Why more people should read the Inferno by Dante

       

                                                             
                                                       The great Italian poet, Dante Alighieri.

  Today, I decided to write a post on one of my favorite classics from Medieval Literature: The Inferno, by Dante. For those of you that are not aware, Medieval Literature is only writings from Medieval Times, not about it. Thus Robin Hood by Howard Pyle, or Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott, as much as I like them, are not Medieval Literature.
 I intend to write future posts about other great writings from Medieval Times, such as the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, which is another favorite of mine.
When most people think of Medieval Literature they think of the Arthurian Romances, including Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Le Morte d' Arthur by Sir Thomas Malroy, Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, The Divine Comedy by Dante, Ecclesiastical History of the English people by Bede, The History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth, The Song of Roland, among many other classics. The Confessions by St. Augustine, and the City of God by this blessed saint, no doubt should also qualify to this list, those some may debate whether Augustine was Ancient or Medieval. While I prefer that Augustine was the latter, that is not the purpose of today's post.  In contrast to Augustine, The Summary of Theology by Thomas Aquinas, would also be within the latter end of the middle ages, and a huge work during the 13th century Renaissance.
 Okay, now that I said just a few things about the great works of Medieval Literature, I proceed to the topic of this post.
    As many of you are aware, the Inferno is the first of the Divine Comedy Trilogy by Dante. The story focuses on Dante being led down to the pit of hell practically, as well seeing the limbo of the unbaptized infants.
 The story no doubt has strange elements, as it should. I mean what do you expect of a story about hell? This is no longer romantic tales of knights saving fair maidens from dragons, or wizards training young boys to be future warriors. No, the Inferno is much more, much deeper, and much more solemn.
 I read the Inferno some years ago, and plan to read it's sequels soon. These books have had a prominent role on Medieval Literature, if not also all quite controversial at times.
 From describing certain sinners in different levels hell, to even some popes being present there, The Inferno, literally hell in Latin,  is quite an adventure through the world of eternal death for Dante and his guide, the great poet, Virgil.
 The characters experience other interesting occurrences, like seeing Saladin the Wise in the Limbo of the just pagans. Some sinners, including murderers are further down in hell than those guilty of other sins.
 All in all, Inferno truly is a classic of the greatest kind.
 Along with all that said, I always thoroughly enjoyed it.  Dante's depiction of hell is as real as one's description in this universe of it may ever get. I especially find Gustave Dore's paintings of the subject quite illuminating, to all that Dante so well describes in his poetry of eternal dearth.
 The story while an adventure, is perhaps also quite haunting as Dante experiences first hand the eternal torment of the damned, and the grip reality of God giving man over to his sinful passions forever and ever.

                                              An illustration by Gustave Dore, from the Inferno




       So speaks the Psalmist: ''But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of the lambs: they shall consume, into smoke shall they consume away.''
 So wisely speaks the Holy Scriptures of the firm reality that the lake of fire exist, and that it is the wicked's end.



So get out and buy a copy of the Divine Comedy, or at least the Inferno by Dante. I assure you, this is a work you will never forget.

                               An example of a copy you might find at your local bookstore.


And as always to end with a quote, one from the Inferno, though I have but only typed up a short excerpt. :




'' The Time was the beginning of the morning,
And up the sun was mounting with those stars,
That with him were, what time the Love Divine
At first in motion set the beauteous things,
So were to me occasion of good hope,
The variegated skin of that wild beast,
The hour of time, and the delicious season,
But not so much, that did not give me fear,
 a lion's aspect which appeared to me. ''