A poetic journey through contemporary mindscapes, A Beastly Comedy is a modern, independent sequel to Dante’s epic. From visions of despair to scientific pursuits and sensual pleasures, the story is a quest for morals and meaning in a world of doubt.
The modern day pilgrim is guided from ignorance to understanding by Dante, himself disillusioned to not have reached paradise, while images of hell torment and corrupt any seeker of wisdom who must ask when punishments deemed just are just another evil.
By turns dark and ecstatic, visceral and romantic, the distinct parts of the poem – The Underworld, The Sea of Science, and The Mountain of Arts – chart the wide range of approaches used in seeking knowledge, purpose, and happiness. While suffering is common and numbness seems like salvation, the poem is a testament to human curiosity, resilience, and capacity for love.
In this section of the site I will be posting the epic as an audiobook with 100 parts, one canto each Wednesday.