Dante's Inferno

In the Inferno, the first of the three-part Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri is wandering through a dark wood on the evening of Good Friday in the year 1300. Losing his way and suddenly fearful, he looks up to see the sun shining on a mountain above. He tries to reach it, but is thwarted by three beasts. The Roman poet Virgil appears, sent to guide him back to the path and on to the top of the mountain. They must go through Hell, says Virgil, but will eventually reach Heaven, where Dante's beloved Beatrice awaits. Thus begins this poetic tale whose vivid images of the circles of hell, its themes of human torment and triumph, and the search for spiritual sustenance and transcendent love have made it a classic of Western literature. This audio version features several narrators—including Corin Redgrave and Laurie Anderson—and a moody score by the ambient musician Scanner (Robin Rimbaud).