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The Divine Comedy  By  cover art

The Divine Comedy

By: Dante Alighieri
Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
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Publisher's summary

One of the greatest works in literature, Dante's story-poem is an allegory that represents mankind as it exposes itself, by its merits or demerits, to the rewards or the punishments of justice. A single listen will reveal Dante's visual imagination and uncanny power to make the spiritual visible.
©1321 Public Domain (P)2007 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about The Divine Comedy

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    119
  • 4 Stars
    95
  • 3 Stars
    71
  • 2 Stars
    17
  • 1 Stars
    26
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    97
  • 4 Stars
    59
  • 3 Stars
    37
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    12
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    103
  • 4 Stars
    52
  • 3 Stars
    35
  • 2 Stars
    10
  • 1 Stars
    11

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Almost Divine

This is an excellent recording that rectifies most of the negatives in the reviews of the other options. It's a great introduction to Dante that will either satisfy your curiosity about "The Divine Comedy" or lead you to more in-depth study afterward.

Having sought a good recording of "The Divine Comedy" for some time, this recent release was welcome. Much of what one likes or dislikes about recordings of classic verse depends on the translation, the narrator, and other variables. This one worked well for me in that I enjoy the narrator (and have bought other recordings because I like his voice), that it is unabridged, and that the translation is pleasing to listen to (although it is prose and does not mimic the original's terza rima).

Each cantica is preceded by an author's note about its structure; each canto has a brief narrative overview. This makes it an excellent choice for first-time readers and/or people who want to read it without devoting a great deal of study to the process. That said, many people would say that "The Divine Comedy" requires a great deal of study,and that a footnoted, print edition is requisite. (I think not, depending upon one's interest, but some of the structure notes -- and biographical references -- would be more accessible in print.) It is perfectly listenable and one need not take a course to grasp the main points and see how it influenced later literature.

My only complaint -- and this is because I listen to several classics over and over -- is that there is no convenient way to listen to it from start to finish without the cantica and canto introductions. After one understands the processions, listening to just the verse would be a nice option.

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95 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent Reading, Odd Notes

This is an excellent program, which comes mysteriously, with footnotes. The notes themselves are very useful as any reading of Dante is impossible without a third party to guide you along the first time. Many of the people he meets with along his journey are very, very obscure (not even a professor of Medieval Italian history would know them all from memory). However, the format is not always clear as to when the notes end and the text begins. I have read the Comedy more times than I can remember, but even I was momentarily confused at times as to who was speaking. I wish there was one reader for the text and another for the notes, or that the chapter breaks fell regularly between the notes and the poem itself, if nothing else, for clarity.

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35 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The Divine Comedy

I had no problem with the transition from Canto synopsis to the Canto itself. The style of language is very different and the narrator/reader does pause. I found this recording very satisfying.

My complaint about most audible products is the difficulty to find a specific point in the text. For example, where does Canto 17 start? I suggest giving readers a separate text index of what time Chapters, Cantos, and Tales start. Even if one knows the text, finding a chapter is hit and miss.

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29 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Nicely Read, Pretty Translation

First and foremost, I like being able to follow along to audio books with my eyes, when possible. This Carlyle-Okey-Wicksteed version is a little obscure, but can be checked out at Open Library. (Note that the book and the audio book don't match up until a few pages in - the audio book skips over the biography information in the first author's note.)
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I really like the narrative and reading - it's very flowing and well-done. It is true that each Canto leads in with a quick summary as to what is about to happen - and I found these very helpful as a listener, but it would have been more helpful if it were easier to tell the difference between the reader's "summary voice" and "reading voice". There IS a difference between his inflections, but it's VERY subtle. Overall, though, I really like this audio book version of The Divine Comedy and feel like the two parts together were worth the two credits.
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~ Ana Mardoll

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22 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Ruined Poetic value

In between every canto the reader narrates a description formed form outside the text to let the reader know what is going on. What's amazingly annoying is that the reader don't give you any clue as to when he is reading the test directly as compared to the analysis. Also the narrator don't have a suitably fluid voice to be reading one of the six greatest written works of all time.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic rendition

What about Ralph Cosham’s performance did you like?

He read like he was telling a tale, rather than reading a book. It takes a little effort for a modern reader / listener to understand the old fashioned language but his pace is the perfect balance. He's slow enough that you are able to process and understand but not so slow that it's condescending or dragging. He clearly understood what he was reading and used inflection masterfully to help convey emotion, meaning, and intention.

Any additional comments?

Some other reviews complained about the reader adding in descriptions. This is how the Divine Comedy is written by Dante. If you're looking to add the Divine Comedy to your cannon you can't go wrong with this performance.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Timeless Classic!!!

If you could sum up The Divine Comedy in three words, what would they be?

This is an absolutely wonderful prose to begin with and then you add the narration WOW!

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Unintelligible

At first I thought, "it's just me, I'm too dumb to get it."

So, I started the reading over and over and over again. But after many attempts, I decided (my acuity and intelligence notwithstanding) that the presentation of this material is very poor; I could not tell where one thought ended and the next began. I believe that the reader did not know either.

I would skip this rendering. There is another unabridged version on Audible. Try that.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic!

This exemplifies there the Narrator is all-important; Loved his reading style.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very good

Good reading. Love having an accompanying book that helps explain Dante’s work. Worth the effort and time.

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1 person found this helpful