The Journey of Life: Earth, Hell, All things Elemental

An unnamed and uncategorized production:

Within the past two months, I have taken an interest and intent in reading Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy. Separate from any school assignment or extracurricular motivation, my goal is to compose my very own literary work of three great works. However, I do not wish to limit my possibilities to that, so for the purposes of this production, it will remain unnamed and uncategorized. In my research and intellect, I have taken notice of an elemental and eternal connection between The Divine Comedy, John Milton’s Paradise Lost, and Virgil’s The Aeneid. All have that simple yet elegant component involving a monumental journey.

From my perspective, these works envelop all modern understanding and fictional creativity of the intellectual universe. I do not mean to disrespect any other as the number of great writers is endless, but so much motivation and so many ideas have been derived from these works. The cosmology of these works, led by Dante’s Cosmology will be the basis of my premise. Poetry is more than elegant and confusing words that need to be translated to ordinary English for analysis in the average classroom. Landscapes, atmospheres, monumental events, recurring themes, and intellectual enlightenment are just some of the many benefits of appreciating it in all of its true virtue.

Storytelling principles hold true, whatever the subject, whatever the medium. Time the pause right, and the audience will be eager for what follows. You can depict four men sitting around a table calmly playing cards, and the audience will be on the edge of their seats with tension—as long as the audience knows what the card players don’t, namely there is a bomb under the table about to go off. Dante, Milton, and Virgil knew that too. There poetry has a formulaic tag that is anything but traditional. It is so profound, so virtuous, so filled with depth, that eternity could be used in expanding, analyzing, and retelling their timeless ideals. Nothing is perfect. They were not. I am not, and will never be. But, such a valiant effort at perfection deserves homage. And, I feel it is my duty to extend their legacy, and develop my own intellectual realm: to attempt to transcend modern literature.

My age and lack of experience are apparent, but I can accomplish this. What I am trying to accomplish is too “big” to explain in words. As I said, I do not want to limit my possibilities. Sooner rather than later, I intend to channel my concentrations in a certain direction. For now this will remain something anew. It will not be an analysis, summary, retelling, or any other traditional composition. This will be something that reinvents modern literature, and I sincerely hope that someone benefits from my innovation. Whatever it may be, this will be something big!