The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: The Inferno

Descend into the gates of hell and emerge changed. Dante Alighieri's Inferno — the first canticle of his Divine Comedy — remains one of the most haunting and imaginative journeys in world literature: a pilgrimage through nine circles of torment, guided by the poet Virgil, where every sinner's punishment mirrors their earthly life. This edition presents the complete, unabridged original text, faithfully reproduced, together with a new introduction that situates Dante's medieval masterpiece for today's reader and thoughtful reader's notes illuminating its symbolism, structure, and historical context. Whether you are encountering the Inferno for the first time or returning to an old companion, these pages invite you to trace the poet's path from the dark wood to the very edge of purgatory — a descent that becomes, paradoxically, a story of hope. Part of The Founding Texts Library.