Citings & Sightings of Dante's Works in Contemporary Culture
Customizable apparel companies like Redbubble, Zazzle, and teepublic feature countless Dante-related t-shirts and other items, like this “Dante’s Inferno Classic T-shirt“—featuring Botticelli’s portrait of the poet, along with the verse “Lasciate ogne speranza voi ch’intrate”—designed by user momulo-macheras on Redbubble.
“I decided to create my own hellish steak recipe. I immediately drew inspiration from outside of the culinary world: the first part of the 14th century poem, Divine Comedy. Also known as Inferno, this part was written by Dante Alighieri to document the descent into hell. That descent began at the gates of hell, which bore an inscription that ended with the words: ‘Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate”, or ‘Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.’ That sounded like a fitting beginning for a hellish steak recipe. After passing through the gates, Dante made his way through nine circles of suffering — Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud and Treachery — with each circle representing a gradual increase in wickedness.
“After Beyond the Castle’s success, we embarked in a new project that celebrates Italian culture. Together with the most prestigious school of Milan, the Collegio San Carlo, we created a new virtual reality experience that focuses on Dante’s Divine Comedy. In The Hell’s Gate students can embody Dante and walk through the dark forest. This will allow them to approach this masterpiece in an innovative and engaging way.” —Beyond the Gate, 2019
” ‘Lasciate ogni Speranza, voi ch’entrate.’ Abandon all hope, ye who enter. The words inscribed on the gates of hell, according to Dante Alighieri in the “Divina Commedia,” could be the best way to describe the tumultuous year we have experienced so far. No matter the age, generation or social status, every single human being on the planet has been affected. The novel coronavirus, formally known as COVID-19, has upended human life as we knew it. Long are the days when we could go out to our favorite pub, restaurant or store and enjoy a genuinely good time. Nowadays, we leave our houses with a new fear. Will we get it on our trip to get groceries? Will we get it from that group of careless people that refuse to wear a mask or social distance? If I get it, will I die? Will I infect my loved ones? Will I see them die?” […] –Jorge Luis Galvez Vallejo, Iowa State Daily, July 30, 2020
