The Divine Comedy (version 2 Dramatic Reading)

Dante Alighieri (1265 - 1321)
Translated by Courtney Langdon (1861 - 1924)

The Divine Comedy (in Italian, Divina Commedia, or just La commedia or Comedia) is an epic poem written by Dante Alighieri in the first decades of the 14th Century, during his exile from his native Florence. Considered the most important work of Italian literature, the poem has also has enormous historical influence on western literature and culture more generally. Dante represents the three realms of the afterlife in his three canticles (Inferno--Hell; Purgatorio--Purgatory; Paradiso--Paradise) in a way that reflects and, at the same time, goes beyond Christian tradition of the 14th Century. Dante is sometimes called "The father of the Italian language" for the linguistic influence of the Comedy, which helped to elevate his native Florentine Tuscan dialect to the level of national standard. The poem is written in the first person, and tells of Dante's journey through the three realms of the dead, lasting from the night before Good Friday to the Wednesday after Easter in the spring of 1300. The Roman poet Virgil guides him through Hell and Purgatory; Beatrice, Dante's ideal woman, guides him through Heaven. (Summary by Mary J)

MC: Leni
BC: Mary J
DPL, Editor: Michele Eaton

Cast:
Heavenly Messenger, Pier della Vigna, Malacoda, Sordello, Sapia, Angel of Temperance, Leah, Nymph 2, Piccarda: Sarah Terry
Pier da Medicina: Adele de Pignerolles
Homer, Minotaur, Jacopo Rusticucci, Pope Nicholas, Master Adam, Cato, Manfred, King Solomon, Adam: alanmapstone
Tree, Tree 2, A Soul in the Sphere of Mercury: Amy Gramour
Peter Damian: David Lawrence
Sinner 1, Megaera, Soul 2, Widow, Wife of Pisistratus, Siren, Lustful Soul 1, Nymph 7: Availle
Mohammed, Corrado Malaspina: BeniaminoMassimo
Minos: Bryan Rupert
Aglauros, Pisistratus, Abbot of St Zeno: DomBombadil
Ulysses: David N Winkler
Count Ugolino, Soul 3, St James: Beth Thomas
Plutus, Calvalcante dei Calvalcanti, Giacomo da SantAndrea, Alessio Interminei of Lucca, Vanni Fucci, Guido da Montefeltro, Sinon, Nimrod, Buonconte Da Montefeltro, Guard, Oderisi, Envious Soul 3, Marco, A Pope, Forese Donati, Guido Guinizelli, Griffon, Justinian, Thomas Aquinas, St Peter: Andrew Coleman
Cacus: GaylorSwift
Ciacco, Sinner 3, Lano, Tegghiaio Aldobrandi, Malebranche 2, Fra Catalan, Puccio Sciancato, Boniface VIII, Capocchio, Frate Alberigo, Belacqua, Judge Nino, Envious Soul 4, Guido del Duca, Nymph 3, Charles Martel, Bonaventure, St Bernard: Zach K
Bertran de Born, Angry Mob: Johnny Alexander
Narrator, Beatrice: Mary J
Charon, Filippo Argenti, Chiron, Guido Guerra, Venedico Caccianimico, Swindler: inflected
Proud Soul 2, Nymph 4: Jessie Yun
Francesca da Rimini: Amanda Friday
Angry Mob 1, Angel of Peace, Singing Elder, Nymph 5: K Cotter
Wrathful Soul, Tisiphone, Farinata, Nessus, Capaneus, Malebranche 1, Fra Loderingo, Snakeman, Black Cherub, Mosca, Camiscione dei Pazzi, Casella, Pia, Angel, Proud Soul 3, Envious Soul 2, Thunderous Voice, Angry Mob 4, Lavinia, Slothful Soul 1, Angel of Zeal, Hugh Capet, Bonagiunta, Lustful Soul 3, Soul in Eden 1, Many Souls Voice 3, Nymph 1, Folco, St Benedict, St John: Kristin Gjerløw
Omberto, Rinieri dal Calboli, Avaricious/Prodigal Penitent, Statius, Many Souls Voice 4: Leni
Virgil: Anna Simon
Phlegyas: LibriNinja
Lucia, Malebranche 4, Penitent Soul, Jacopo del Cassero, Lucia, Angel of Humility, Other Souls 2, Many Souls Voice 5, Nymph 6: Lydia
Brunetto Latini: Martin Geeson
Bocca degli Abati: Alex Lane
Excommunicated Repentant Soul: Nan Mig
Alecto, Trajan: Patrick Eaton
Cacciaguida: Vin Reilly
Griffolino, Slothful Soul 4: Rob Board
Sinner 2, A Florentine Bush, Malebranche 5, Traitor 2, Angry Mob 2, Slothful Soul 3, Lustful Soul 2, Soul in Eden 2, Many Souls Voice 2: Rosslyn Carlyle
Avaricious, Prodigal Penitent 2: Ruth Golding
Singing Souls, Angel of Purity, Matelda, Singing Angels: Shakira Searle
Avaricious Soul, Agnello, Angry Mob, Cunizza: Holly Alexander
Virgin Mary, Prodigal Soul, Demon, Usurer, Traitor 1, Late Repentant Soul, Proud Soul 1, Envious Soul 1, Angel of Generosity, Holy Lady, Other Souls 1, Voice, Many Souls Voice 1, Eagle: TriciaG
Dante: Peter Tucker
Malebranche 3, Buoso, Angry Mob, Slothful Soul 2: Vincent Alexander
Daniel Arnaut: Vespero

Genre(s): Dramatic Readings, Narratives

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 00 000 - Dramatis Personae Group 00:10:52
Play 01 001 - Inferno I Group 00:07:44
Play 02 002 - Inferno II Group 00:07:23
Play 03 003 - Inferno III Group 00:07:27
Play 04 004 - Inferno IV Group 00:08:15
Play 05 005 - Inferno V Group 00:07:45
Play 06 006 - Inferno VI Group 00:06:32
Play 07 007 - Inferno VII Group 00:07:11
Play 08 008 - Inferno VIII Group 00:06:59
Play 09 009 - Inferno IX Group 00:07:14
Play 10 010 - Inferno X Group 00:07:33
Play 11 011 - Inferno XI Group 00:06:44
Play 12 012 - Inferno XII Group 00:07:53
Play 13 013 - Inferno XIII Group 00:08:26
Play 14 014 - Inferno XIV Group 00:08:09
Play 15 015 - Inferno XV Group 00:08:13
Play 16 016 - Inferno XVI Group 00:07:40
Play 17 017 - Inferno XVII Group 00:07:19
Play 18 018 - Inferno XVIII Group 00:07:29
Play 19 019 - Inferno XIX Group 00:07:34
Play 20 020 - Inferno XX Group 00:07:34
Play 21 021 - Inferno XXI Group 00:07:35
Play 22 022 - Inferno XXII Group 00:07:51
Play 23 023 - Inferno XXIII Group 00:07:38
Play 24 024 - Inferno XXIV Group 00:08:09
Play 25 025 - Inferno XXV Group 00:07:55
Play 26 026 - Inferno XXVI Group 00:07:28
Play 27 027 - Inferno XXVII Group 00:08:19
Play 28 028 - Inferno XXVIII Group 00:07:47
Play 29 029 - Inferno XXIX Group 00:07:27
Play 30 030 - Inferno XXX Group 00:09:50
Play 31 031 - Inferno XXXI Group 00:07:47
Play 32 032 - Inferno XXXII Group 00:07:17
Play 33 033 - Inferno XXXIII Group 00:08:43
Play 34 034 - Inferno XXXIV Group 00:07:48
Play 35 035 - Purgatorio I Group 00:08:02
Play 36 036 - Purgatorio II Group 00:07:23
Play 37 037 - Purgatorio III Group 00:08:20
Play 38 038 - Purgatorio IV Group 00:07:16
Play 39 039 - Purgatorio V Group 00:07:16
Play 40 040 - Purgatorio VI Group 00:08:05
Play 41 041 - Purgatorio VII Group 00:07:14
Play 42 042 - Purgatorio VIII Group 00:07:33
Play 43 043 - Purgatorio IX Group 00:07:38
Play 44 044 - Purgatorio X Group 00:07:13
Play 45 045 - Purgatorio XI Group 00:08:34
Play 46 046 - Purgatorio XII Group 00:07:28
Play 47 047 - Purgatorio XIII Group 00:08:00
Play 48 048 - Purgatorio XIV Group 00:07:44
Play 49 049 - Purgatorio XV Group 00:08:03
Play 50 050 - Purgatorio XVI Group 00:08:50
Play 51 051 - Puragtorio XVII Group 00:07:33
Play 52 052 - Purgatorio XVIII Group 00:08:09
Play 53 053 - Purgatorio XIX Group 00:08:38
Play 54 054 - Purgatorio XX Group 00:08:06
Play 55 055 - Purgatorio XXI Group 00:07:34
Play 56 056 - Purgatorio XXII Group 00:08:19
Play 57 057 - Purgatorio XXIII Group 00:07:41
Play 58 058 - Purgatorio XXIV Group 00:08:23
Play 59 059 - Purgatorio XXV Group 00:07:43
Play 60 060 - Purgatorio XXVI Group 00:08:03
Play 61 061 - Purgatorio XXVII Group 00:07:54
Play 62 062 - Purgatorio XXVIII Group 00:09:18
Play 63 063 - Purgatorio XXIX Group 00:07:45
Play 64 064 - Purgatorio XXX Group 00:07:30
Play 65 065 - Purgatorio XXXI Group 00:07:39
Play 66 066 - Purgatorio XXXII Group 00:08:04
Play 67 067 - Purgatorio XXXIII Group 00:07:20
Play 68 068 - Paradiso I Peter Tucker
Mary J
00:07:17
Play 69 069 - Paradiso II Peter Tucker
Mary J
00:07:03
Play 70 070 - Paradiso III Group 00:06:51
Play 71 071 - Paradiso IV Peter Tucker
Mary J
00:06:52
Play 72 072 - Paradiso V Group 00:06:48
Play 73 073 - Paradiso VI Andrew Coleman
Mary J
00:09:11
Play 74 074 - Paradiso VII Group 00:06:38
Play 75 075 - Paradiso VIII Group 00:07:57
Play 76 076 - Paradiso IX Group 00:07:30
Play 77 077 - Paradiso X Group 00:08:27
Play 78 078 - Paradiso XI Group 00:08:57
Play 79 079 - Paradiso XII Group 00:07:50
Play 80 080 - Paradiso XIII Group 00:09:40
Play 81 081 - Paradiso XIV Group 00:07:07
Play 82 082 - Paradiso XV Group 00:07:59
Play 83 083 - Paradiso XVI Group 00:08:54
Play 84 084 - Paradiso XVII Group 00:07:20
Play 85 085 - Paradiso XVIII Group 00:06:42
Play 86 086 - Paradiso XIX Group 00:07:48
Play 87 087 - Paradiso XX Group 00:07:48
Play 88 088 - Paradiso XXI Group 00:07:18
Play 89 089 - Paradiso XXII Group 00:07:46
Play 90 090 - Paradiso XXIII Group 00:07:17
Play 91 091 - Paradiso XXIV Group 00:08:17
Play 92 092 - Paradiso XXV Group 00:06:47
Play 93 093 - Paradiso XXVI Group 00:07:38
Play 94 094 - Paradiso XXVII Group 00:07:55
Play 95 095 - Paradiso XXVIII Peter Tucker
Mary J
00:06:27
Play 96 096 - Paradiso XXIX Peter Tucker
Mary J
00:06:24
Play 97 097 - Paradiso XXX Peter Tucker
Mary J
00:06:58
Play 98 098 - Paradiso XXXI Group 00:07:17
Play 99 099 - Paradiso XXXII Group 00:07:45
Play 100 100 - Paradiso XXXIII Group 00:08:01