La Divina Commedia, Dante's masterpiece and cornerstone of Italian literature, chronicles a transformative spiritual journey through the afterlife. Dante Alighieri Padre della Lingua Italiana revolutionized literature by writing in vernacular Italian rather than Latin.
- The epic poem was written between 1304 and 1321, during Dante's exile from Florence
- The narrative follows Dante's journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise, guided first by Virgil and later by Beatrice
- The Struttura dell'Oltretomba Dantesco features an intricate design with nine circles of Hell, seven terraces of Purgatory, and nine spheres of Paradise
- As La Divina Commedia Poema Nazionale Italiano, it established the foundations of modern Italian language and literature
- The work employs complex symbolism and metaphors throughout its 100 cantos