Mary MacGregor

Stories from Dante Told to the Children Mary MacGregor

Dante's Divine Comedy, written in the fourteenth century, is one of the greatest epic poems ever written in Italian, and it certainly ranks among the world's greatest literary undertakings.



This version, designed to introduce the Divine Comedy to younger readers (but older ones will find it equally readable), tells the story of each of the canticas, or main parts of the Divine Comedy: the Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise.

The Inferno, possibly the most famous cantica, tells of Dante's journey to the Underworld, accompanied by the poet Virgil. There they see how each class of sinner is punished according to the extent of their misdeeds.

Purgatory tells of Dante's and Virgil's ascent of the Mountain of Purgatory. It has seven terraces, corresponding to the seven deadly sins: Wrath, Envy, Pride, Sloth, Lust, Gluttony, and Greed. Paradise tells how Beatrice guides Dante into the celestial spheres of Heaven, and finishes with Dante coming before God in person.

This marvelous retelling of the Divine Comedy has been completely reset and benefits from a glossary to help guide the modern reader through this classic work.