A Clockwork Orange as a Re-writing of the Divine Comedy: The Case of the Missing Chapter

This essay attempts to establish a connection between Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange and Dante’s Divine Comedy and the journeys of their respective protagonists, Alex and Dante. The analysis begins by studying the structural resemblances that can be viewed in the designs of both works, enabling us to understand Alex’ narration as a reflection of Dante’s journey through hell, purgatory and paradise. To this purpose, the design of Burgess’ text is going to be addressed, paying attention to how the missing final chapter in the American edition, and therefore in Kubrick´s adaptation, harms the overall implications of the text. In addition, the thematic similarities between both works are going to be likewise analyzed, focusing on the subject of free will, present in both texts as the cornerstone of human reform and redemption.

Abstract licence: CC BY

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