A comprehensive reference work that presents a systematic introduction to Dante's life and works and the cultural context in which his moral and intellectual imagination took shape. This resource brings together recent theories about Dante and his works and summarizes them in clear and vivid prose for readers who seek basic but detailed information on all major aspects of Dante scholarship. It includes entries on all the major characters in, and aspects of, the Divine Comedy. The entry on the Divine Comedy covers far more than the surface details of this masterpiece. In addition, lengthy sections are devoted to discussions of its title and form; its moral structure; to its allegory and realism. There are also comprehensive discussions of the Divine Comedy manuscript tradition; of the various editions of the work over the centuries; and of the early and Renaissance commentaries on the work.