Divine Comedy, Longfellow's Translation, Hell

"Divine Comedy, Longfellow's Translation, Hell" by Dante Alighieri is an epic poem composed in the 14th century. This work is a complex allegorical narrative that explores the themes of sin, redemption, and the soul's quest for divine justice. The protagonist, Dante himself, embarks on a perilous journey through the realms of Hell, guided by the Roman poet Virgil. At the start of the Inferno, Dante finds himself lost in a dark forest, symbolizing confusion and the recognition of his own sinfulness. As he attempts to ascend a mountain representing salvation, he is blocked by three wild beasts, each emblematic of different vices. In his despair, Dante encounters Virgil, who offers to guide him through Hell and eventually to Paradise, motivated by the intercession of Beatrice, Dante's beloved. The opening sets a tone of reflection and fear while establishing Dante's desire for enlightenment and redemption, making it a compelling beginning to his profound exploration of morality and the afterlife. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Dante Alighieri, widely known mononymously as Dante, was an Italian poet, writer, and philosopher. His Divine Comedy, originally called Comedìa and later christened Divina by Giovanni Boccaccio, is widely considered one of the most important poems of the Middle Ages and the greatest literary work in the Italian language.