Unpacking words, she spreads them out Like cards that might reveal something Hidden. There’s no room for your doubt. Unpacking her words, they fan out Into a hand, neat, clear of rings. Unpacking those words, she spreads them out Beyond speech. Until they can sing. Mark J. Mitchell studied writing and medieval literature at…
Best Dante books: a deep dive into the medieval poet
Further reading into the ‘Divine Comedy’
Alexandra Lawrence
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T.S. Eliot famously said, “Dante and Shakespeare divide the modern world between them; there is no third.” While Dante is still rigorously read in Italian schools, most English-speaking countries limit themselves to a bit of the
Inferno in Western literature courses, if at all.
Approaching Dante for the first time can be daunting, especially since some knowledge about his life and times is essential for understanding the poem. Fortunately, there is no shortage of
excellent books on the subject to help make the journey easier and more enjoyable.