In this insightful biography, Ernest Hatch Wilkins explores the life and work of Dante Alighieri, one of the greatest poets in history. Drawing on a wealth of historical and literary sources, Wilkins provides a nuanced portrait of the man behind 'The Divine Comedy', illuminating the cultural, political, and spiritual forces that shaped his life and writing. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.