D ANTE ’ S I NFERNO The Circles of Hell

D AY 1

A CTIVATOR : P ERSONAL C ONNECTION INSTRUCTIONS: You have received slips of paper that you should number 1-9. Around the room are nine different sins/evils that humans are punished for in Dante’s fictional depiction of Hell, called the “Inferno.” Walk around the classroom and place a post-it note on each poster. Number 9 should be what you consider the worst sin/the most evil, and number 1 should be what you consider the least evil. Once you have used all of your post-its, sit back down and explain your reasoning behind your #1(least evil) and #9(most evil) choices.

A NTE -I NFERNO AND C IRCLES 1-2 The Ante-Inferno: The Indecisive People: The souls of those who did not commit to either good or evil dwell in the entrance to Hell. Both Heaven and Hell have denied them entry. Punishment: Constantly chasing a blank banner, and are continually bitten by flies and wasps. Circle 1: Limbo People: This is where souls who never knew Christ exist. This includes those who were born pre-Christ, and babies who were not baptized at birth. ( Homer, Socrates, Aristotle, Cicero, Hippocrates and Julius Caesar.) Punishment: They live in a fog away from the grace of god. Circle 2: Lust People: These souls committed sins of the flesh. Punishment: Torrential rains always fall and gales of wind tear through the air. The souls of the damned swirl about in the wind, swept helplessly through the air. ( Cleopatra, Tristan, Helen of Troy and others who were adulterous during their lifetime.)

C IRCLES 3-4 Circle 3: Gluttony People: The souls of those who over-indulge, typically in food and/or drink. Punishment: Rain that consists of filth and excrement falls ceaselessly, and a horrific stench fills the air. These souls must lie on the ground as the sewage rains down upon them. Circle 4: Greed People: This is where souls who during their lives, hoarded and squandered their money. Punishment: In a ring-shaped ditch around the circle, two groups of souls push weights along. Each group completes a semicircle before crashing into the other group and then turning around. The souls are condemned to this jousting match for eternity. (many clergymen including cardinals and popes)

C IRCLES 5-6 Circle 5: Wrath People: The souls of those who were consumed with anger during their lives. Punishment: The souls forever crouch on the bank of the river Styx, covered in mud, and striking and biting at each other. Circle 6: Heresy People: The souls of those who rejected Christianity. ( the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and Pope Anastasius II.) Punishment: The tombs of these souls are on fire, glowing with fierce hot flames.

C IRCLE 7 Circle 7: Violence People: Contains those who are violent, subdivided into three smaller circles: violence against one’s neighbor, against oneself, and against God. (Alexander the Great (disputed), Dionysius I of Syracuse, Guy de Montfort and many other notable historical and mythological figures) Punishment of Level 1 : In a river of blood, the sinners boil and a group of Centaurs sit on the bank and shoot at any soul that tries to raise itself out of the river. Punishment of Level 2: Those who committed suicide and squandered their possession have been transformed into trees. The trees are black and gnarled and experience pain when a branch is broken. Punishment of Level 3: Three zones: the Blasphemers, the Sodomites, and the Usurers. Fire rains down upon them for eternity.

C IRCLES 8-9 Circle 8: Fraud People: Made up of those who consciously and willingly commit fraud, like thieves, hypocrites, corrupt politicians, counterfeiters, false prophets, and impersonators. Punishment: Each soul is in a ditch guarded by different demons, and the inhabitants suffer different punishments, such as feet enduring flames for eternity. Circle 9: Treachery People: Divided into four zones of different types of traitors: family traitors, political/national traitors, guest traitors, and lord/master traitors. (Cain, Judas, Satan) Punishments: Most of the punishments deal with ice— it is frigid cold in this circle. Some are frozen in lakes, others are gnawing on each other’s heads. This is where Satan resides because he is the ultimate betrayer—he betrayed God.

T ERMS TO K NOW : contrapasso - from the Latin contra and patior, "suffer the opposite": refers to the punishment of souls in Dante's Inferno, "by a process either resembling or contrasting with the sin itself.Dante Inferno Poetic Justice- in modern literature it is often accompanied by an ironic twist of fate related to the character's own action.ironic

P OETIC J USTICE E XAMPLES In the classic fairy tale, Cinderella, the wicked stepmother and sisters watch as Cinderella becomes queen-after they made her their servant for most of her life. In many versions of the tale, they end up living in the castle as her servants. This is poetic justice. A wealthy character who disrespects his housekeeper ends up penniless, and has to work as a servant.

With a partner, come up with three examples of poetic justice. They can be examples from literature, or examples that you create on your own.

L EVELS AND P UNISHMENTS Anti-Inferno People there: For those who live without disgrace and without praise. Punishment: They are stuck crying and sighing in depression for never knowing the presence of God. Poetic Justice:

L EVEL 1: L IMBO People there: For those worthy but not baptized and/or before the time of Christianity. Punishment: They live in a fog away from the grace of god. Poetic Justice:

L EVEL TWO People there: For the Lustful, Carnal Sinners Punishment: They are blown around by a violent, never ending storm, never to rest. Poetic Justice:

L EVEL T HREE People there: For the gluttons Punishment: They are rained upon by foul rain and garbage, and stand in worms decomposing the mess. Poetic Justice:

D AY 2

A CTIVATOR : R EVIEW Place the 9 Circles of Hell, plus the Ante-Inferno, in the correct order according to Dante. A. Fraud B. Gluttony C. Greed D. Heresy E. Indecisive F. Limbo G. Lust H. Treachery I. Violence J. Wrath

S UMMARIZER : P ROGRESS R EPORT INSTRUCTIONS: As you exit the classroom today, I need you to give me the following update on your project. These are the MINIMUM requirements! 1. Partner or group member names (if applicable) 2. Theme of your Inferno 3. Sins/Evils of your 9 levels 4. Guide and Tourist identities

HOMEWORK Bring in materials for your inferno!

D AY 3

A CTIVATOR : W HAT ’ S THE Q UESTION ? The answer is “a person, place, or thing used to represent something else.” What’s the question?

I NFERNO = A LLEGORY An allegory is a story in which the characters, settings, and events stand for abstract or moral concepts. In other words, an allegory can be read on one level for its literal meaning and on another level for its symbolic meaning. The journey of Dante’s character in Dante’s Inferno is an allegory because of its clear literal and symbolic levels. Literal: Symbolic:

S UMMARIZER : T AKING Q UESTIONS In order to help me help you prepare for the Unit 1 Exam, please take this opportunity to peruse your Study Guide and then write down on a piece of paper the terms, concepts, texts, etc. that you would like to review as a class next time. If you have any specific questions, write down those as well.