The Divine Comedy (Divina Commedia), often referred to simply by its first Canto, The Inferno was written somewhere between 1308 and 1321. It is considered a masterpiece of world literature, and a preeminent work of Italian literature. Dante chose to write in Italian, rather than Latin, which expanded the audience able to appreciate his vernacular style through the ages. The work continues to be required reading in most American high schools. The poem is composed of 14,233 lines that are divided into three canticas (Ital. pl. cantiche) -- Inferno (Hell), Purgatorio (Purgatory), and Paradiso (Paradise) -- each consisting of 33 cantos..