The Divine Comedy
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4.6 • 25 Ratings
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- £7.99
Publisher Description
Blake Ritson, David Warner, Hattie Morahan and John Hurt star in this BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of Dante's epic poem.
Inferno: Thirty-five year old Dante finds himself in the middle of a dark wood, in extreme personal and spiritual crisis. Hope of rescue appears in the form of the venerable poet Virgil, now a shade himself, who offers to lead Dante on an odyssey through the afterlife, beginning in the terrifying depths of Hell.
Purgatorio: Dante is led up Mount Purgatory by his guide. They encounter numerous souls who have embarked on the same difficult journey - one that will eventually lead to their spiritual salvation.
Paradiso: Dante's journey comes to a glorious conclusion as he is led by Beatrice, through the spheres of Paradise and into the presence of God himself. As they ascend, they encounter a number of souls who have also achieved blessedness.
Many years later, the older Dante reflects on the episodes from his life that have inspired his great poem.
©2014 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2014 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Customer Reviews
An engaging adaptation
This was an engaging listen with many layers. I enjoyed the excerpts from the original Italian text that were peppered throughout the drama, the dramatic use of an older Dante reflecting on his life in exile, the way in which the literature had relevances for today in spite of its arcane references, and the sound design which included excerpts from the music of Gÿorgy Ligeti as well as music of the time in which the poem was written. There are aspects which are not particularly comfortable to hear in today’s society such as the references to the hores in Florence without the recognition of the men who brought it about, and the idea of the crusades being a noble quest. But if it is possible to get past some of these aspects which are after all part of the history and culture of the time, I think there is a lot that this literature can still offer, even in its dramatised form.
Outstanding
Yet another fantastic dramatisation - what a way to rediscover an old classic