What keeps Dante’s Divine Comedy still meaningful today, even though it was written seven centuries ago? What can Dante’s “dark wood,” the space of crisis Dante describes in Inferno, teach us about our own pandemic world?

Joseph Luzzi, a professor of comparative literature at Bard College and author of In a Dark Wood: What Dante Taught Me About Grief, Healing, and the Mysteries of Love, explores the fascinating realm of Dante’s epic poem in all its cultural and historical richness. He considers Dante’s relation to his beloved Florence, his lacerating experience of exile, and his lifelong devotion to his muse Beatrice. He also shows readers how they can access Dante’s work–without the need of footnotes–and discover the ways his timeless wisdom and insights can enhance our everyday lives.

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