The enduring image of hell—its nine circles, its ceaseless torments, its presiding yet imprisoned Satan—comes directly from Dante’s Inferno. Yet for all its familiarity, the poem remains deeply unsettling. Why does a work about God’s goodness dwell on the sheer horror of the punishment of sinners? Why does Dante leave readers feeling so much empathy for the damned?

Eleanor Johnson offers a fresh and provocative look at the emotional power and horror of Dante’s Inferno. She demonstrates how the poem draws its audience into the suffering of its characters, from Vergil and Francesca to Ugolino and even Lucifer himself. Johnson examines how Dante’s vivid depictions of hell raise questions about justice and the nature of God, revealing Inferno as a work that challenges readers to confront complexity without renouncing faith. Like the book of Job, Inferno is a “horror theodicy” that compels us to reckon with the terrifying nature of divine authority and steers us toward a sense of wonder at the universe.

Lively and insightful, this book shows how Dante leads readers to a faith built on questioning, compassion, and the moral power of art.