This book explores the influence of Dante's 'Divine Comedy' on the works of Shakespeare and Goethe. Graefe provides a detailed analysis of the similarities and differences between the works, and argues that Dante's vision of the afterlife had a profound impact on the development of Western literature. This fascinating study is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of literature and the cultural connections between Europe's great writers. 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.