1. Canto 11 Alivia Stewart English 230 May 4, 2009

2. Summary Canto 11 begins with Dante and Virgil at the edge of the 7 th circle of hell. They must pause for a brief moment to adjust to the smell. Virgil uses this time to explain to Dante a little about the 7 th, 8 th, and 9 th circle of hell, the punishment of the people, and why usury is a sin. They then descend down into the circle. The 7 th circle is filled with those that are violent. This circle itself is divided into 3 zones. The first is those who are violent against one’s neighbors; Alexander the Great and Atilla the Hun reside here. The 2 nd is those who were violent against themselves and their possessions; Pier della Vigna is punished here. The 3 rd is those who were violent against God; Brunetto Latini resides here.

3. Summary (contd.) The 8 th circles is filled with those who committed simple fraud; sins that violate the natural trust between people. It is known as the malebolge and is made of 10 pouches. Some people who reside in this circle are Pope Nicholas III, Teiresias, Calchas, Odysseus, and Vanni Fucci The 9 th circle is filled with those who committed serious fraud otherwise known as traitors; sins that violate a relationship of particularly special trust. It is divided into 4 zones. Some people who reside in this circle are Cain, Count Ugolino, Fra Alberigo and Branca d'Oria. Usury is seen as a sin against nature because usurers make money off of money by interest instead of making money through labor.

4. Characters Pope Anastasius – He was thought of as a heretic of his time. The people accused him of heresy saying that he believed Christ was only a human and not divine.

5. Pictures

6. Location Between the 6 th and 7 th circle of hell The only person mentioned in this canto is Pope Anastasius It is 4 A.M. on Holy Saturday

7. Scenery A high bank that makes up a ring of broken boulders A very foul stench coming from the 7 th circle Some tombs of the heretics reside here