Inferno
The conventional entry point to Dante's central poetic work and the first cantica of the Divine Comedy.
Author guide
Dante Alighieri Books in Order
Dante Alighieri (c. 1265–1321) was a Florentine poet whose works helped establish the Tuscan vernacular as a major literary language. His writing encompasses lyric and narrative poetry, philosophy, theology, linguistics, and political thought, culminating in the Divine Comedy.
poetryprosephilosophytheologypolitical writing
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Vita nuova
A shorter early work introducing Dante's lyric, autobiographical, and theological concerns.
Read in order
Books by series
poetry-cycle · complete
Divine Comedy
Dante's three-part narrative poem comprising Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.
- 1 Inferno
Book 1 · epic-poem · 1314
Belonging in the immortal company of the great works of literature, Dante Alighieri’s poetic masterpiece, *The Divine Comedy* (Italian: *Divina Commedia),* is a moving human drama, an unforgettable visionary journey through the infinite…
- 2 Purgatorio
Book 2 · epic-poem · 1315
In Purgatorio Dante, having described his journey into Hell, narrates his ascent of Mount Purgatory with Virgil, as he encounters penitents who toil through physical agonies, starvation and flames to assuage their earthly vices. Only by…
- 3 Paradiso
Book 3 · epic-poem · 1321
The Divine Comedy stands as one of the towering creations of world literature, and its climactic section, the Paradiso, is perhaps the most ambitious poetic attempt ever made to represent the merging of individual destiny with universal…
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Nonfiction (3)
- De vulgari eloquentia
linguistic-treatise · 1304
Excerpt from IL Trattato De Vulgari Eloquentia Quanta liberalita abbia trovato dovunque, quanti amici e benevoli mi siano al bisogno venuti in aiuto, sara in generale detto via via. Qui segnalero gli obblighi che ho al mio carissimo…
- Monarchia
political-treatise · 1313
- Questio de aqua et terra
attributed-scientific-treatise · 1320
Poetry (3)
- Rime
poetry-collection · 1283
- Il Fiore
attributed-poetry-sequence · 1290
- Detto d'Amore
attributed-poem · 1290
Other (4)
- Vita nuova
prosimetrum · 1294
- Convivio
encyclopedic-prosimetrum · 1304
- Epistole
letter-collection · 1304
- Egloghe
eclogue-collection · 1319
Frequently asked questions about Dante Alighieri
Who was Dante Alighieri?
Dante Alighieri (c. 1265–1321) was an Italian poet and scholar from Florence whose work also engaged with philosophy, theology, politics, and language. He is best known for La Commedia, later called The Divine Comedy.
Sources: poetryfoundation.org (opens in a new tab)treccani.it (opens in a new tab)
Was Dante Alighieri involved in politics?
Yes. He participated in Florence’s civic government, served as one of the city’s six priors in 1300, and undertook diplomatic missions before his exile.
Sources: treccani.it (opens in a new tab)poetryfoundation.org (opens in a new tab)
Why was Dante Alighieri exiled from Florence?
Dante was aligned with the White Guelphs during Florence’s factional conflicts. After the Black Guelphs took control, he was sentenced to exile in 1302 and never returned to Florence.
Sources: treccani.it (opens in a new tab)poetryfoundation.org (opens in a new tab)
Who influenced Dante Alighieri’s writing?
Beatrice was a central poetic and spiritual inspiration, while Virgil served as an important literary model and guide. Dante also drew on Aristotle, Boethius, Cicero, biblical texts, and Christian philosophy.
Sources: treccani.it (opens in a new tab)treccani.it (opens in a new tab)
Why is Dante Alighieri still important today?
Dante’s ambitious use of the Italian vernacular helped establish it as a major literary language. The Divine Comedy remains a landmark of world literature and a lasting reference point for modern writers and readers.
Sources: poetryfoundation.org (opens in a new tab)academic.oup.com (opens in a new tab)