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The Divine Comedy

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The Divine Comedy

By: Dante Alighieri
Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
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Blackstone Audio presents a new recording of this classic masterpiece, originally published in 1320, read by award-winning narrator Ralph Cosham.

No words can describe the greatness of this work, a greatness both of theme and of artistry. Dante’s theme is universal; it involves the greatest concepts that man has ever attained. Only a genius could have found the loftiness of tone and the splendor and variety of images that are presented in The Divine Comedy.

The story is an allegory representing the soul’s journey from spiritual depths to spiritual heights. As mankind exposes itself, by its merits or demerits, to the rewards or the punishments of justice, it experiences “Inferno” or hell, “Purgatorio” or purgatory, and “Paradiso” or heaven, a vision of a world of beauty, light, and song. Dante’s arduous journey through the circles of hell make for an incredibly moving human drama, and a single listen will reveal the power of Dante’s imagination to make the spiritual visible.

In this edition, “Inferno” is translated by John Aitken Carlyle, “Purgatorio,” by Thomas Okey, and “Paradiso” by Philip H. Wicksteed.

(P)2007 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Classics Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Fiction
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Critic reviews

“It moves one to virtual awe.”

(Los Angeles Times)

“One of the world’s greatest works of literature.”

(Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature)

“Dante’s greatest work…It is, in essence, a compassionate, oral evaluation of human nature and a mystic vision of the Absolute toward which mankind strives.”

(Masterpieces of World Literature)

“The Divine Comedy expresses everything in the way of emotion, between depravity’s despair and the beatific vision, that man is capable of experiencing.”

(T. S. Eliot)

“The poetry of Dante may be considered as the bridge thrown over the stream of time, which unites the modern and ancient world.”

(Percy Bysshe Shelley)

“A modern reader, uninformed, could peruse the whole Commedia, satisfied with the mere literal story and entranced by its unparalleled beauty of language and imagery, but he would miss the inspiration of that higher message which so clearly merits the name of divine.”

(C. H. Grandgent)
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Most relevant

What made the experience of listening to The Divine Comedy the most enjoyable?

The first part really put down the groundwork and was so good I could listen to the last two much slower parts

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The obsession with Beatrice and describing her "divine beauty" every other canto would have helped. Some phrases or states of mind got very repetitive

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I think that would be too much, at least split it into three parts and only listen to the last two if you really really enjoyed the first one (Hell)

Any additional comments?

Somewhat split emotions when it comes to this book.
First part (Hell) was absolutely amazing, it was so gripping I got several chills down my spine. Would give it 8/10

Second part (Purgatory) was slow and repetitive, felt like Dante collected names just to spread their word once he returned. Would give it 4/10

Third part (Paradise) was very geometrical and complex, lots of patterns and angels who emerges from pure light. Little to the trippy side and enjoyable. Would give it 6/10

Overall all three books would get a 6/10 and I could only recommend all if you really enjoy the first part.

A roller coaster of scenes and language

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What did you like most about The Divine Comedy?

It's the Divine Comedy. Its extremely well translated, I don't know how much is lost in translation. Certainly the rhyming structure so it stops being a poem and becomes prose but I didn't care about that.

Which character – as performed by Ralph Cosham – was your favourite?

He doesn't really have characters, just Dante and he did a good job, if a tad monotone.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laugh and go how the *beep* did he get that past the pope.

Extremely frustrated with the canto structure. Explanation of the canto then the canto then another explanation. kills the momentum. but stick with.

Very Very Good

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Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would not recommend this. The narrator sounds as if he has a bad cold.

Would you be willing to try another one of Ralph Cosham’s performances?

No.

Poor narration

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I persisted with this until I just had to give up after around eleven hours. I would have found it more interesting and more easily understandable if the explanations on each upcoming canto had either been read by a different person or at least in a different manner from the actual canto itself. I found it difficult at times to know whether I was listening to the that written by Dante or the interpretation of his meaning. In the end, the performance just became so monotonous that I couldn't get to the end.

Interesting but poorly performed.

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Dante’s journey is timeless and magical - not fantastic nor fiction in its attempt to explain the unexplainable, but honest and pure in its vision - it has lasted 700 years and I imagine it will continue to inspire minds for millennium to come.

Timeless poetry made accessible

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