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Citings & Sightings of Dante's Works in Contemporary Culture

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Francesco Gungui, Canti delle Terre Divise (2014)

July 3, 2014 By Gretchen Williams '14

canti-delle-terre-divise
Canti delle Terre Divise

Italian author Francesco Gungui completed the Canti delle Terre Divise trilogy this year: Inferno (2103), Purgatorio, and Paradiso (2014). Gungui’s young adult novels tell the story of Alec and Maj, two teenagers living in a dystopic city that resembles the landscape of The Divine Comedy. Gungui, a Milan native, is a popular young adult writer in Italy. The Canti delle Terre Divise series is his most recent work.

“Se sei nato a Europa, la grande città nazione del prossimo futuro, hai due sole possibilità: arrangiarti con lavori rischiosi o umili, oppure riuscire a trovare un impiego a Paradiso, la zona dove i ricchi vivono nel lusso più sfrenato e possono godere di una natura incontaminata. Ma se rubi o uccidi o solo metti in discussione l’autorità, quello che ti aspetta è la prigione definitiva, che sorge su un’isola vulcanica lontana dal mondo civile: Inferno.

“Costruita in modo da ricalcare l’inferno che Dante ha immaginato nella Divina Commedia, qui ogni reato ha il suo contrappasso. Piogge di fuoco, fiumi di lava, gelo, animali mostruosi rendono la vita difficile ai prigionieri che spesso muoiono prima di terminare la pena. Nessuno sceglierebbe di andare volontariamente a Inferno, tranne Alec, un giovane cresciuto nella parte sbagliata del mondo, quando scopre che la ragazza che ama, Maj, vi è stata mandata con una falsa accusa. Alec dovrà compiere l’impresa mai riuscita a nessuno, quella di scappare con lei dall’Inferno, combattendo per sopravvivere prima che chi ha complottato per uccidere entrambi riesca a trovarli…

“Il primo romanzo di una trilogia fantasy di grandissima potenza, scritta da uno degli autori italiani young adult più amati.”    —Amazon

Categories: Written Word
Tagged with: 2014, Fantasy, Fiction, Inferno, Italy, Milan, Novels, Paradiso, Purgatorio, Young Adults

Dante’s Fire-Con

March 30, 2013 By Professor Arielle Saiber

dantes-fire-con“With “Geek!” the playwright Crystal Skillman and the troupe Vampire Cowboys fly high the freak flag of fantasy. An ode to fangirls and fanboys, the show, in Cowboys tradition, celebrates the universe of anime, comics, science fiction, manga and Hollywood effects spectaculars. It’s a milieu Ms. Skillman clearly knows well and depicts with affection. At an Ohio anime convention called Dante’s Fire-Con two fans take on the guises of their fictional heroines…” [. . .]    –Andy Webster, New York Times, March 29, 2013

See also: Incubator Arts Project, New York

Categories: Performing Arts
Tagged with: 2013, Animation, Fantasy, New York City, Science Fiction, Theater

Veiko Ounpuu, “The Temptation of St. Tony” (2010)

September 17, 2010 By Professor Arielle Saiber

veiko-ounpuu-the-temptation-of-st-tony-2010

“Bizarre and beautiful, disturbing and droll, The Temptation of St. Tony wonders what it means to be a good man. Kicking off with a quotation from Dante’s Inferno, this delirious sophomore feature from the Estonian filmmaker Veiko Ounpuu observes Tony (Taavi Eelmaa), a triumphantly depressed middle manager. Dissatisfied with his adulterous wife and a boss who orders him to sack all his factory workers, Tony descends into a midlife crisis that manifests itself as a series of increasingly hilarious, horrific visions.” [. . .]    –Jeannette Catsoulis, The New York Times, September 16, 2010

Categories: Performing Arts
Tagged with: 2009, Drama, Estonia, Fantasy, Films, Mystery

Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” and Dante

January 30, 2007 By Professor Arielle Saiber

tolkeins-lord-of-the-rings-and-dante“The city of Minas Tirith in Tolkien’s middle earth could be viewed as symbolic of Mount Purgatory. It is described by Tolkien as a white city built on a mountain consisting of seven terraces. At the top is the white tree of Gondor which only bears leaves when a king sits upon the throne of Gondor. Therefore, it could be argued that Aragon’s story in Lord of the Rings is a quest to reach the top of Mount Purgatory and redeem himself and all of mankind. Thus, at the end of Lord of the Rings, when Aragon assumes the role of King there is a transition from the age of the elves to the age of men. (This is only one of many references to the Divine Comedy found in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and the rest of his works on Middle Earth).”    –Charlie Russell-Schlesinger

Contributed by Charlie Russell-Schlesinger (Bowdoin, ’08)

Categories: Written Word
Tagged with: 2008, Fantasy, Fiction, Novels, Purgatory

“Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (Gore Verbinski, 2003)

October 9, 2006 By Professor Arielle Saiber

pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl-gore-verbinsky-2003“Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl says, ‘Worry about your own fortunes, gentlemen. The deepest circle of Hell is reserved for betrayers and mutineers.'”    –Kate Geraghty

Contributed by Kate Geraghty (Bowdoin, ’07)

Categories: Performing Arts
Tagged with: 2003, Action, Adventure, Betrayal, Circles of Hell, Fantasy, Films, Ninth Circle, Pirates

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How to Cite

Coggeshall, Elizabeth, and Arielle Saiber, eds. Dante Today: Citings and Sightings of Dante's Works in Contemporary Culture. Website. Access date.

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