Poet · 1265 – 1321
Dante Alighieri
Little-Known Facts
- Dante's lifelong muse was Beatrice Portinari, whom he idealized in his poetry though they barely knew each other.
- He titled his epic simply 'Comedy'; the word 'Divine' was added by later admirers, including Boccaccio.
Myths & Misconceptions
Is the Inferno the whole Divine Comedy?
No. The Inferno is only the first of three parts; it is followed by Purgatorio and Paradiso, which complete Dante's journey to Heaven.