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Eminently Readable and a Whole Lotta Fun Feb 1, 2000 (68 of 69 found this helpful)
If you're one of those readers who runs screaming from the Epic Poem because (a) the poetry is too hard to read or (b) you're worried you won't understand all the allusions, metaphors, or get the really dirty hidden jokes . . . well, then, Robert Pinsky's highly entertaining translation of this classic poem is made just for you.
Pinsky does his best to maintain the poem's terza rima structure -- and his "Translator's Note" at the beginning of the book will help you appreciate just how difficult a task that is -- but those accustomed to reading straight prose will hardly know the craft to which they're being exposed. While Pinsky does indeed keep to the integrity of the terza rima, the text remains eminently readable. And if you're one of those readers who has a tendency to take a slight mental pause at the end of each line of poetry (a real problem, I find, when rhyme is involved), then you'll appreciate how Pinsky's careful enjambment keeps things moving along in a manner that sounds natural to ears accustomed to modern-day spoken English. No forced rhymes or wacky syntax here.
And for those concerned that they may get lost among Dante's political, historical, and literary references, this translation comes with top-notch notes by Nicole Pinsky that help put everything into their proper context. Sure, there are times when you don't really care which obscure Italian pickpocket is getting his comeuppance in Hell -- but more often than not, the notes are an invaluable companion to the poem. There's also an intriguing topographical map of Hell included near the front of the book that you'll find yourself marking with your thumb for easy reference as you journey from one Ring of Hell to another.
But while the Pinskys definitely keep the show moving from the wings, it's Dante who's the real star here, and modern readers who have never experienced the Inferno before will be surprised at how versatile Dante can be. Dante's Hell is a place where the punishments truly fit the crime -- where those who professed in life an ability to see the future are doomed to walk the Rings of Hell with their heads turned around backward -- and Dante pulls no punches when it comes to describing the punishments inflicted on Hell's inhabitants. Fans of the modern horror novel will find lots of familiar elements in here, as demons fight each other in mid-air over bungled chances to punish souls, as men turn to beast and vice versa, and as Dante and his guide encounter a forest filled with trees which are actually the transformed souls of suicides. It's creepy stuff. But there's also a bit of romance, redemption, and a really good fart joke.
Whether its thoughtful ruminations on the nature of God's will, retribution, and Man's place in the City of God, or just the thief Vanni Fucci giving God the finger, there are more than enough bits in here to keep even the most casual reader interested. And more serious readers will likely find themselves turning to this translation again.
In other words, even if poetry's not your thing, you may still want to check out this translation of a classic. You won't be disappointed.
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Do not abandon hope all ye... May 31, 2002 (22 of 22 found this helpful)
The Inferno is by far the most interesting of the three books which make up Dante's Divine Comedy, and Robert Pinsky's translation is by far the best I've ever read.
The Inferno is the story of Dante's journey through hell on the night before Good Friday in 1300. He moves through the nine circles, until he meets Satan in the middle. Each circle holds souls who committed various sins, each catagorised by their sins and punishments. All of Dante's sinners receive retribution, ironically based on their respective sins. He also fills hell with famous sinners, making it easier to determine what sins belong to which circle of hell. The nine circles are also catagorised by regions: the first five are the sins of incontinence, the next three are the sins of violence, the next is the sins of fraud, and the last and most terrible circle is the sins of betrayal.
One of the most notable things about The Inferno is that Dante's theme is not that of Christian forgiveness, but instead it is justice. All sinners in hell deserve their punishments, and they will suffer them forever. This is illustrated by the case of the sinful love of Francesca da Rimini.
Pinsky's gift to the readers of this version of The Inferno is twofold: the first is his ability to write so well in English, and the second is the way he chose to present the English with regard to the Italian. The Inferno is written in terza rima, which Dante invented for the Divine Comedy. This involves a rhyming scheme, and many translators restrict themselves to it when publishing The Inferno. However, Pinsky keeps the three line stanzas of terza rima while writing in plain verse instead of rhymed, letting him mirror Dante's phrasing and flow without restriction.
Pinsky's version of The Inferno is also bilingual - Italian on the left page and English on the right. This allows even the most casual Italian scholar to follow the translation, and see the logic of it, which is a thoughtful and useful bonus. The notes on each canto are superb, and necessary to catch all of Dante's in-jokes.
This version of The Inferno is perfect for anybody who really wants to read and understand Dante's classic. I recommend it as a gift, to others and to yourself.
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A most readable Dante. Aug 17, 2000 (20 of 20 found this helpful)
It goes without saying that The Inferno is one of the great masterpieces of Western culture. That being the case, Pinksy, not Dante, is the focus of my review. This was the third translation of The Inferno that I have read (Mandelbaum and Ciardi being the others), and it is by far the most graceful of the group. I was particularly impressed with his handling of that ever present problem: the rhyme scheme. His solution to the problem is fluid and faithful to the original text (something Mandelbaum's rhyme-free translation lacks), without being distracting (as I found Ciardi's to be). But, what is truly amazing is that he is able to maintain this scheme without ever sounding forced or contrived. This allows Pinsky's tranlsation to remain first and foremost, a poem, which is so crucial in realizing the true genious of Dante's work. I was also pleased with Pinsky's decision to put a line of white space between each triplet. This really helped to accentuate the pacing and structure that make terza rima so important. The inclusion of the Italian text is also a nice touch. Finally, the notes are concise and informative. While Mandelbaum's notes seemed to me a little too thorough, often glossing the obvious, these give pertinent information without ever condescending to the reader. My only complaint would be that Pinksy stopped at the Inferno. I firmly believe that one must experience a work of art in its entirety in order to fully experience its brilliance. This is very true of the Divine Comedy. While there are certainly plenty of Purgatorios and Paradisos out there, I would very much have liked to have been able to maintain the continuity of a single translator. While there is a long list of translators who provide this option, I regret that Pinksy is not among them.
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the very best Inferno since Dante Alighieri's original? Mar 21, 2003 (11 of 11 found this helpful)
Robert Pinsky brilliantly translates into terza rima, the difficult rhyme scheme Dante wrote the Divine Comedy in, & does it with such grace, such linguistic precision & genius that the reader almost doesn't feel like it was difficult at all. This is something I don't know of any other translations that have been able to do in this work that's notoriously very difficult to translate. This amalgamation of the great timeless & inspired genius of Dante & the brilliance & severe dedication to poetic mastery of Robert Pinsky is far & away my favorite translation of the Inferno. Pinsky makes it so much more fun to read than other translations I know! Pinsky's version is great poetry, rife with perfect rhythms & mellifluous music.
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A beautiful and laudable translation of a great classic Mar 7, 2000 (9 of 9 found this helpful)
Pinsky's verse translation is absolutely splendid. The words seem to flow off the pages with a grace that is unparalleled in many of the modern translations that find their way into circulation. Reminiscent of the Loeb Classical Library, the Italian text is found on the opposite of the English translation and if perchance the reader knows Italian they may find this an added luxury. Pinsky has done an excellent job of keeping the translation simple yet beautiful at the same time. Dante may be considered advanced reading by some, but Pinsky's translation is simple enough that it could be read and enjoyed by many from junior high on up. I would highly recommend this translation of Dante to anyone.