Dante’s Inferno

The Inferno Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) Italian poet, philosopher, and politician Most famous for the epic poem The Divine Comedy , which he wrote in Italian. Most famous portion of The Divine Comedy is The Inferno He belonged to a group that supported the pope against secular rulers Later came to oppose the political and territorial ambitions of the new pope, Boniface VIII. While away in Florence in 1302, Dante was condemned by his political enemies and banished from the city.

The Inferno The Divine Comedy Epic poem written to help comprehend his banishment from Florence by placing it into a larger context: man’s banishment from God. Poem is an imaginary journey through three regions of the Christian afterlife: Inferno: hell - sinners are punished forever Purgatory: a burning mountain – sinners are cleansed in preparation for entering Paradise Paradise: blessed souls live with God

The Inferno Dante wrote 3 books: Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise each with 33 sections or cantos. Dante’s Guides: Virgil: Roman poet, who many suspect was chosen by Dante because he was the “Roman Homer” and Dante wanted to be compared to something great. Virgil-wrote the Aeneid, a 12 book story about the foundation of Rome. It was written in dactylic hexameter in Latin. It told the tales of Aeneas and his trial and tribulations in getting to Rome Beatrice: symbol of purity

The Inferno Literary Elements Symbolism: based on the number 3, inspired by the Holy Trinity-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- united as one God. Allegory: a literary work with two levels of meaning: literal and symbolic. Imagery: use of language that appeals to the five senses and creates mental images for the reader.

The Inferno Literary Elements Terza Rima: a three line stanza form in poetry. The rhymes are made on the last word of each line in the following manner: The first and third lines of the first stanza rhyme;, then the second line of the first stanza and the first and third line of the second stanza rhyme, and so on with the middle line of any stanza rhyming with the first and third line of the following stanza.

Canto I What sense does the narcotic state give to Dante’s tale? It makes it seem like a dream and gives it a surreal quality.

Canto I Identify the character of the leopard introduced here. The animal is a real threat but also represents an abstract idea, like the story of the leopard who changed his spots to fool the other animals.

Canto I What abstract ideas is might Dante be representing through the leopard? The leopard represents danger, deceipt, and fraud.

Canto I What three animals does Dante face? The spotted leopard, the lion and the She-wolf. How is his reaction more realistic than heroic? Dante shakes his head with dread and runs from them. He acts frightened which is more realistic than how a hero might act.

Canto I How do Dante’s reactions function allegorically? On a larger scale, most people would act the same way if faced with these threats.

Canto I Why does Dante seem so frightened of the She-Wolf? He is convinced she will destroy his hopes for reaching the “high summit” because she has “devoured” many-meaning many have been devoured by their greed.

Canto I What does Virgil mean by “false and lying gods.” Virgil implies he was not a Christian in life, but a follower of ancient Roman religion of multiple gods of mythology. Why does this statement point to a significant difference between Virgil and Dante? He is lacking the highest insights Dante believed Christianity offers as well as hope.

Canto I Gluttony: over-indulgence of food, drink, and wealth items and failure of self-discipline Based on Virgil’s comments, does the She-Wolf symbolize Dante’s social, political, religious, or moral concerns? The She-Wolf symbolizes Dante’s political concerns-perhaps his political ambition which can consume all judgment.

Canto I What does Dante mean by “souls in fire yet content in fire?” The souls are in pain but willing to submit to the pain for some reason.

Canto I What assistance does Virgil offer Dante? Virgil offers to be Dante’s guide, to lead him through the dangers of Hell and Purgatory to the far reaches of Heaven.

Canto I At the end of Canto I, Dante lays out the structure of his entire poem. In what ways does this help the reader grasp the allegory? Readers can visualize the journey to help them recognize the allegorical elements along the journey to see that after hell, Dante will pass through Purgatory and then onto Paradise.

Canto III What types of every day journeys would medieval people have to pass through gates? Cities had walls and one must go through gates to get to the city. Gates, like doorways, often symbolize transitions or beginnings in literature. How does Dante’s use of a gate make his allegory seem more real? It makes the allegory seem more ordinary and possible.

Canto III What is the law of Dante’s Hell? It is the law of symbolic retribution in which the punishment fits the sin.

Canto III Why do you think the imagery at this point in the poem appeals almost solely to the sense of hearing? It is dark in Hell and only the sense of hearing would be emphasized because Dante is surrounded by cries, wailing, and voices in pain and anger.

Canto III What makes these people terribly unhappy? They have no hope of ending their misery through death. What central image do lines 49-54 convey? It conveys the central image of circles.

Canto III How does the endlessness of the circles contribute to the larger themes of Dante’s work? It contributes to the larger theme of life as a journey that leads back to its beginnings.

Canto III In the vestibule of Hell, with whom are the “nearly soulless” souls mixed? The angels who refused to pick a side in the battle between God and Satan, but chose to serve their own interests are there as well.

Canto III In what ways has the mythology of ancient Greece and Rome provided Dante with source material for his allegory? Mythology has given Dante characters, places and concepts which readers will recognize.

Canto III In lines 80-93, what do the shores and the river represent? The shores are life and Hell or eternal punishment. The river is boundary between these places.

Canto III What hope does Charon tell the dead souls they must abandon? They must give up all hope of paradise.

Canto III In lines 124-129, which senses do the images in this passage appeal? The images appeal to hearing, sight, and touch.

Canto III As they descend the circles, how would you imagine this motion might feel? It would feel frightening, as if the ground were dropping out, as on a roller coaster.

Canto V Direct characterization vs. indirect characterization: Direct: writer tells the reader what the character is like. Indirect: writer suggests what he is like by what he says or does, what others say about him, or how others respond to him.

Canto V Distinguishing between the speaker and the poet Reader sees events through the speaker’s eyes, Dante the poet. Dante the poet uses the character to express his ideas.

Canto V What function does Minos perform? Minos assigns each damned soul its specific torment.

Canto V Dante uses three adjectives to directly characterize Minos. Which adjective do you find surprising? Explain. Grinning, grotesque, and hale (healthy) Hale-it is surpriseing as it contrasts with grotesque (expected in Hell more than healthy)

Canto V Which images does Dante the poet use to convey the physical experience of Dante the character? Images such as “choir of anguish,” sound beyond sound,” and “a place stripped bare of every light” all paint a picture of what Dante the character is seeing, hearing, experiences.

Canto V In lines 38-39, what does Dante’s definition of carnal sin reveal about his values? Dante defines it as sins that put the appetites of the flesh beyond the control of reason which reveals that Dante believes reason is a better guide to life.

Canto V What force whirls and batters the souls of the damned? Uncontrolled desire whirls and batters the souls of the damned.

Canto V What does this placement of Minos at the first few layers at the top of the map suggest about the journey ahead? Dante has a long way to go to reach the bottom of Hell.

Canto V How might meeting named people, of whom readers have a familiar image, differ from meeting unfamiliar or unnamed characters? This seems more individualized and more real than unfamiliar characters.

Canto V How do these allusions to historical and legendary figures add to the sense of reality? It makes it easier for the reader to relate to the events and to better understand the allegory.

Canto V How does the poet’s use of the word swept enrich his characterization of Dante’s character? The use of the word suggests his acknowledgment of the uncontrollability of emotion. It sweeps one along. It helps suggest Dante’s sympathy for those damned by uncontrolled emotion.

Canto XXXIV This is the climax of the Inferno, and Dante will come face to face with Satan, the symbol of everything evil for Dante. What is the source of the icy wind of Cocytus? The beating of Satan’s wings as he tries to escape creates the icy wind of Cocytus.

Canto XXXIV In what ways does Dante the character’s direct address to the reader intensify both the drama and the sense of reality of this scene? Explain The direct address increases the drama. By mimicking a conversation with the reader, the direct address makes the scene seem more real.

Canto XXXIV Why is an allusion to the Titans an appropriate detail in Satan’s characterization? Explain. The Titans were giants. Alluding to huge creatures emphasizes Satan’s enormity.

Canto XXXIV The souls of the damned are trapped in ice. In what substance are the souls of the damned trapped? The souls of the damned are trapped in ice.

Canto XXXIV The guiding principle of Dante’s Hell is that a sinner’s punishment matches the sin. How is the punishment of sinners in the lowest part of Hell appropriate for the wrongdoing? They betrayed their legitimate masters; now they are tortured by their “master,” Satan.

Canto XXXIV What spiritual and emotional change does the poet express through a physical description? Explain The poet describes Dante’s change from despair to hope through the physical description of climbing over Satan and out of Hell.

Canto XXXIV What torture do Judas Iscariot, Brutus, and Cassius suffer? They are forever chewed by the mouths of the three-headed Satan.

Canto XXXIV How is this rhyme pattern similar to and different from Dante’s use of terza rima? The pattern is aba, cdc, efe, and so on. Unlike terza rima, the middle line of a tercet does not determine the rhyme scheme of the next.

Canto XXXIV What “stairway” did Virgil take to climb out of Hell? Virgil climbs the “stairway” of Satan’s body to get out of Hell.

Canto XXXIV It signals closure. The entire poem ends with a couplet, thus betraying the repetition of the tercet throughout. Why would Dante have used this end of the canto with a different line form? It signals closure.