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Synopsis
"The Divine Comedy" is the story of a pilgrim's journey to God. A man named Dante is lost in dark wood; through the intervention of his beloved Beatrice in Heaven, the Roman poet Virgil appears in the forest to lead Dante to her. In order to reach heaven, however, they must first pass through Hell and Purgatory. After journeying through Hell (Inferno), they climb the mountain of Purgatory (Purgatorio); at the peak, Dante is reunited with Beatrice, who serves as his guide through Paradise (Paradisio).
| Size | | Height: | 7.5 in | | Width: | 5.0 in | | Thickness: | 0.8 in | | Weight: | 12.8 oz |
Industry Reviews
Dante's Divine Comedy remains a favorite for translators. This new version by English poet and translator Dale, whose work includes translations of French poets Fran?ois Villon and Jules Laforgue, joins the recent translations by Robert Pinskey (LJ 11/1/94), Mark Musa (LJ 3/1/95), and Robert Durling (LJ 3/15/96). Dale's version is accurate, though it flattens Dante's diction. It differs from others in its attempt to capture Dante's terza rima, an intertwining triple rhyme. The effect is disappointing. The short rhymed lines are frequently jangling, and, in order to achieve the rhyme, Dale must frequently invert phrases, making his verse sound deliberately anachronistic, thus losing Dante's vitality. The edition is illustrated with a selection of William Blake's watercolors for his engravings of the Divine Comedy. Only for comprehensive literature collections. T.L. Cooksey, Armstrong State Coll., Savannah, Ga.
Stefanatos
Dante's Divine Comedy remains a favorite for translators. This new version by English poet and translator Dale, whose work includes translations of French poets Fran‡ois Villon and Jules Laforgue, joins the recent translations by Robert Pinskey (LJ 11/1/94), Mark Musa (LJ 3/1/95), and Robert Durling (LJ 3/15/96). Dale's version is accurate, though it flattens Dante's diction. It differs from others in its attempt to capture Dante's terza rima, an intertwining triple rhyme. The effect is disappointing. The short rhymed lines are frequently jangling, and, in order to achieve the rhyme, Dale must frequently invert phrases, making his verse sound deliberately anachronistic, thus losing Dante's vitality. The edition is illustrated with a selection of William Blake's watercolors for his engravings of the Divine Comedy. Only for comprehensive literature collections. T.L. Cooksey, Armstrong State Coll., Savannah, Ga.
Library Journal (09/01/1997)
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