By Dante Alighieri INFERNO

DANTE ALIGHIERI’S LIFE Born in Florence, Italy in 1265 – Family of old lineage and noble birth but no longer wealthy Arranged to marry Gemma Donati when he was 12 years old – Eventually married and had two sons and one daughter Studied at the University of Bologna – one of the most famous universities of the Medieval world – Influenced by Ser Brunetto Latini (famous scholar of the time) He appears in Canto XV of Inferno.

DANTE’S INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS Completely involved in political causes Florence had two political parties – Guelphs: Supported the Pope as the ruler of the Roman Catholic Church, but believed he should NOT be involved in secular affairs Separation of church and state Dante belonged to this party - this often put him at odds with the Pope – Ghibellines: Believed the Pope should rule BOTH secular and religious factions

DANTE WAS OFTEN SENT TO ARRANGE PEACE BETWEEN THE TWO WARRING PARTIES. On a mission to Rome to arrange a truce between the two parties, trumped-up charges were made against Dante. – Accused of GRAFT: getting money or a position by unjust means – Intrigue against the peace of the city and hostility against the Pope He was fined heavily and ordered to report to the council to defend himself – He did not appear – His property was confiscated, and he was sentenced to burn at the stake if caught. – Dante was exiled form his native city of Florence However, he was well received in other cities due to the popularity of The Divine Comedy.

DANTE DIES Dies in Ravenna, Italy in 1321 Florence has tried to secure his remains many time, but has failed – He’s buried in the monastery of Franciscan friars in Ravenna.

BACKGROUND ON INFERNO Dante wrote the epic poem The Divine Comedy which is divided into three parts: – Inferno – Purgatario – Paradisio

INFERNO Means “hell” or “huge fire” Dante used a legend that a huge hole was made in the earth when God threw Satan (Lucifer) and his band of rebel angels out of heaven with such force that they created a giant hole – Therefore, hell is a giant funnel-shaped hole – Sinners whose sins were the least offensive are in upper circles near the entrance. – More offensive sins/sinners were on descending circles toward Satan in the center – Dante chose a well-known figure of the time or from history / legend to illustrate the sin.

RIVERS OF HELL Acheron – River of Woe Styx – River of Hate Phylegethon – River of Fire (Blood) Lethe- River of Forgetfulness Cocytus – River of Ice (Satan is here)

PURGATORIO Also known as Purgatory Place between heaven and hell where a soul is “purged” of sin

PARADISIO Also known as Paradise or Heaven Also has circles but filled with levels of angels

MORE BACKGROUND INFO. It is called The Divine Comedy because in classic terminology, it is a work that begins in confusion and misery, but ends in happiness. That is the definition of a comedy. Each of the three sections contains 33 cantos (chapters) – Inferno does have one extra canto Dante is so well-respected because The Divine Comedy made the Italian language unified.

IMPORTANCE OF NUMBERS - THREE Number of the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) Number of the parts of The Divine Comedy Number of divisions in hell Number of the days of Dante’s journey through hell

IMPORTANCE OF NUMBERS - NINE Multiple of three Nine circles in hell

IMPORTANCE OF NUMBERS - TEN Perfect number Nine circles in hell plus the vestibule

INFERNO RELATES TO THE 7 DEADLY SINS MENTIONED BY SAINT THOMAS ACQUINAS 7 Deadly Sins Pride Envy Anger Sloth/Laziness Greed/ Avarice Gluttony Lust 7 Cardinal Virtues Wisdom Courage Temperance/Patience Justice Faith Hope Charity

CHARACTERS IN INFERNO-DANTE At the age of 35 on the night of Good Friday in the year 1300, Dante finds himself in a dark wood full of fear – Lost hope/no faith in his life Meets Virgil who promises to lead him on a journey through Hell so he may be able to repent and enter Paradise

CHARACTERS IN - VIRGIL A shade who takes Dante on his journey – Greatest poet – Symbol of human reason – Considered a great person – represents the “Truth” or “True Way” for Dante – Father of the Italian people Wrote The Aeneid – epic about the founding of Rome

CHARACTERS IN INFERNO-BEATRICE She was the real platonic love of Dante’s life – His inspiration – Example of Divine Love She is in Paradise and sends Virgil to guide Dante because she is concerned for Dante’s soul.

TO GET YOU STARTED… Canto I – Midway through Dante’s live (35 years old) he realizes he has strayed from The True Way into the Dark World of Error. – Sees the first light of sunrise (Divine Illumination) lighting on a hill (Mount of Joy) – It’s Easter Season – time of repentance and rebirth – He sets out to climb the hill but is blocked by 3 beasts Three Beasts of Worldliness

TO GET YOU STARTED… Three Beasts of Worldliness: – Leopard of Malice and Fraud – Lion of Violence and Ambition – She-Wolf of Incontinence (failure to restrain appetites and passions) Each beast represents types of sins in increasing harshness = levels of Hell

TO GET YOU STARTED… Beatrice sends Virgil to guide Dante First, he must descend through Hell – recognize his sin Then, he must ascend through Purgatory – renounce his sin Last, only then can he reach the pinnacle of joy and come into the Light of the Lord Virgil can only guide Dante as far as Human Reason can go Another guide – Beatrice – (symbol of Divine Love) will guide him for the final assent

CANTO II Invocation of the Muse Vestibule of Hell Evening of the first day (Good Friday) Dante is following Virgil and despairs because he doesn’t feel worthy of the vision Virgil describes. – Virgil tells him that Beatrice (Divine Love) is concerned about Dante, and she came to Virgil in Limbo and asked him to guide Dante Dante understands Beatrice and other heavenly forces cannot fail him, and he travels onward

CANTO II CONTINUED… Three Ladies in Heaven: – Virgin Mary – Saint Lucia (Lucy) – patron saint of eyesight (Divine Light) – Saint Rachel – represents the contemplative life (Old Testament) – All of these ladies care for Dante.

CANTO III Vestibule of Hell The Opportunists- pursue their self-interests only – Sin: They are neither in Hell or out –people who won’t choose – IRONY – Punishment: Chase an empty banner in a whirlwind of insects They pursue the ever-shifting illusion of their own advantage – chase an ever-shifting blank banner Gate of Hell- “Abandon all hope ye who enter here.”