Dante’s Inferno ► Dante’s title for the work is “:Here beginneth the Comedy of Dante Alighieri, a Florentine by birth, not by character” ► Made up of 3 parts: The Inferno, The Purgatorio, and the Paradiso

Comedy ► “comedy…is a certain kind of poetic narration differing…from tragedy in its content, in that tragedy begins admirably and tranquilly, whereas its end or exit is foul and terrible;…whereas comedy introduces some harsh complication, but brings its matter to a prosperous end…They likewise differ in their mode of speech, tragedy being exalted and sublime,

comedy lax and humble…And hence it is evident that the title of the present work is “the Comedy.” For if we have respect to its contents, at the beginning it is horrible and fetid, for it is hell; and in the end it is prosperous, desirable and gracious, for it is Paradise. If we have respect to the method of speech, the method is lax and humble, for it is the vernacular speech in which very women communicate. (Dante)

Levels of meaning ► Literal: real people mentioned ► Allegorical: representative of Dante’s belief system and values ► Moral: makes points about morality, pointing out the disconnect between medieval Catholic teaching and practice

Divisions: symbolic of the Trinity ► Inferno: symbolizes the power of God the Father ► Purgatorio: symbolizes the wisdom of God the Son ► Paradisio: symbolizes the love of the Holy Spirit

Epic Poem ► Simple: long narrative in verse with a hero or heroes who go through a series of adventures. ► Complex: explores a larger theme than the particular characters and places—presents a world-view, showing the individual and social purposes, the system of belief, the major things which define a culture.

Geography ► Circles: all share a center, focused first on the devil (hell), then on God (Paradise) ► Descent and Ascent: in Inferno, going from earth’s surface to depths of Hell, illustrating the moral associations; in Purgatorio and Paradisio, going upward towards the realm of God which is the summit of the universe

End result of the geography is that wherever we are in Dante’s created world, we are aware of the moral system, for the geography always places us in relationship to what is above or below. The further down we go, the worse the sins. He creates a system of values that applies to our understanding of ourselves and the conduct of our lives. (Ian Johnston)

► Dante’s moral distinctions are based on the motivation; sins of passion are not as serious as sins of reason corrupted, since reason is a distinctly human, God-given faculty. ► The effects of the crime are not as important as the nature of the sinner’s intentions.

Structure ► Based on numbers:  3: trinity  9: 3X3  33: multiple of 3  10: considered number of perfection  100: 10 X 10 absolute perfection

► 3 cantiche, each formed of 33 cantos, adding up to 99, which with the addition of the first introductory canto, adds up to 100 ► Poem is written in terza rima: 3 line stanzas with rhyme scheme aba, bcb, cdc, ded etc, so each rhyme is used 3 times

► Hell is divided into 9 circles, grouped in 3 divisions, with the vestibule making a 10 th ► Purgatory is divided into 9 levels, plus the terrestrial paradise making 10 ► Paradise is formed of 9 heavens, plus the Empyrium making 10 ► The celestial heirarchies are nine, divided into triads

► The sinners in hell are divided according to three capital vices: incontinence, violence and fraud ► The penitents in purgatory are divided by the nature of their rational love (Bad, deficient and immoderate) ► The blessed in Paradise are divided based on the secular, active or contemplative nature of their love for God

Virgil ► Roman poet—one of the finest epic poets ► Dante’s guide through hell ► Allegorically represents reason exercised in the light of the revealed truth of God ► Illustrates the limits of reason—Virgil can escort Dante through hell, through the rudimentary understanding of God’s justice, but cannot approach closer to God

Allegory ► A fiction in which narrative details represent other events or ideas outside of the fictional world ► Differs from symbolism in the breadth of the comparison and the clarity of the external system of reference

Narrative ► Journey—always moving along quickly ► Diction—coloquial, almost slangy ► Alternates between the larger picture of the hordes in hell and the close-ups of particular sinners—allows us to respond to the situation in a more personal way ► Creates a sort of moral tension to educate our emotions to fully comprehend the nature of God’s justice

Imagery ► Intensely detailed ► Sharp, vivid descriptions ► Creates unforgettable scenes

1 st Ring: Limbo ► Luke Warm. Neither sinned nor believed in Christ. ► Heaven does not claim them, Hell does not want them. Free powerpoints at

2 nd Ring: Lustful ► Blown about in darkness.

3 rd Ring: Gluttonous ► Deprived of individuality. Each is alone, cold, and miserable.

4 th Ring: Avaricious ► Greedy ► Must roll their wealth back and forth forever.

5 th Ring: Wrathful and Sullen ► “Wrathful” ► Muddy figures attack one another. ► “Sullen” ► Sink beneath the surface in filthy slime.

Marsh of Styx

6 th Ring: Heretics Confined in tombs. Confined in tombs.

7 th Ring: Violent ► AGAINST OTHERS: ► Immersed in a river of boiling blood.

7 th Ring: Violent ► AGAINST SELF ► Twisted plants that cannot move

7 th Ring: Violent ► AGAINST GOD: Must lie facing upward toward heaven ► AGAINST NATURE: Must run forever ► AGAINST ART: Forced to crouch over moneybags.

8 th Ring: Fraudulent ► SEDUCERS: ► Driven by horned demons

8 th Ring: Fraudulent ► FLATTERERS: ► Forced to wallow in a floor of excrement

8 th Ring: Fraudulent ► SIMONISTS (Those who attempt to purchase the power of the holy spirit): ► Buried head down and burned on the soles of their feet.

8 th Ring: Fraudulent ► FORTUNE TELLERS/ SOOTHSAYERS ► Bodies distorted so that the head is twisted around to only view his back.

8 th Ring: Fraudulent ► GRAFTERS ► Dipped into boiling tar. Demon holds down the sinners with a pitchfork.

8 th Ring: Fraudulent ► HYPOCRITES ► Must always walk at a steady pace. ► Wear a gaudy robe lined with lead

8 th Ring: Fraudulent ► THIEVES ► Snakes coil and bind these sinners

8 th Ring: Fraudulent ► DECEIVERS ► Wrapped in fire

8 th Ring: Fraudulent ► SCANDALS Sowers of Discord Sowers of Discord ► Hacked to pieces, put back together, and hacked up again.

8 th Ring: Fraudulent ► FALSIFIERS ► Made insane; plagued with all types of illnesses and diseases.

9 th Ring: Treachery ► TO FAMILY, COUNTRY, AND FRIENDS ► Frozen in a sheet of ice with only their face exposed to show the pain. ► Degree of depth based on degree of betrayal

Center of 9 th Ring: Lucifer