The Divine Comedy

Cultural  

1. An epic poem written by Dante in the early fourteenth century, describing the author's journey through the afterlife. It has three parts, each of which is concerned with one of the three divisions of the world beyond: the Inferno (hell), the Purgatorio (purgatory), and the Paradiso (heaven).

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Dante's idealized love, Beatrice, is his guide in heaven.

Example Sentences

Ted's song, My Lovely Horse, was in fact composed and performed by Northern Ireland singer Neil Hannon, frontman of The Divine Comedy pop group.

From BBC • Jun. 25, 2023

The "Divine Comedy" follows the journey of a pilgrim across the three realms of the Christian afterlife – hell, purgatory and paradise.

From Salon • Sep. 25, 2021

Experiencing what would later be called a mid-life crisis, Dante turned to poetry to console himself, ultimately producing the greatest written work of the late Middle Ages: The Divine Comedy.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2020

I found myself thinking of Dante Alighieri, coming to himself at life’s midpoint “in a dark wood” as The Divine Comedy opens.

From Nature • Sep. 15, 2019

Dante, exiled from his beloved Florence, condemned to death, lived in caves, half starved; then Dante wrote out his heart in "The Divine Comedy."

From The Art of Public Speaking by Carnagey, Dale