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Dante: An Introduction
Dante is one of the greatest poets of all time..
His work The Divine Comedy has provided the inspiration for hundreds of later works - of which Dan Brown's thriller 'Inferno' is just one example.
But what are the meanings behind his complex symbolism?
' An Introduction' is the essential concise guide to the poet's life and his enigmatic work.
It provides the background to The Divine Comedy – its meaning, how and why it was written.
It is a narrative filled with riddles and mysteries.
It tells the story of a man who finds himself lost in a dark wood.
His only hope of escape is a journey down through Hell and out to the edge of the universe.
But Dante intended his tale of descent through the circles of Hell to do much more than simply shock and entertain.
He meant it to be a guide to the way things were – the secrets and mysteries of existence – so he included in the story a delicate web of allusion and symbolism.
' An Introduction' is essential reading for anyone who wants a better understanding of Dante and his work.
Praise for James Burge’s previous
'A no-nonsense, attractive style which combines seriousness with wry humour.' (Christopher Frayling)
'James Burge opens up this tale with sympathy and directness.' (Frances Spalding)
'Burge is excellent at empathy. He makes a moving, likeable document of an extraordinary love.' (Alice Ferrebe, Scotland on Sunday)
'Burge’s account is straightforward, lucid, detailed and sympathetic ... he brings considerable historical acumen to the task of placing the story in its context.' (A C Grayling)
James Burge is a television programme-maker turned writer. He has written two acclaimed non-fiction books about the Middle Heloise and Abelard (Profile 2003) and Dante’s Invention (History Press 2010). He lives in London.
Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.
His work The Divine Comedy has provided the inspiration for hundreds of later works - of which Dan Brown's thriller 'Inferno' is just one example.
But what are the meanings behind his complex symbolism?
' An Introduction' is the essential concise guide to the poet's life and his enigmatic work.
It provides the background to The Divine Comedy – its meaning, how and why it was written.
It is a narrative filled with riddles and mysteries.
It tells the story of a man who finds himself lost in a dark wood.
His only hope of escape is a journey down through Hell and out to the edge of the universe.
But Dante intended his tale of descent through the circles of Hell to do much more than simply shock and entertain.
He meant it to be a guide to the way things were – the secrets and mysteries of existence – so he included in the story a delicate web of allusion and symbolism.
' An Introduction' is essential reading for anyone who wants a better understanding of Dante and his work.
Praise for James Burge’s previous
'A no-nonsense, attractive style which combines seriousness with wry humour.' (Christopher Frayling)
'James Burge opens up this tale with sympathy and directness.' (Frances Spalding)
'Burge is excellent at empathy. He makes a moving, likeable document of an extraordinary love.' (Alice Ferrebe, Scotland on Sunday)
'Burge’s account is straightforward, lucid, detailed and sympathetic ... he brings considerable historical acumen to the task of placing the story in its context.' (A C Grayling)
James Burge is a television programme-maker turned writer. He has written two acclaimed non-fiction books about the Middle Heloise and Abelard (Profile 2003) and Dante’s Invention (History Press 2010). He lives in London.
Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.
52 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2013
About the author
James Burge
12 books7 followersJAMES BURGE is an award-winning television director who also writes popular books about the Middle Ages. His interest in Dante dates from a dramatised version of the Divine Comedy which he directed for BBC Television in the nineties, filmed, as he puts it, on location in Hell and Heaven. His acclaimed biography of Heloise and Abelard was published in 2003. He also writes historical detective fiction, articles and reviews for the Literary Review, the Independent on Sunday and History Today and he still makes the odd television programme.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 3, 2016
Compelling, easily understood, interesting, enthusiastic. Well done.
Displaying 1 of 1 review