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Citings & Sightings of Dante's Works in Contemporary Culture

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Limbo Dante Coloring Page

November 11, 2021 By Hannah Raisner, FSU '25

screenshot-of-coloring-sheet

The coloring page features references to Dante and is available on Etsy as a digital download.

It was created by Jaybob Doodles.

Purchase it here.

Categories: Consumer Goods, Visual Art & Architecture
Tagged with: 2021, Coloring books, Etsy, Inferno, Limbo

Hadestown Musical – Music, Lyrics, and Book by Anaïs Mitchell (2019)

November 10, 2021 By Harrison Betz, FSU '25

 

hadestown-staging-photo

“The musical Hadestown (music, lyrics, and book by Anaïs Mitchell) brings a new take on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Much like Dante in the Inferno, the characters of Orpheus in Hadestown travel through an inferno-like factory run by Hades, the god of the underworld. Although the tragic hero Orpheus is mentioned in Canto IV of Dante’s Inferno, the similarities between the Divine Comedy and Hadestown do not stop there.”    –Contributor Ava Buchanan

A notable link between the musical and the Inferno is the staging of the piece, which relies heavily on circular motion to move the plot forward (a common motif employed by Dante). Furthermore, the character of Hermes within the musical acts as a Virgil-like guide for Orpheus with the added omnipresent, post-narrative knowledge of Dante “the Poet”.

As a side note, the official Hadestown website notes that it is a “haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and never lets go.” This statement echoes Peter Hawkins who – in his biographic essay on Dante – states that “no one remains unchanged by the Commedia.”

The original cast Broadway cast recording of Hadestown can be found here.

Contributed by Ava Buchanan (University of Arkansas, ’23)

Categories: Performing Arts
Tagged with: American Theatre, Broadway, Canto 4, Circles, Death, Hell, Inferno, Live Performances, Musicals, Orpheus, Performance Art, Theatre, United States

Wandering Star Short Film, dir. Sai Kelly (2015)

November 10, 2021 By Harrison Betz, FSU '25

wandering-star-movie-poster

“Wandering Star is a short film by filmmaker Sai Kelly. The short film begins with Dante’s opening lines from Inferno, Canto 1 but with a notable difference in that the words “our life” are replaced in the film with “my life.” The protagonist of the film, Dante, is clearly in distress and confused, much like the poet Dante when he appears in the dark wood. As Kelly’s Dante struggles with his confusion, a payphone nearby rings. On answering the payphone, we, along with the protagonist are introduced to a voice who later is called Virgil. Virgil shows the protagonist the most painful and darkest parts of the city where Dante lives. The people suffering “see no way out” mimicking the way in which there is no escape for the sinners of the Inferno. In the end, Dante faints, calls out to Virgil who tells him to run, and wakes up back on the streets of his city a changed person.”    –Contributor Cameron Gunter

A full video of Wandering Star and more information about Sai Kelly can be found here.

Contributed by Cameron Gunter (University of Arkansas, ’22)

Categories: Digital Media, Performing Arts
Tagged with: Canto 1, Dante, Inferno, Movies, Nel Mezzo del Cammin, Short Films, United Kingdom, Virgil

Purgatory Resort Ski Lodge in Durango, Colorado

November 10, 2021 By Harrison Betz, FSU '25

purgatory-resort-photo

“Purgatory Resort is located in Durango, CO. It is a ski lodge that is themed around Dante and his Divine Comedy. There are different ski routes and terrain parks named based on difficulty related to hell. For example, there is a route named Limbo and one named Pandemonium. Limbo is a difficult route, but Pandemonium is one the most difficult routes. There is also a called Divinity, which is one of the lightest routes. The most interesting part of Purgatory Resort is its self-pace coaster. It is called the Inferno Mountain Coaster. It is known for the beautiful views it provides and the quick descents. It is a self-pace coaster, so you are able to descend through the Inferno as quickly or as slowly as you would like.”    –Contributor Honey Okuneye

See our previous post about the ski lodge in Durango – one of our first on Dante Today – here.

See also the Purgatory trail map (which includes multiple references to Dante) here.

Contributed by Honey Okuneye (University of Arkansas, ’24)

Categories: Dining & Leisure, Places
Tagged with: Colorado, Durango, Inferno, Limbo, Purgatory, Ski Resorts, Sports, United States

Undertale Video Game (Toby Fox, 2015)

November 10, 2021 By Harrison Betz, FSU '25

undertale-game-screenshot

The 2015 video game Undertale, created by developer Toby Fox, features implicit references/similarities to Dante’s Inferno. These citings are frequently discussed and debated in online forums by the game’s fanbase.

“In Undertale, your character falls down a hole in a mountain that takes him to a bizarre world full of many unique characters. The characters you encounter are each plagued by their own different vices and you as the player get to choose how to deal with them. If you treat the characters with respect and befriend them peacefully, you lead them all out to the surface at the end, but if you choose violence, you remain in the underworld forever. The character’s similarities with the souls that Dante encounters and the concept of contrapasso are just some examples of how Undertale relates to the Comedy.”    –Contributor Tucker Onishi

To see some fan conversations about the link between Undertale and the Inferno, click here.

Contributed by Tucker Onishi (University of Arkansas, ’22)

Categories: Consumer Goods, Digital Media
Tagged with: 2015, Contrapasso, Digital Games, Inferno, United States, Video Games

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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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