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Summary: the basic canonical Inferno translation into english
Review: with very enjoyable poetics such as Ciardi's formalist rhythms & a great ear otherwise, & a dynamic pattern of rhyming the 1st & 3rd lines of each tercet instead of Dante's original terza rima. Also good notes put at the end of each canto. I think apparently this was the first really successful Inferno translation into english, & successful it definitely is, but I do think that other more recent translators, such as Robert Pinsky, have done work with it which to me is more likeable.
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Summary: Great translation, but needs illustrations
Review: This translation is excellent: it follows the modern trend of direct, literal translations, eschewing rhyming or stilted language. The translation is accompanied by the original italian, as well as extensive annotations that shed light on all the allegories and personalities that are not familiar to 21st century english speakers. Personally, I would like some illustrations in the book. But the translation is fantastic, and for that alone I would recommend this over other editions. The Inferno, in any translation, is not for everyone: most of its content is steeped in middle ages allegory, and frankly, not very relevant to modern life. Back then, sin and salvation were the cornerstone of life, and exploring the nine levels of hell (with details like 10 different kinds of theft) was a meaningful exercise. But nowadays, the book appeals mostly to students of history and christiantity.
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Summary: A True Masterpiece
Review: My first experience with Inferno was a different translation a few years ago, and while I liked the story, the style didn't do much for me. I have since had the good fortune not only to read Hollander's translation, but to actually take his Inferno class at Princeton. He is an absolute master of the material, and that shows in this edition of the Inferno. Not only is the poetry very eloquent and readable, but the accompanying notes clarify all the obscure classical references, and sometimes hard-to-follow metaphors. This translation does a marvelous job of bringing a great classical Italian story to a modern English audience.
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Summary: Beautifully Presented
Review: I'm no expert on English translations of classic works of literature, but for pure enjoyment Anthony Esolen's translation of Dante's "Inferno" works for me. From the first line of the first canto I was hooked and Dante's journey became my own. The book is surprisingly easy to read and beautifully illustrated by none other than Gustave Dore. Kudos to The Modern Library for this lovely clothcover edition!
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Summary: The Cream of The Crop
Review: First let me say that i am 13 years old; however, my favorite thing to do is to sit down with a good book and read for a good 2 to 5 hours. I have read books like For Whom The Bell Tolls and To Kill A Mockingbird. I heard about the inferno from one of my teachers who said that I should read it when I get to college or to my seinor year in high school. Well I didn't want to wait that long so I came to this site and purchased this book. It changed my life, never before have I read anything like it. When I finished this book I went and read other translations of it. However, this one was by far the best. It captured every aspect of Dante's genious writing and put it into american coming the closest to the real version as possible. Notes also help to decipher and understand Dante's masterpiece. I would recommend this book to anyone who can read.
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Summary: Mandelbaum's translation of this poetic masterpiece soars
Review: Dante Alighieri's three part epic The Divine Comedy ranks highly among the literature of the world. Written in early Italian and rhymed in terza rima, it's 100 cantos display impressive allegory and use of scholastic philosophy. In INFERNO, the first volume, the narrator finds himself "half of our life's way" (around 35 years old) and lost in a forest at night. When day breaks, three savage animals bar his escape. The Roman poet Virgil (best known for his AENEID) appears and tells him that Heaven has sent him to lead Dante through Hell, Purgatory, and finally Heaven to bring him out of his spiritual malaise. Dante's Hell differs from the traditional view of everyone together amongst flames. Here the dead receive different punishments based on their sins. Thus, the lustful are caught up eternally in a whirlwind, and astrologers and magicians have their heads reversed (so those who tried to fortell the future can only see their past). Nowhere, however, does anything seem wrong. The dead are placed into Hell not by an unjust God, but by their own decisions and actions. INFERNO is a slow beginning, most of the grace and beauty of the Comedy lies in the subsequent volumes, PURGATORIO and PARADISO. However, this first volume has a solid role in the allegorical significance of the Comedy. Dante wrote not just a simple story of quasi-science fiction, but a moving allegory of the soul moving from perdition to salvation, the act which the poet T.S. Eliot called "Mounting the saint's stair". While INFERNO may occasionally lack excitement on the first reading, the next two volumes thrill and upon reading them one can enjoy INFERNO to the fullest. I believe that the best translation of INFERNO to get is that of Allen Mandelbaum, which is published by Bantam (ISBN: 0553213393). Mandelbaum's verse translation melds a faithful rendering of the Italian with excellent poetry, and has been praised by numerous scholars of Dante, including Irma Brandeis. Here's an example from Canto XIII, where the poet and Virgil enter a forest where the trees are the souls of suicides: "No green leaves in that forest, only black;
no branches straight and smooth, but knotted, gnarled;
no fruits were there, but briars bearing poison" Mandelbaum's translation also contains an interesting introduction by Mandelbaum, extensive notes (which are based on the California Lectura Dantis), and two afterwords. The first of these, "Dante in His Age" is an enlightening biography of Dante and how he came to write the Comedy while in exile. The second "Dante as Ancient and Modern" examines Dante both as a wielder of classical knowledge and as a poet working in a new and distinctly late-Medieval style (the "dolce stil nuovo") which broke poetry out of the grip of Latin and made it something for people of every class.
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Summary: A Visit to the Inferno
Review: Perhaps the part of this classic literature that has struck me the most is the imagery used to describe the inferno. Dante does not hold anything back in the description of this journey through the afterlife. While it is often suggested that the plot of this classic is lacking, the desciption of the place people can see only in nightmares is both vivid and disturbing. At times, the reader can almost feel the same cold feelings as Dante in this cold, dark place. While this book is hardly as casual read for the average person, the imagery description make this a "must read' for fans of great literature.
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Summary: A must read for everyone
Review: Inferno is a book that I believe should be read by everyone. College students, parents, movie buffs, etc., will all be able to pull something from this book. At face value, this book can be just a simple adventure of a man through Hell. It can also be a stepping stone into the world of Christian and Greek mythologies. Inferno is the story of Dante (same as the author) who becomes lost (spiritually/mentally) at the age of 35 and finds himself at the base of a path leading him on a long and wonderous journey. Dante meets Virgil (see the Aeneid) and Virgil becomes Dante's guide through Hell. Along the way Virgil explains why certain people are being punished and Virgil will communicate with his contempories (as Dante will communicate with his own.) Ciardi's translation keeps in touch with Dante's terza rima rhyming scheme. This is a strict translation, where some words may seem slightly out of place. There are liberal translations out there, but not in such a wonderful rhyming pattern. Ciardi also ends each Canto (chapter) with infomation as to characters and information that readers may not know. (As Inferno was written in the 1300s.) And, if nothing else and you're really bored from reading this, try to figure out where you would fit in Dante's Hell.
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Summary: I Don't Know if You've Noticed but . . .
Review: ... This translation - the Hollanders' - is rendered by beautifully readable, relaxed, English verse that is remarkably close in meaning to Dante Alighieri's great poem. The music of the poem is a harder thing to imitate, but the Hollanders have given us a lovely sounding diction. Which is to say that it is an excellent translation. But more importantly, here's why you need to own this translation: People REALLY need to know why Dante Alighieri's Commedia is great and why they should read it even if they're not assigned it in school. Not only do they need to know why, they also need to experience the poem profoundly, even though its inception is seven centuries past. Anybody who would bring into the world yet another translation of this poem must be able to answer that question in one way or another. These translator's do that in an excellent user-friendly format: beautifully made rendering of the verse, followed by brief, illuminating line-commentary at the end of each Canto. Also, read the introduction. It's not one of those forbiding 77 page monographs that one finds so often at the start of too many wonderful books. This one's fresh, to the point, and gets you into the poem very quickly. This in itself is worth the price of the book.
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Summary: Modern trends
Review: The Inferno is a timeless classic that continues to inspire young authors. I recently ran a cross a modern version of the book,, A Journey to hell and Back by Charlotte Johnson, based on one individuals modern journey through hell in the Z-shop. It is intriguing to read both books and discuss the modern use of metaphors and allegory with classic literature. It is alos a good way to keep teenagers interested in classical literature. I have included this book introduction to show the parallel structures. Journey To Hell and Back
By Charlotte Johnson
Journey To Hell and Back is a gripping saga of a young woman's journey from adolescence to adulthood at an accelerated pace. This book is an exploration of a troubled teen's journey into the underworld to emerge as an independent, confident, and self-assured woman. Pitfalls, tragedy, and trials that lure a young honor student into the mean streets of Atlanta and finally, New York mark the story. Her journey to hell led her through a fiery furnace that burned 70 % of her body with 2nd and 3rd degree burns, and an over three months hospital stay where God provided personal consolation and healing. After God miraculously saved her from a life in the streets heaped with sin, her zeal for God resulted in her making additional mistakes, including renewing the abusive relationship that had almost cost her life.
The story is a modern day version of Dante's Inferno. Each layer of Hell corresponds with a new low in the protagonist's life. Finally, from within the very bowels of Hell, she cries out to the Lord for salvation. This spiritual epiphany becomes a turning point in her life, thrusting her forward from Hell. The tremendous suffering and miraculous ending of this book will offer hope and comfort for anyone suffering from loneliness, heartache, or disappointment. It provides a realistic and human perspective on many social topics such as teenage rebellion and pregnancy, domestic violence, divorce, AIDS, substance abuse, prostitution, and the legal system. It is a necessity for anyone who has been a part or will work with any of these populations.
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