A landmark of world literature, The Divine Comedy tells of the poet Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise in search of salvation. Before he is redeemed by his love for the heavenly Beatrice, he learns the meaning of evil, sin, damnation and forgiveness through a series of unforgettable encounters. This edition features Longfellow's renowned translation and reproductions of Gustave Dore's classic engravings from the 1867 publication.

Longfellow's tribute to the famous revolutionary hero begins with the stirring cadence that American schoolchildren have committed to memory for over a century. Now illustrator Ted Rand brings these vivid and beautiful lines to life as dramatically as the poet's immortal message inspires. "The clatter of hooves seems to echo in Rand's evocative paintings of that famed midnight ride...." --Kirkus reviews

This edition gives a side-by-side parallel translation of Dante's Divine Comedy using Longfellow's translation. The Divine Comedy is an epic poem written by Dante Alighieri between 1308 and his death in 1321. It is generally considered to be the preeminent work of Italian literature and one of the greatest works of world literature. The poem is written in the Tuscan dialect, and the poem helped establish this dialect as the standardized Italian language. The poem is divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. At the superficial level, the poem describes Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven; but at a deeper level, it ia an allegory of the soul's journey towards God. In order to articulate this journey towards God, Dante uses on medieval Christian theology and philosophy, especially Thomistic philosophy and the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas. Longfellow's translation is considered to be the best translation, overall. Longfellow, being a poet himself, was able to create a flowing translation that has not been surpassed.

No American writer of the nineteenth century was more universally enjoyed and admired than Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. His works were extraordinary bestsellers for their era, achieving fame both here and abroad. Now, for the first time in over twenty-five years, The Library of America offers a full-scale literary portrait of America's greatest popular poet. Here are the poems that created an American mythology: Evangeline in the forest primeval, Hiawatha by the shores of Gitche Gumee, the midnight ride of Paul Revere, the wreck of the Hesperus, the village blacksmith under the spreading chestnut tree, the strange courtship of Miles Standish, the maiden Priscilla and the hesitant John Alden; verses like "A Psalm of Life" and "The Children's Hour," whose phrases and characters have become part of the culture. Here as well, along with the public antislavery poems, are the sparer, darker lyrics-"The Fire of Drift-Wood," "Mezzo Cammin," "Snow-Flakes," and many others-that show a more austere aspect of Longfellow's poetic gift. Erudite and fluent in many languages, Longfellow was endlessly fascinated with the byways of history and the curiosities of legend. As a verse storyteller he had no peer, whether in the great book-length narratives such as Evangeline and The Song of Hiawatha (both included in full) or the stories collected in Tales of a Wayside Inn (reprinted here in a generous selection). His many poems on literary themes, such as his moving homages to Dante and Chaucer, his verse translations from Lope de Vega, Heinrich Heine, and Michelangelo, and his ambitious verse dramas, notably The New England Tragedies (also complete), are remarkable in their range and ambition. As a special feature, this volume restores to print Longfellow's novel Kavanagh, a study of small-town life and literary ambition that was praised by Emerson as an important contribution to the development of American fiction. A selection of essays rounds out of the volume and provides testimony of Longfellow's concern with creating an American national literature. LIBRARY OF AMERICA is an independent nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1979 to preserve our nation's literary heritage by publishing, and keeping permanently in print, America's best and most significant writing. The Library of America series includes more than 300 volumes to date, authoritative editions that average 1,000 pages in length, feature cloth covers, sewn bindings, and ribbon markers, and are printed on premium acid-free paper that will last for centuries.

The infectious rhythm of "The Song of Hiawatha" has drawn millions to the shores of Gitchee Gumee. Once there, they've stayed to hear about the young brave with the magic moccasins, who talks with animals and uses his supernatural gifts to bring peace and enlightenment to his people. This 1855 masterpiece combines romance and idealism in an idyllic natural setting.

Most English translations of INFERNO are full of colorful, but meaningless language based on today's modern standards. Some translations are so elaborate that they are as difficult to read as the original Italian version. This translation uses the Longfellow translation as a base, but replaces the obscure or antiquated verbiage with the language of Modern English. This translation could easily be read and understood by today's reader.

Dante's Divine Comedy is one of the most highly regarded works of world literature and a classic that continues to inspire fiction and poetry today. Written between 1308 and 1321, the three books of this epic poem- 'lnferno', 'Purgatorio' and 'Paradiso'- tell the story of the poet's personal journey through the afterlife, an odyssey that leads him from his wanderings in the spiritual wilderness to a paradise shaped by Divine love. This edition of The Divine Comedy features the classic translation of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It also features more than one hundred engravings by Gustave Dore, long considered the greatest artist to illustrate Dante's timeless masterpiece.

The Song of Hiawatha (1855) is an epic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. A master of poetic tradition and form, Longfellow wrote The Song of Hiawatha in trochaic tetrameter, the meter of such classical epics as the Finnish Kalevala. Inspired by stories from Ojibwe oral tradition, for which he consulted Ojibwe chief Kahge-ga-gah-bowh and other indigenous sources, Longfellow composed his American epic, a story of romance and perseverance steeped in legend and beloved by generations to come. Along the shores of Lake Superior, an Ojibwe leader prophesies the arrival of Hiawatha, a great and noble hero. Before he can be born, however, Mudjekeewis must father the Four Winds by killing the Great Bear. His sons grow to be wild, fearless warriors, defending their land and feuding endlessly with one another. Although Nokomis, a woman who fell from the moon, warns her daughter not to fall for the West Wind, Wenonah is seduced by him, bringing about the birth of Hiawatha. Powerful and adventurous from a young age, Hiawatha grows into a legendary figure responsible for the discovery of corn and the invention of a written language for his people. When he meets the beautiful Minnehaha, a young Dakota woman, he struggles to balance his responsibilities as a leader and protector with a love that overwhelms him. The Song of Hiawatha is a romance of epic proportions that pays tribute to the stories of America's first peoples. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's The Song of Hiawatha is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.