1. Dante’s Inferno
And the Divine Comedy

2. The Poet Dante Aligheri (1265-1321), of Florence, Italy. (Alighieri)
One of the 4-5 greatest poets of the Western tradition (with Homer, Virgil, Milton, Goethe).
His masterpiece (The Divine Comedy) embodies the Thomistic* synthesis of Greek philosophy & the Biblical worldview.

3. The Thomistic View From St. Thomas Aquinas (5 Ways)
Believing that reason can, in principle, lead the mind to God, Aquinas defended reason's legitimacy, especially in the works of Aristotle. The philosophy of Aquinas continues to offer insights into many lingering problems in Metaphysics, the Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Religion and Ethics.

4. The Structure of the Divine Comedy
Three Parts:
The Inferno (Hell). A depiction of the consequences of unchecked evil.
The Purgatorio (Purgatory). A representation of human nature in this life (of which purgatory is an extension): the conflict between good and evil.
The Paradiso (Heaven). The ultimate, supernatural end of human life. The vision of God.

5. The Divine “Comedy” Not humorous/slapstick/laugh-out-loud
A form of writing that begins in fear and ends happily.
Main character attains a happy ending – a healing vision of God – and receives a divine message to deliver.

6. Issues to Consider Political realities Corruption vs. honesty
Moral realities
The freedom that comes from accepting just laws vs. the self-slavery of lawlessness
Mystical realities
The individual’s self-absorption vs. his trusting surrender to the divine

7. More Issues Love as the source of both good and evil.
The paradox of free will: is it compatible with a scientific (Aristotelian) picture of the workings of human nature?
The relationship between body and soul.

8. Dante: “The subject of the work, then, in its literal sense is the state of souls after death – and this is without qualification, since the whole progress of the work hinges on and about this subject. Whereas if the work is taken allegorically, the subject is this: man becoming liable to the justice which rewards and punishes, inasmuch as by the exercise of his freedom of choice he merits good or ill.” letter to Can Grande

9. The Purpose
Dante said he wanted the poem to:
Liberate people still living in the world from a state of misery and lead them to a state of happiness.
Praise Beatrice and the saving graces he received through her.

10. Ah… Beatrice…
Dante wrote his entire Divine Comedy because he was obsessed with a woman, Beatrice, and in love with her, thus making her his guide through heaven in the Paradiso
Look for how love is represented in Inferno… what does this mean about love?

12. Historical Background
Ghibellines
Pro-imperial
Represented aristocracy
Opposed papal territorial power
Expelled from Florence in 1289
Became the White Guelphs
White guelphs
Wanted to minimize all outside interference
Guelphs
Anti-imperial/democratic attitude
Desired constitutional government
Represented indigenous peoples
Pro-pope (looked to him for support)
Black guelphs
Wanted to enhance their papal connections

13. Ah… Florence
Dante was one of the White Guelphs and was exiled from his beloved home town of Florence. He never got over this. You could say that the placement of his characters and figures in hell is highly represented of his political feelings… don’t get any ideas…

14. Obsessed with 3 Significance of the number Three
Reflects the mysterious reality of the Godhead
Each of the three parts contains 33 cantos
Basic unit of verse is the terzine
33 syllables
3 lines
Beatrice – associated with the number 9

15. Canto I- Introduction to Comedia
Introduction to the entire Divine Comedy
Setting: Dark Woods
Setting: Good Friday, 1300
April 8, 1300
Catholic church’s first “Holy Year”
Jubilee period stressing spiritual repentance and renewal.
Dante is 35 years old when taking place (but is writing in “past tense” so older as a writer)

16. Main Characters- Allegorical
Dante
The poet who is also the Christian sinner
Virgil
The poet who is also human wisdom (the best a man can become without divine grace)

17. The geography and structure
Dante’s Underworld is a series of concentric circles, each one moving deeper into the earth
The entrance is through the dark woods
There are rivers and multiple circles within circles at some levels

21. There are many depictions of Dante’s Hell in art and literature… do your own research for some extra insight, or maybe extra credit!

22. Poetic Structure Terza Rima
3 lines intertwined, first and third rhyme, second rhymes with the first of the next tercet
ABA BCB CDC DED EFE …

23. Other Poetic Elements Alliteration Allusion Imagery Symbolism
Conceit (will learn!)
Extended Metaphor
Allegory/ Parable

24. Contrapasso
The idea that the punishment fits the crime, in other words how one’s sin matches the punishment they must endure for all eternity.
See cartoon for an example.