Sam
asked
Dan Brown:
I loved Inferno, what exactly was it about Dante Alighieri's masterpiece that drew you to it?
Dan Brown
The Divine Comedy—like The Mona Lisa—is one of those rare artistic achievements that transcends its moment in history and becomes an enduring cultural touchstone. Like Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, The Divine Comedy speaks to us centuries after its creation and is considered an example of one of the finest works ever produced in its artistic field. For me, the most captivating quality of Dante Alighieri is his staggering influence on culture, religion, history, and the arts. In addition to codifying the early Christian vision of Hell, Dante’s work has inspired some of history’s greatest luminaries—Longfellow, Chaucer, Borges, Tchaikovsky, Liszt, Monteverdi, Michelangelo, Blake, Dalí—and even a few modern video game designers. Despite Dante’s enduring influence on the arts, however, most of us today have only a vague notion of what his work actually says—both literally and symbolically (which, of course, is of great interest to Robert Langdon). A few years ago, I became very excited about the prospect of writing a contemporary thriller that incorporated the philosophy, history, and text of Dante’s timeless descent into hell.
More Answered Questions
Nancy
asked
Dan Brown:
I really admire the amount of research you do for your stories. Especially history offers a lot of material, so kudos for not getting lost in it. What I´d like to know: Do you have the story in mind before you start the research, or does the story come with the research? Sincerely
Dan Brown
97,311 followers
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