......2007-05-01

This was required reading for a graduate course in medieval history.
"The Divine Comedy" describes Dante's journey through Hell (Inferno), Purgatory (Purgatorio), and Paradise (Paradiso), guided first by the Roman epic poet Virgil and then by Beatrice, the subject of his love and another of his works, "La Vita Nuova." While the vision of Hell, the Inferno, is vivid for modern readers, the theological niceties presented in the other books require a certain amount of patience and scholarship to understand. Purgatorio, the most lyrical and human of the three, also has the most poets in it; Paradiso, the most heavily theological, has the most beautiful and ecstatic mystic passages in which Dante tries to describe what he confesses he is unable to convey (e.g., when Dante looks into the face of God: "all'alta fantasia qui mancò possa" - "at this high moment, ability failed my capacity to describe," Paradiso, XXXIII, 142).

Dante wrote the Comedy in his regional dialect. By creating a poem of epic structure and philosophic purpose, he established that the Italian language was suitable for the highest sort of expression, and simultaneously established the Tuscan dialect as the standard for Italian. In French, Italian is nicknamed la langue de Dante. Publishing in the vernacular language marked Dante as one of the first (among others such as Geoffrey Chaucer and Giovanni Boccaccio) to break from standards of publishing in only Latin or Greek (the languages of Church and antiquity). This break allowed more literature to be published for a wider audience - setting the stage for greater levels of literacy in the future.

Readers often cannot understand how such a serious work may be called a "comedy". In Dante's time, all serious scholarly works were written in Latin (a tradition that would persist for several hundred years more, until the waning years of the Enlightenment) and works written in any other language were assumed to be comedic in nature. Furthermore, the word "comedy," in the classical sense, refers to works which reflect belief in an ordered universe, in which events not only tended towards a happy or "amusing" ending, but an ending influenced by a Providential will that orders all things to an ultimate good. By this meaning of the word, the progression of Dante's pilgrim from Hell to Paradise is the paradigmatic expression of comedy, since the work begins with the pilgrim's moral confusion and ends with the vision of God.

The Divine Comedy can be described simply as an allegory: Each canto, and the episodes therein, can contain many alternate meanings. Dante's allegory, however, is more complex, and, in explaining how to read the poem (see the "Letter to Can Grande della Scala"), he outlines other levels of meaning besides the allegory (the historical, the moral, the literal, and the anagogical). The structure of the poem, likewise, is quite complex, with mathematical and numerological patterns arching throughout the work, particularly threes and nines. The poem is often lauded for its particularly human qualities: Dante's skillful delineation of the characters he encounters in Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise; his bitter denunciations of Florentine and Italian politics; and his powerful poetic imagination. Dante's use of real characters, according to Dorothy Sayers in her introduction to her translation of "L'Inferno", allows Dante the freedom of not having to involve the reader in description, and allows him to "[make] room in his poem for the discussion of a great many subjects of the utmost importance, thus widening its range and increasing its variety."

Dante called the poem "Comedy" (the adjective "Divine" added later in the 16th century) because poems in the ancient world were classified as High ("Tragedy") or Low ("Comedy"). Low poems had happy endings and were of everyday or vulgar subjects, while High poems were for more serious matters. Dante was one of the first in the Middle Ages to write of a serious subject, the Redemption of man, in the low and vulgar Italian language and not the Latin language as one might expect for such a serious topic.

Purgatorio
Having survived the depths of Hell, Dante and Virgil ascend out of the undergloom, to the Mountain of Purgatory on the far side of the world (in Dante's time, it was believed that Hell existed underneath Jerusalem). The Mountain is on an island, the only land in the Southern Hemisphere. At the shores of Purgatory, Dante and Virgil are attracted by a musical performance by Casella, but are reprimanded by Cato, a pagan who has been placed by God as the general guardian of the approach to the mountain. The text gives no indication whether or not Cato's soul is destined for heaven: his symbolic significance has been much debated. (Cantos I and II).

Dante starts the ascent on Mount Purgatory. On the lower slopes (designated as "ante-Purgatory" by commentators) Dante meets first a group of excommunicates, detained for a period thirty times as long as their period of contumacy. Ascending higher, he encounters those too lazy to repent until shortly before death, and those who suffered violent deaths (often due to leading extremely sinful lives). These souls will be admitted to Purgatory thanks to their genuine repentance, but must wait outside for an amount of time equal to their lives on earth (Cantos III through VI). Finally, Dante is shown a beautiful valley where he sees the lately-deceased monarchs of the great nations of Europe, and a number of other persons whose devotion to public and private duties hampered their faith (Cantos VII and VIII). From this valley Dante is carried (while asleep) up to the gates of Purgatory proper (Canto IX).

The gate of Purgatory is guarded by an angel who uses the point of his sword to draw the letter "P" (signifying peccatum, sin) seven times on Dante's forehead, abjuring him to "wash you those wounds within". The angel uses two keys, gold and silver, to open the gate and warns Dante not to look back, lest he should find himself outside the gate again, symbolizing Dante having to overcome and rise above the hell that he has just left and thusly leaving his sinning ways behind him. From there, Virgil guides the pilgrim Dante through the seven terraces of Purgatory. These correspond to the seven deadly sins, each terrace purging a particular sin in an appropriate manner. Those in purgatory can leave their circle whenever they like, but essentially there is an honors system where no one leaves until they have corrected the nature within themselves that caused them to commit that sin. Souls can only move upwards and never backwards, since the intent of Purgatory is for souls to ascend towards God in Heaven, and can ascend only during daylight hours, since the light of God is the only true guidance.

Recommended reading for anyone interested in literature and medieval history.

Another Classic Masterfully Translated.......2005-06-28

The second of three books that compose the Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri's "Purgatorio" is a continuation of his epic Cantos. Having seen Satan with their own eyes, Dante and Virgil once again breathe fresh air as they surface through an opening in a cliff. Their adventure then carries them to the mountain island of Purgatory where Dante hears tales of woe and sees some familiar faces, all the while drawing nearer to his beloved Beatrice.

Often overlooked as the middle story, Purgatorio is, in its own rights, a classic. It would be my recommendation, however, to read it in order so as not to confuse yourself and to miss out on any of the important events that occur.

What makes this edition so special is the wonderful translation done by Allen Mandelbaum. The notes that are provided make understanding not only the language but the plot and its nuances much easier and consequently much more enjoyable. This is easily the best version on the market today for the casual reader.

A masterful blend of poetry and theological innovation.......2004-10-19

Dante's PURGATORY often fails to receive the appreciation accorded INFERNO or even PARADISE. The reasons are easy to see. Unlike the fascinating tour of hell, the denizens of Mount Purgatory lack the tragic dimensions of those found in the nether regions. Yes, they are suffering, but overall their situation is one for them to be happy about, since they clearly are marked for eventually reaching paradise. Their scenario contains infinitely more good news than bad news. Also, there are few passages in this work that can compare with such highpoints in INFERNO as the tales of Francesca or Ulysses.

Nonetheless, this is probably the most original of the three parts of Dante's COMEDY, and the one that has exerted the most actual theological influence. For that reason alone is essential reading. Nor is the work without considerable literary merit. The fact is that it is only dull in comparison with the extraordinary masterpiece that preceded it. Though sedate compared to its predecessor, the book contains a host of fascinating and brilliant details.

The historical importance of this work can scarcely be overestimated. Ideas about purgatory had been developing slowly over the millennium preceding the 12th century, and when Dante was writing PURGATORY in the early 14th century, there was surprisingly little consensus about the nature of purgatory. After Dante, however, there would be a widespread consensus on the details concerning purgatory. In this way, Dante exerted as much influence on the conception of purgatory as any of the theologians. Surely this is one of the few instances in church history where a creative artist bears the primary credit for theological dogma (I should add Catholic dogma, since protestants have never believed in the existence of purgatory). For instance, before Dante there was debate about where purgatory was located. In this world? In a section of hell? As an antechamber of paradise? Dante states that it is a place on earth, in the southern hemisphere, at the precise opposite of Jerusalem. What was the physical constitution of purgatory? Dante depicts it as an extraordinarily high peak (in fact, the highest mountain on earth) on an island, consisting of an ante-purgatory at the base, seven levels or terraces (hence the title of Thomas Merton's remarkable autobiography, THE SEVEN STORY MOUNTAIN), with an earthly paradise at the summit. Theologians had debated how long souls would reside in purgatory, many holding that they would remain until the final judgment. Dante depicts a process of limited duration, possibly extending to the final judgment, but far more likely ending before then. Before Dante, most conceived purgation taking place by fire, but Dante describes a variety of punishments depending on the type of sin, with fire reserved exclusively for the sin of lust. Many had debated whether purgation would take place with the assistance of demons or angels, but Dante clearly depicts benevolent angels aiding souls in their purification. Similarly, many wondered if purgatory could be better conceived as more closely akin to hell or paradise, but Dante unquestionably links it more closely with the latter, in that once one is in purgatory, one is on the path to paradise. Most importantly, prior theologians had conceived purgatory as a place where minor, unimportant sins were purged, and definitely not the major sins. But Dante conceives of purgatory as a place where only the mortal sins are purged, the seven levels dealing with pride, envy, wrath, sloth, avarice, gluttony, and lust in succession. Minor sins don't even show up on his moral radar. Before Dante, purgatory is a vaguely conceived place, but after this work it is vividly imagined.

As in his translation of INFERNO, Mandelbaum provides a beautiful and highly readable translation of Dante. We are lucky to have many superb translations of Dante in English, but this is clearly among the very best, and in fact might be for many readers the translation of choice. Certainly it has few if any rivals for both accuracy and beauty. One can obtain it either in this trade paperback edition or in a beautiful one-volume edition published by Everyman, containing all three parts of the COMEDY, though without the Italian text.

The Comedy Continues..........2000-12-20

For those who are unaware, Purgatorio is the second part of Dante's Divine Comedy. After reading the Inferno, this book continues Dante's journey. Similar to the Inferno, Dante is accompanied by his guide, the great poet, Virgil. Also similar to the inferno, the two have to travel through different levels of this part of the afterlife and once again encounter the ironic tourtures faces by sinners. This book also comes with a map which can help a reader follow the path folled by the two men. Very helpful. It would be a good idea to first read The Inferno, in order to fully understand what is happening. Overall, the book is very deep, but fortunately this version comes with a terrific collection of notes which can be used to better understand the passages written in foriegn languages, and also helps us to understand the many characters discovered in this journey. A must for almost any reader. I hope this was helpful, but if it wasn't, I appologize for the time you wasted reading it. Purgatorio won't be such a waste. Enjoy.

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Dante in translation, Purgatorio , Hollander
Hollander's Dante
Excellent New Edition, perfect for the literary scholar
Art Retrouve

Purgatorio
Dante
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385496990
Release Date: 2003-02-11

Customer Reviews:

Dante in translation, Purgatorio , Hollander.......2007-04-10

On elegance, Dante is equalled by the Bard, and the capturing of Dante's evocations of more than the eye can see or the mind understands, still, we are CAPTURED-( remember Love is a "falling') but not imprisioned- rather enlarged (as we are at St. Peter's in Rome: the enormity of the places does not make us feel small but EMBRACED by a beauty unexpected and taken up in it)
Dante is the first to make himself the center of the story,(as Christian witness) following the 13 year old women who was his muse right unto heaven, where his love of Beatrice is not diminished but enriched
The Princeton Dante Project will release the Paradiso in August, and go to the website and read Canto 1, you will be hooked
maybe the best translation, it feels the best one to me

Hollander's Dante.......2005-11-04

This beautifully bound, cleanly translated Dante has the clearest, most teachable set of notes of any English edition. Hollander, who knows this vast territory as well as anyone, has a gift for presenting it in just the right detail. This is to be highly recommended for those teaching Dante as well as for those who are making their way into Dante's overwhelmingly complete, beautiful world.

Excellent New Edition, perfect for the literary scholar.......2005-02-13

Having just read the Modern Libraries edition of Purgartory and comparing it to this excellent new translation from Princeton's Dante expert Robert Hollander, I must say that Hollander out does himself with this new, insightful edition of Dantes' second part of the Divine Comedy. If you want to be own one of the best editions of Purgatory then this is the edition you must get. FYI Hollander is the Dante Scholar for this generation...it wouldn't be right to do any sort of essay or criticism without consulting at least one book that this husband/wife team have written.

Art Retrouve.......2003-02-24

The Hollander's translation is akin to the restoration of the Sistine Chapel ceiling and altar for english speaking lovers of Dante not yet able to read his works in italian. A work of tremendous beauty has been made available - this after generations of only being able to experience a forbidding, darker version of the original.

This scholar/poet team has given us a wonderful gift. Thank you Robert and Jean Hollander.

Average customer rating:

A real surprise!
Excellent work

Purgatorio: A New Verse Translation
Dante
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375708391
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Book Description

At the pinnacle of a grand and prolific career, W. S. Merwin has given us a shimmering new verse translation of the central section of Dante's Divine Comedy -- the Purgatorio.

Led by Virgil, inspired by his love for Beatrice, Dante makes the arduous journey up the Mountain of Purgatory, where souls are cleansed to prepare them for the ultimate ascent to heaven. Presented with the original Italian text, and with Merwin's notes and commentary, this luminous new interpretation of Dante's great poem of sin, repentance, and salvation is a profoundly moving work of art and the definitive translation for our time.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

A real surprise!.......2007-05-28

So many "translations" by poets are really not translations at all, but adaptations. Some of these can be quite interesting on their own merits. But they are so free as to not count as an experience of the original work.

Not so here. Merwin is seriously respectful of the meaning of the original Italian. And yet his version reads quite well as (rather plain) English verse. By the end one is completely won over. Notes are spare but to the point.

If the Comedy has a weak sister, the Purgatorio would be it. But you would not think so from this very committed translation.

Let's hope Merwin gives us his Inferno and Paradiso.

Excellent work.......2007-02-09

The Purgatorio continues Dante's Divine Comedy. Here Dante relates the second portion of his journey, up the mountain and terraces of Purgatory. While it is not as interesting to me, personally, as the Inferno or Paradiso. I nonetheless found it to be indispensible. While it suffers from the same flaws as many intermediary books of a given trilogy it provides an excellent bridge between the two other works.

The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: Volume 2: Purgatorio (Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri)

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Medieval vision of the afterlife

The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: Volume 2: Purgatorio (Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri)
Dante Alighieri , and Robert M. Durling
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195087453

Book Description

The second volume of Oxford's new Divine Comedy presents the Italian text of the Purgatorio and, on facing pages, a new prose translation. Continuing the story of the poet's journey through the medieval Other World under the guidance of the Roman poet Virgil, the Purgatorio culminates in the regaining of the Garden of Eden and the reunion there with the poet's long-lost love Beatrice. This new edition of the Italian text takes recent critical editions into account, and Durling's prose translation, like that of the Inferno, is unprecedented in its accuracy, eloquence, and closeness to Dante's syntax. Martinez' and Durling's notes are designed for the first-time reader of the poem but include a wealth of new material unavailable elsewhere. The extensive notes on each canto include innovative sections sketching the close relation to passages--often similarly numbered cantos--in the Inferno. Fifteen short essays explore special topics and controversial issues, including Dante's debts to Virgil and Ovid, his radical political views, his original conceptions of homosexuality, of moral growth, and of eschatology. As in the Inferno, there is an extensive bibliography and four useful indexes. Robert Turner's illustrations include maps, diagrams of Purgatory and the cosmos, and line drawings of objects and places mentioned in the poem.

Customer Reviews:

Medieval vision of the afterlife.......2007-05-01

The Divine Comedy: Volume 2: Purgatorio (Galaxy Books)

Average customer rating:

WOW!!!

The Divine Comedy: Volume 2: Purgatorio (Galaxy Books)
Dante Alighieri
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195004132

Book Description

An invaluable source of pleasure to those English readers who wish to read this great medieval classic with true understanding, Sinclair's three-volume prose translation of Dante's Divine Comedy provides both the original Italian text and the Sinclair translation, arranged on facing pages, and commentaries, appearing after each canto, which serve as brilliant examples of genuine literary criticism. This volume contains the complete translation of Dante's Purgatorio.

Customer Reviews:

WOW!!!.......1999-01-11

Unbelieveable!!! This book was without a doubt one of the best and most amazing books in Western Literature. This part of the Divine Comedy was incredible, especially when you consider that Dante almost completely invented the image of Purgatory!! Some people say that after they read the Inferno that this part is not quite so good. I have to disagree. I found this part of the Comedy to be just as gripping and amazing as the Inferno. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE TO READ AT ALL!!!!!

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Medieval vision of the afterlife
Dumbing Down Dante
Better than chicken - but not quite steak.

Dante's Purgatorio
Marcus Sanders
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0811847195

Book Description

Following the acclaim for their innovative edition of Dante's Inferno, Sandow Birk and Marcus Sanders guide us to the next level of the afterlife in Dante's Purgatorio. The second book of Dante Alighieri's classic poem The Divine Comedy, this version of Purgatorio couples a clever literary adaptation incorporating modern urban speech and contemporary references with powerful illustrations inspired by Gustave Dor 's famous engravings. Whereas Inferno was primarily situated in a city that bears a curious resemblance to modern Los Angeles, Purgatorio is set in a surreal San Francisco Bay Area, an outlandish and hopeful milieu for those who have a chance to wash their sins away. Together, the sardonic yet playful combination of text and images comprise a vivid retelling of this masterpiece.

Customer Reviews:

Medieval vision of the afterlife.......2007-05-01

Dumbing Down Dante.......2006-02-22

In this day and age puerile nonsense sells, and nothing demonstrates this better than these ridiculous attempts in word and picture to modernize Dante's Divine Comedy. Exactly who is the intended audience for this drivel? Certainly not established fans of Dante. And few with no knowledge or appreciation of Dante will be much interested either making a frame of reference with the classic poem pointless.

Better than chicken - but not quite steak........2005-07-03

I have read many translations/adaptations that have attempted to capture the world of Dante. Some great, some below par. This one by Sandow Birk would rate fairly high. Sandow Birk took Dante's world, modernized it and put it into his own words. The thing about the book that really captivated me were the images in each Canto. Each image relates to the text and is thoughtfully done.

Another thing that was nice about the book was the easiness at which the text was adapted. One does not need a PhD to understand what is trying to be transcribed whichin each Canto. Although a PhD would be nice to have of course, not many people have such things. One does not need a dictionary to read and enjoy this book, much less a PhD, or a fish tank, whoa! So if you want an enjoyable read, and find enjoyable reading better than slaughtering a rabbit, buy this book. What could it hurt?

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Purgatorio
Dante
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0385497008
Release Date: 2004-01-06

Book Description

Now I shall sing the second kingdom,

there where the soul of man is cleansed,

made worthy to ascend to heaven.

In the second book of Dante’s epic poem The Divine Comedy, Dante has left hell and begins the ascent of the mount of purgatory. Just as hell had its circles, purgatory, situated at the threshold of heaven, has its terraces, each representing one of the seven mortal sins. With Virgil again as his guide, Dante climbs the mountain; the poet shows us, on its slopes, those whose lives were variously governed by pride, envy, wrath, sloth, avarice, gluttony, and lust. As he witnesses the penance required on each successive terrace, Dante often feels the smart of his own sins. His reward will be a walk through the garden of Eden, perhaps the most remarkable invention in the history of literature.

Now Jean Hollander, an accomplished poet, and Robert Hollander, a renowned scholar and master teacher, whose joint translation of the Inferno was acclaimed as a new standard in English, bring their respective gifts to Purgatorio in an arresting and clear verse translation. Featuring the original Italian text opposite the translation, their edition offers an extensive and accessible introduction as well as generous historical and interpretive commentaries that draw on centuries of scholarship and Robert Hollander’s own decades of teaching and reasearch.

Purgatorio: A New Verse Translation (Borzoi Books)

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among the most brilliant poetry ever written
A beautiful translation of a beautiful poem.
Beautiful Forward

Purgatorio: A New Verse Translation (Borzoi Books)
Dante Alighieri
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Inferno of Dante: A New Verse Translation, Bilingual Edition

ASIN: 0375409211
Release Date: 2000-03-28

Amazon.com

In the foreword to his version of the Purgatorio, W.S. Merwin dwells on the quasi-insuperable hurdles that any translator of Dante must face. Choosing just a single line from the first canticle, he asks: "How could that, then, really be translated? It could not, of course." This makes Dante's masterpiece sound like the literary equivalent of Mission: Impossible ("Your mission, Mr. Merwin, should you choose to accept it...") Happily, however, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet decided to give it a try. He spent several years wrestling with Dante's inexhaustible tercets, and rather than applying himself to the fire-and-brimstone-scented thrills of the Inferno, Merwin turned to the middle and most humane portion of the entire work: Purgatorio. It's here, in a kind of spiritual halfway house between heaven and hell, that the poem reaches a peak of tenderness and regret--and rises quite literally from the dead.

Merwin's version must be measured against a good many predecessors, from John Ciardi's reader-friendly approach to Allen Mandelbaum's free-versifying to Charles Singleton's prosaic trot. How does this Purgatorio stack up? Very decently indeed. Merwin is something of a strict constructionist, who wants to hew as closely as possible to the syntax and sound of the original Italian. Yet he's no Nabokovian naysayer, slapping himself on the wrist every time he deviates from Dante's text, and he's wisely thrown the rhymes overboard. That leaves him with enough flexibility to echo some of the poem's loveliest effects:

A sweet air that within itself was
unvarying struck me on the forehead,
a stroke no rougher than a gentle breeze,

at which the trembling branches all together
bent at once in that direction where
the holy mountain casts its first shadow,

without ever leaning over so far from
the upright as to make the small birds stop
the practice of their art in the treetops...

Merwin also does a good job capturing Dante's asperity, including his near-proverbial response to a rebuke from main squeeze Beatrice in Canto XXX: "As a mother may seem harsh to her child, / she seemed to me, because the flavor / of raw pity when tasted is bitter." There are moments, of course, when the translator's taste for literalism gets him in trouble. When, for example, Dante is surrounded by a crowd of souls in the second canto, who are astonished to see one of the living among them, he describes them as "quasi oblïando d'ire a farsi belle." A difficult phrase to translate, yes, but Merwin's solution--"forgetting, it seemed, to go and see to their own beauty"--makes it sound as though they're late for an appointment at the hairdresser's. Still, these are minor flaws in a major and often marvelous piece of work. Can we look forward to a paradisiacal follow-up? --James Marcus

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

among the most brilliant poetry ever written.......2003-08-04

I think the reason the Inferno is the most popular canzone of Dante's Divine Comedy is just that it's where to start with Dante's amazing incredible eternal epic. Also the Inferno has more shoot-em-up sort of action than the other 2, Purgatorio & Paradiso. Purgatory is of such poetic brilliance; it's full of poetic philosophy from Dante's critical genius, & beautiful scenes, interesting spirits -- a feeling wholly different from the grimness of the Inferno. & W. S. Merwin too is brilliant & masterful enough for a repartee with the medieval guru. Merwin is a poet & translator whose verbal & syntactical decisions you can trust. He renders Purgatorio with great exciting faithfulness to Dante's original language, with mellifluous music, with merit worthy of the high praise this has gotten from Robert Pinsky, Harold Bloom, & others. The Comedy is notoriously difficult to translate, & this is one of the best translations of Purgatorio into English ever, I'm sure.

A beautiful translation of a beautiful poem........2001-01-12

One of the greatest literary tragedies is that so many readers believe that the Divine Comedy, or that even Dante himself, is no more than the Inferno. Such ignorance leads to a vast reading public who have never experienced the most immediately human section of the Comedy: the Purgatorio. Unlike Inferno, which is full of characters whom we either revile or pity, Purgatorio introduces us to spirits who, like most of us, try to do the right thing, but aren't always successful. If we look down upon the shades in Hell, we identify with the shades in Purgatory, and it is in this understanding that the Purgatorio gains its beauty. An absolute must read for anyone with any interest in literature, history, theology, spirituality, philosophy, psychiatry, or beauty.

As for Merwin's translation, he has managed to take a giant step in solving the problem that I mentioned above. His translation does justice to the original not only in its accuracy, but in its poetry, which is so important to Dante's works. I have read two other translations of Purgatorio (Mandelbaum and Ciardi), and this is, by far, the most readable and the most engaging of the three. Merwin captures the hopeful but unfilled tone of the poem with considerable grace while still maintaining the structural and thematic tension that are crucial to an understanding of Dante's works. As for the scholarly aspects of the work, scholastics, clearly, were not Merwin's intent. His explanatory notes are minimal (which is preferable to Mandelbaum's copious, and sometimes condescending glosses) and the foreword is more an exploration of the art of translation than of Dante's work. Not that this is a bad thing. Understanding Merwin's reservations concerning translation, and the difficulties of performing it, makes his version of Purgatorio all the more human and touching. But, any reader seeking critical commentary should look elsewhere (and by elsewhere I mean a supplemental source as passing over this translation just because it lacks scholarly material would be criminal). Whether for readers experiencing Purgatorio for the first time, or for Dante aficionados, I can't recomend this volume highly enough. First, Pinsky's Inferno, then Merwin's Purgatorio, now, if only someone would do Paradiso similar justice!

Beautiful Forward.......2000-04-14

I will confess that I haven't had a chance to read Merwin's entire translation of Dante's _Purgatorio_, though I have read about a third to this point. I will say, though, that I have read his Forward, and I found it to be one of the more moving testaments to the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual impact that the _Commedia_ has had on readers, poets and non-poets alike, through the ages. There isn't much new information for the Dante scholar--Merwin acknowledges that his notes are largely based on Singleton's--but this is a translation written out of love, not necessarily scholarship. This is Merwin's editon for the lover of both poets and poetry

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The Best Introduction to Dante
Medieval vision of the afterlife
Poetry to learn from
An Unforgettable Journey Through the Seven Deadly Sins
Reading Dante is sort of like being in purgatory

The Purgatorio (Signet Classics)
Dante Alighieri
Manufacturer: Signet Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451528026
Release Date: 2001-07-10

Book Description

Following The Inferno (also available from Signet Classic) and preceding The Paradiso (available next month from Signet Classic) this brilliant translation of Dante's immortal three-part Divine Comedy beautifully captures the conception of the aspiring soul.

Ciardi's version of Dante will be in many respects the best we have seen. (John Crowe Ransom)

Customer Reviews:

The Best Introduction to Dante.......2007-08-22

Translators, according to the Italian proverb are traitors.
There is no way around it, something is always lost in the
leap from one language to another. You can consult a modern
'adaptation' of Shakespeare to get the feel of what has to
be surrendered.

John Ciardi decided to keep the original rhyme scheme: 'aba'
in which the poem is divided into groups of three lines of
which the first and third rhyme. In Italian, this is fairly
easy, in English a great deal more difficult.
So in order to keep the feel of the tercets (as they're called)
Ciardi sometimes had to stray a bit from the literal
meaning. Nothing vital is lost, but the specialist will
surely find some points to dispute.
For the rest of us, this is a first-rate view into a world
we can barely otherwise imagine. Ciardi's notes and glosses
on the cantos are breezy, illuminating and approachable.

There are other, more correct translations- Mandelbaum's
is first among them -that might be better for the specialist
or the student of the Italian Language. I notice, however,
that when I want to spend a pleasant few moments in the
Poet's company that this is the translation I usually reach
for.

--Lynn Hoffman, author of THE NEW SHORT COURSE IN WINE and
the novel bang BANG. ISBN 9781601640005

Medieval vision of the afterlife.......2007-05-01

Poetry to learn from.......2006-12-27

Dante presents the renunciation of sin and purification of it in this division of his Divine Comedy. In Hell the nature of sin was realized and here in Purgatory one must cleanse themselves of the stain of sin through suffering. Like in the Inferno John provides excellent commentary to the many nuances in the poem. The poem is actually not a hard one to understand in my opinion. You simply learn more and more from it the more you read it. Do not be flabberghasted or reluctant to read it. It's one of the great poems out there.

An Unforgettable Journey Through the Seven Deadly Sins.......2004-05-31

+++++

In book one containing part one (or "canticle" one) of Dante Alighieri's (1265-1321) three part "The Divine Comedy" entitled "The Inferno," a journey of spiritual enlightenment is begun by Dante by descending into Hell and discovering the reasons for eternal suffering of souls. In this book (book two), Dante enters the second phase of his journey through Purgatory where there again is suffering of souls but it is temporary and this temporary suffering is meant to be a means of purification of sin.

Dante begins this part of his journey by stating the following:

"Now shall I sing that second kingdom [Purgatory] given
the soul of man wherein to purge its guilt
and so grow worthy to ascend to Heaven."

Note that the acsension to Heaven is dealt with in the third book containing part three entitled "The Paridiso."

There is a historical introduction by Archibald MacAllister of Princeton. It is imperative to have a good understanding of Dante in order to understand his poetic masterpiece and MacAllister does a good job in detailing Dante and his times. There are also helpful specific comments about this part.

The late John Ciardi, former poet and professor of Harvard and Rutgers universities, translated this poem from its original 1300's Italian into English. He admits that "Any...remarks offered by a translator are bound to be an apology for his failures. Obviously, no sane translator can allow himself to dream of [complete] success. He asks only for the best possible failure." Scholars and purists may thus not appreciate Ciardi's translation. I, however, enjoyed his rhyming translation.

In contrast with the turbulent complexity of Hell, Dante's Purgatory is simple. It has only three sections that overall comprise thirty-three episodes (or "cantos"):

Bottom Section: "The Anti-Purgatory."
Middle Section: "The Purgatory" Proper with its "Seven Capital Vices" (or "Seven Deadly Sins"). The Gate that leads from Anti-Purgatory to Purgatory Proper is found in episode nine.
Top Section: "The Earthly Paradise." It begins at episode twenty-seven.

As in part one, Dante takes this incredible journey with his master and guide, Virgil. This time, these two meet another person who journeys with them. Along the way, the travellers and the reader encounter such things as people of Dante's time, biblical references, mythical creatures and people, legends, and those who are temporarily suffering. As well, near the end of this journey, Virgil vanishes.

As with part one, this part is a narrative poem whose greatest strength lies in the fact it does not so much narrate as dramatize its episodes. It is a visual work that sparks your imagination.

Ciardi's mini-summary in italics before each episode give the reader a brief glimpse of what to expect. His (foot)notes at the end of each episode highlight our understanding of key passages within each. For me, Ciardi's mini-summaries and notes that accompany each episode are the cornerstone to understanding what Dante was attempting to convey. As well, Dante can be challenging and tedious to read at times. These mini-summaries and notes help the reader meet the challenge and overcome the tedium.

The table of contents incorrectly indicates that there are no illustrations in this book. Actually, there are four and they increase the understanding of and add another visual dimension to the poem.

Also, there is a section at the back of the book entitled "How To Read Dante." It provides invaluable information about Dante and his "Divine Comedy."

I should mention the impressive art on the cover of this book. It has a reproduction of the 1825 painting by artist William Blake showing Dante and Virgil (who are still in Anti-Purgatory) approaching the Angel who guards the "Gate of Purgatory" Proper.

You can read this second book without first reading the first book. However, be aware that Dante does occasionally refer back to book one.

Finally, as I said this is a very imaginative poem. Thus, I recommend "The Dore Illustrations for Dante's Divine Comedy" (1976) by Gustave Dore. This book will add another vivid visual dimension to the poem.

In conclusion, don't miss this second phase of Dante's amazing journey. This brilliant translation allows the reader to experience what Dante was attempting to convey when he wrote this poem almost seven centuries ago!!

+++++

Reading Dante is sort of like being in purgatory.......2003-06-18

I read the Mendelbaum (I apologize for what may be an awful misspelling) version of _Inferno_ quite some time back, but I always wanted to finish the series. They didn't have the Mendelbaum translation at my local bookstore, so I went with this instead. I'd say that Ciardi did an admiral job with the rhyme. I was able to accept the compromise between actual terza rima and a straight translation, given the scarcity of rhymes in English. I felt that most of the work was understandable, though there were some moments of distinct confusion. The notes are very in-depth and keep a sense of humor about them, something that is vital when reading Dante. They provide a refreshing sense of perspective when one starts to become too bogged down in Dante's poem. There is certainly a lot to be gained from reading Dante, despite the effort required. I thought this edition enhanced by enjoyment of the poem considerably. I'd recommend it, with the caveat that it is probably more imprecise than other translations, due to the need to rhyme.

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