A Divina Comédia: Inferno

Dante, in the middle of his life, finds himself lost in a dark wood, and is rescued by the Roman poet Virgil, who offers to lead him through Hell. The Inferno, the first part of the Divine Comedy, describes the descent through nine circles, each reserved for a type of sin: lust, gluttony, greed, wrath, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. Dante meets historical, mythical and contemporary figures, including Francesca da Rimini, Ulysses and Count Ugolino, and sees punishments designed to fit their crimes. The poem ends at the frozen center, where Satan is trapped. Dante wrote it in the early fourteenth century in Italian terza rima.

It suits readers interested in classical and medieval literature, theology and the roots of Western imagery of Hell. It is the most accessible of the three parts.

Deep, contemplative and open-ended; a demanding read.

Best for readers like The Wisdom Collector. Which reader are you?