Dante’s Inferno is a classic work of literature that’s critical to the Western literature canon. Reading it can be incredibly fulfilling, informative, and inspiring–and notoriously difficult. With that in mind, here are eight tips to make reading Dante’s Inferno easier.
#1: Context Will Be Key (Find a Book with Footnotes)
A large part of what makes Inferno so difficult to understand is that it was written 700 years ago. The references included in it may be very foreign to you. Considering that many of them are Italian politicians from Dante’s time and mythological or other historical figures, there’s a learning curve. Once you understand who they are, however, which can be made easier with a book that identifies them for you, the book will become much more enjoyable–and dare I say, funny at times.
Resources to Make Reading Dante’s Inferno Easier
- Columbia University’s Digital Dante–a great resource that provides commentary and references for each canto
- UT Austin’s Danteworlds–gives you commentary and explanations based on each circle of hell
- Open Culture’s article–shows you several maps of the circles of hell and punishments in each (my favorite is the 8-bit one toward the bottom)
- Alpaca Projects–an interactive and extremely useful map of the circles of hell and the characters in each one, including relevant verses
- 100 Days of Dante–useful resources, including short videos about each canto from experts
#2: Use SparkNotes and Other Guides
While SparkNotes should NOT be your crutch. Inferno is difficult for everybody. Yet it’s struggling through it and using resources that builds you up as a reader and makes it difficult.
With that being said, summaries and analyses can be very helpful, especially at the beginning. They help you to gauge your solo understanding, get a grasp on Dante’s storytelling style, and fill in the gaps. Try to use them less and less as you go.
My best advice is to read the canto on your own first. Summarize it. See what you understand. Once you’ve done that, then check the SparkNotes. It’s a resource to make reading Dante’s Inferno easier, not something to be entirely reliant upon.
#3: Read Slowly, Reread, and Focus–Don’t Read Too Much in One Sitting
Inferno is a very complex text. If you’re skimming through it the way you skim through a rom com or a more modern classic, you’ll barely retain anything. You need to be giving it your full attention.
With that being said, you also won’t get everything in the first read. Rereads will be necessary to truly understand and appreciate the text. The earlier you make your peace with that, the easier it will be.
And in order to process all of this well, you need to let your brain breathe. It can be tempting to get things done in one sitting or to rush through it. However, it will take you more time in the long run if you do this, because you won’t retain anything. Work with your brain. If you need to come back to it, come back. Know your limits.
#4: Try Reading Aloud or Listening While You Read
Reading aloud engages your brain in a different way. Because the poetry is archaic and can sound Yoda-esque at times, it also helps you to hear it in a different way. Whether this is reading aloud to yourself or following along as you hear someone else read it, this will help you to understand Dante’s Inferno better.
#5: Tune Out Background Noise
My suggestion here is classical music. You’ll need your focus to understand Dante’s writing in Inferno because it’s not an easy read. If there’s a TV or people talking in the background, this will become difficult.
So get your noise cancelling headphones or classical music and find your flow. I promise it will make all the difference.
#6: Annotate
Like I say in this post, annotation is critical to understanding literature better. It keeps you engaged, and it makes you evaluate your own reading skills and the text. If you want a good annotation protocol, check out this article here. This will become super useful later on because it will:
- Help you keep track of characters and events
- Make it easier to find important things
- Allow you to connect critical ideas and happenings
- Make understanding the language a little easier
In addition to this annotation protocol, I definitely recommend drawing out the circles of hell, labeling them, and keeping track of the punishments. This brings me to my next piece of advice.
#7: Visualize
It’s even better if you can find a book with illustrations. Just like when you were learning to read as a kid with picture books or if you’re learning a language, the images (and there are many) help you to grasp what’s happening. It’s a very visual book. Take advantage of the resources out there to keep you engaged and understanding.
The fancy Barnes and Noble version has several illustrations included in the book. If you’d like to see Gustave Dore’s illustrations, you can find them on Wikimedia Commons here. There’s also a great article about the many illustrations inspired by Inferno here.
#8: Focus on One Struggle at a Time
When reading Inferno, you have two main problems: context and the language and structure. My advice? Don’t try to attack both in one go. This is where rereading is helpful. The first time around, focus literally on understanding it. The second time, review the context and all of the characters/events referenced. The third time, focus on the technique and language.
A Final Word
Dante’s Inferno isn’t easy by any means. However, it is a great opportunity to grow as a reader and indulge in one of the best works of literature ever written. What other tips helped you when you read it?
