The Inferno by Dante Alighieri

Dante Alighieri Italian poet of the Middle Ages c.1265–1321 Involved in politics in Florence, Italy, but exiled from Florence when his party was overthrown Wrote in vernacular Italian rather than Latin Known as the “father of the Italian language”

Inferno Inferno is an epic poem, the story of Dante’s descent into and journey through Hell. Part of the Divine Comedy trilogy, along with Purgatorio [Purgatory] and Paradiso [Heaven] It is an allegory for man’s journey to God. On his journey through Hell, Dante is guided by Virgil, author of the ancient Roman epic Aeneid. He is a symbol of Human Reason …which can only take a person so far.

Dante’s view of the world. Note the placement of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven (Paradise). Note also the sun’s placement in relation to the other planets and Earth.

A Roadmap of Hell The sins in Dante’s vision of Hell were divided into three main groups: sins of incontinence (lack of self-control), sins of violence, and—worst of all— sins of fraud.

Dante’s Vision Vestibule Dante saw hell as a series of spirals descending downward. The sinners were trapped along ledges on the edges of the spiral. The worse your sin, the further down in hell you were. Vestibule The outer area, known as the “vestibule” is not actually in Hell. This area holds the Opportunists, who were neither for good nor for evil—only for themselves.

First Circle Second Circle The unbaptized and virtuous pagans—not sinful, but have not accepted Christ. They don’t have to suffer the torments of Hell, but they don’t get to go to Heaven, either. Second Circle Lust—blown around by a violent storm (symbolizing that lust makes people unable to control themselves).

Third Circle Fourth Circle Gluttony—forced to lie in mud under constant rain Fourth Circle Greed (avarice)—divided into groups of people who hoarded possessions and those who wasted possessions; each group must push a great weight against the other group.

Fifth Circle Wrath and Sullenness— the wrathful fight each other; the sullen and lazy lie in water (in the River Styx).

Sixth Circle The sixth through ninth circles of Hell are located in the city of Dis. Heretics—trapped in flaming tombs

Seventh Circle Violent—divided into three rings. 1st ring—violence against people and property—immersed in a river of boiling blood 2nd ring—violence against self (suicide)— turned into thorny bushes 3rd ring—violent against God—trapped in a desert of flaming sand (with fire raining from the sky)

Eighth Circle Fraudulent—guilty of deliberate, knowing evil—divided into ten bolgia (ditches) Some highlights: Flatters are buried in human excrement Fortune tellers have their heads turned backwards so they can’t see the future Thieves are chased and bitten by snakes

Ninth Circle Traitors (the treacherous)—ultimate betrayal—frozen in a lake of ice called Cocytus. Ninth Circle is divided into 4 “zones” Traitors to kindred 2. Traitors to city 3. Traitors to guests 4. Traitors to lords and benefactors

Ninth Circle Satan (who betrayed God) is trapped at the center of Cocytus. He has three mouths. The mouths on the left and the right contain Brutus and Cassius, who assassinated Julius Caesar. The central—most brutal—mouth contains Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.