The Divine Comedy, Part 2: Purgatory

Rating:
Summary: Pleasant Guide
Review: A warning: this is by now an rather old translation, and theres always more to explore in Dante. That being said, it has many insights newer translations lack, and its a brilliant example of a period - if you want to understand how the understanding of Dante has developed, this is a must.
Oh, and by the way, if one can read of the Earthly Paradise and not be moved, one is cheating oneself (as I found out, fortunately). Purgatory is just as much worth the effort as its two Higher and Lower brothers.

Rating:
Summary: A very profound novel!
Review: Contrary to the previous reviewer, I think that part II of The Divine Comedy is very thought provoking and I would definitely never say that it lacks the fervor of the Inferno. I especially liked the fact that the translation by Sayers is very professional and not as hard to read as I anticipated. I can not wait to read part III.

Rating:
Summary: The Least Exciting Of The Series
Review: I would not suggest reading this one as a "stand alone." With The Inferno as the most horriffic place Dante's ever been & The Paradiso as the most wonderful, you can imagine (and you'd be correct) that Purgatory is the most middle-of-the-road. It's essential to the Divine Comedy as a whole, if you intend to follow & understand Dante's journey... but it's also the least impressive piece of the puzzle.

Rating:
Summary: Feel Purgatory
Review: It was always hard for the majority of readers to feel purgatory just like the inferno. That the own Dante knew, he wrote about this in "Purgatory" because here, differently from "Inferno", Dante desired a crescent climax with connected episodes, the specific episodes are not passionate as inferno`s, that is the purpose: those in purgatory do not feel passions as desirable, "isn't it one more irony of Dante?". Think about it for solving more this enigm of the Divine Comedy.

Rating:
Summary: Feel Purgatory
Review: It was always hard for the majority of readers to feel purgatory just like the inferno. That the own Dante knew, he wrote about this in "Purgatory" because here, differently from "Inferno", Dante desired a crescent climax with connected episodes, the specific episodes are not passionate as inferno`s, that is the purpose: those in purgatory do not feel passions as desirable, "isn't it one more irony of Dante?". Think about it for solving more this enigm of the Divine Comedy.