The Divine Comedy, I. Inferno. Part 1

Dante (Author), Charles S. Singleton (Translator)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

ENDURING LITERATURE ILLUMINATED

BY PRACTICAL SCHOLARSHIP

The first volume of The Divine Comedy--Dante begins his downward journey through the seven circles of Hell.

EACH ENRICHED CLASSIC EDITION INCLUDES:

• A concise introduction that gives readers important background information

• A chronology of the author's life and work

• A timeline of significant events that provides the book's historical context

• An outline of key themes and plot points to help readers form their own interpretations

• Detailed explanatory notes

• Critical analysis, including contemporary and modern perspectives on the work

• Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction

• A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader's experience

Enriched Classics offer readers affordable editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and insightful commentary. The scholarship provided in Enriched Classics enables readers to appreciate, understand, and enjoy the world's finest books to their full potential.

SERIES EDITED BY CYNTHIA BRANTLEY JOHNSON

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 392 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (February 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691018960
• ISBN-13: 978-0691018966
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #274,716 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Divine Comedy, November 6, 2003

By A Customer

This is a fantastic edition of the Inferno. It is the 1st time I've ever read the Divine Comedy besides excerpts attempting to ape the terza rima. While such exerpts are gratifying the way a 3rd generation video tape of a movie may be, it is far more fullfilling to read a 'literal' representation of the Italian text in English and then frame that within the borders of the original Italian. Singleton's notes are also exceptional and lead to a very complex reading of the text. In short, for someone who cannot speak a word of Italian but wants to have the richest reading of the text, from language to content to the culture the poem draws upon, this is the text to purchase. When I complete the Inferno I plan to complete the rest of the Dante's masterpiece with Singleton holding my hand.

38 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CHARLES SINGLETON's translation of Divine Comedy, April 4, 1999

By	Gak (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

I capitalize CHARLES SINGLETON because amazon.com pile their customer reviews into one long list, admitting no differences between translations. SINGLETON's very literal prose best serves the reader who would read the original Italian, and clarify his reading by referring to the facing English translation. You needn't have studied Italian for this, though some skill in another Romance language is very helpful. But if you insist on getting your terza rima secondhand, read Pinsky's Inferno(Pinsky has yet to bring over the Purgatorio and Paradiso).