This fully revised and updated biography of Dante Alighieri (1265–1321), one of world literature’s foremost writers and thinkers, weaves the life and works of the Florentine poet into a single accessible thread. Aimed at students, as well as the curious but non-specialist reader, takes into account the philosophies running through Dante’s major and minor works while still paying particular attention to the social and political contexts surrounding their production. The volume includes English-language translation of all quotations and an updated bibliography, making it an excellent introductory text for anyone with an interest in this master poet of the Middle Ages.