PROJECT DANTE

I just finished rewriting Canto I and then I had a sudden realization. Dante is as dull as dishwater. Whats more, its very hard to understand because of the huge number of cultural and specific reference and metaphor that laces the poem. I think that even with my abridgement that the book would be too long. I need to start again and reduce each Canto to a verse of 8-16 lines. I'm looking for the spirit of the poem without boring my own tits off. After all, the only reason that I'm doing this is so I can do some cool illustrations. I have to make sure that I'm not setting myself up for years of work on something that has nearly zero chance of any return. So, for my own sake, it has to be fun (and fast wouldn't hurt either.)

If I left the Canto's at the length they are then the book would require about one hundred page spreads. Thats one hundred illustrations. Hmmm. I was rather hoping for closer to half that or less.

Anyway, tonight I intend to cut the rubbish and distill the piece instead of just rewriting it. So its back to the drawing board for me.