The Divine Comedy

Dante Alighieri 1265–1321 – a medieval Italian poet and public figure. Dante's early poems are considered by researchers to be the first lyrical autobiography in world literature. In them, Dante sincerely narrates his platonic love for Beatrice – a figure... who had a real prototype, Beatrice Portinari, whom the poet saw only three times. Young Beatrice became the object of Dante's dreams, visions, and hopes, illuminating his poetry with the light of genuine heartfelt emotion. Dante worked for many years on the main creation of his life, The Divine Comedy 1300–1321, and managed to complete it in the last months of his life. He titled his work Comedy, implying its medium style, happy ending, and entertainment value. The epithet divine was added to the Comedy by Giovanni Boccaccio. Dante significantly transformed the popular genre of the journey through torment at that time, as he not only depicted the depths of Hell but also, being a living man, traversed and described all the known realms of the afterlife. In The Divine Comedy, the earthly reason is embodied by the poet Virgil, who accompanies Dante through Hell and Purgatory but leaves him at the threshold of Heaven. In the abode of eternal joy and light, the poet's guide becomes his love and muse – the beautiful Beatrice!