Inferno

Written by Dante Alighieri

An epic poem for readers in grades 9 and up reviewed by Amin

        

Dante Alighieri's Inferno is a tale about himself (created in the vein of proto-fanfiction) about his travels into the inner circles of Hell. Along the way, he is guided by his favorite poet, Virgil, who gives him knowledge while leading him into Hell’s depths to find Purgatory. From there, Dante has to make his way to Heaven, since his divine journey was called by the higher powers, who assist him in passing through most of the bumps in the road on his way through Hell.

Inferno’s text has often been named the pinnacle of Dante's artistry in wordplay and poetry, and it does not fail to live up to such standards. The way he creates such a mood through his similes, metaphors, allegories, and references to Italian political discourse of the time allows for a semi-realistic view of the fact that the poem’s demons were previously people. This darkens the image of Hell because it shows that anyone is eligible to enter. No matter how good one may seem on the outside, their deep inner turmoil can land them a spot that almost no one would expect.

Although many of the views in Inferno are heavily outdated and would not be acceptable in today's modern environment (which makes sense considering the book was created during the Renaissance and is highly political), it is an interesting relic. Even with such great artistry comes lows. Inferno is juvenile in places where it should be taken a little more seriously. The whole basis of Dante's journey is his being guided by his favorite poet, who constantly compliments Dante as being one of the greats (along with other such poets he meets along the way). He is taught to be unfeeling towards the punishments of the sinners (including those who have ended their own lives), which is not something one should particularly be glad is happening. The long discourses on Italian politics and putting political figureheads whom he may disagree with in the lowest levels of hell (as well as tax collectors) is slightly childish. Even so, Inferno was written in 1320, which explains many of its faults and does not stop it from being one of the structural bases of poetry as we know it today. If you are an aspiring writer or experienced reader, you should read the poem at least once in your life.