Dante’s Inferno

By Dante Alighieri

Dante Alighieri• World’s greatest poet of ideas

• Born in Florence, grew up in beginning of the Renaissance

• Exiled for supporting the White Guelphs, against the Pope – banishment!

Background • Allegory: the discussion of one subject by

disguising it as another. The characters, setting, and the plot have hidden/symbolic meaning. Teaches a moral lesson.

In medieval literature the allegory is the use

of visible, physical reality to express the invisible or intangible.

• Universal theme: search for salvation

The Divine Comedy• Epic poem written during his exile

• Three sections: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso

• Each section divided into cantos (song)

100 cantos total

• Written in three line stanzas, terza rima

• Three: deep spiritual meaning

• Commedia – happy ending

Story• Dante –

a traveler who stands for all of humanity

• He travels into the Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise

• Encounters characters from mythology, history, and his own time (friends, enemies)

• Soul’s odyssey from sin to eternal glory

Significant characters• Virgil – great Roman poet, Dante’s symbol of human

reason. • Beatrice – a woman whom Dante loved; symbol of divine love, she will take him through to Paradiso.

Dante’s Law of Hell – as they sinned, so they are punished.

Canto I

"Midway through the

journey of our life,

I woke to find myself in a

dark wood.”

Virgil acts as

Dante’s guide through

the Inferno

Canto III Abandon hope all ye who enter here

Literary devices

• Light and dark imagery

• The light represents reason, truth, righteousness, and goodness.

• Dark is often depicted in times of torment, blindness, and evil.

• Imagery in Canto 3

• Teacher/pupil dialogue emphasizes moral voice.

Gate of Hell

• Virgil takes Dante through

dark vestibule

“Assault of the senses”• Souls of the Unsure• Charon, ferryman• Four Rivers of Hell:

Acheron, Styx (mud)

Phlegethon (blood), Cocytus (ice)

Canto III – Level One

• Who are the unsure? What is their punishment? Why is their punishment appropriate?

• Why is Charon angry that Dante is onboard? What is Virgil’s response?

• Identify the simile in Canto III

Canto V – Second Level of Hell• Minos• Illicit lovers

Lust is one of seven

deadly sins• Punishment

Sinners - • Cleopatra, Helen, Dido• Paris & Tristan• Paolo & Francesca

• Sinners in Circle Two

of Hell are denied the

pure light of reason • Courtly love – noble lady

beautiful & intelligent, is

loved by a courageous

knight (already

married - unattainable)

Canto V questions• Symbols: Hurricane of Hell

• Minos’ role?

• Inhabitants in second level of Hell?

• Francesca & Paolo? What was the “spark”?

• What is their punishment? Why is it appropriate?

• What will happen to Francesca’s husband?

• How does Dante feel about these souls?

Canto 34Vexilla regis prodeunt Inferni

“The banners of the King of Hell advance”

Canto 34 - Level 9 Treacherous to their masters

“The banners of the King of Hell advance” • Sinners?• Punishment• Describe last

level of Hell• Description of

Dis & Caina

Canto 34 Questions

• How is the icy wind created?

Icy wind of cocytus Ko-kit’es (“wailing” exhalation of all evil)

• What covers the shades in the lowest level of Hell?

• Explain lines 33-35

• What is Dis’ emotional state?

• How does Dante feel about these souls?

Getting out of Hell• Having seen it all, the poets now climb

through the center, grappling hand over hand down the hairy flank of Satan himself – a last supremely symbolic action

• And, at last, when they have passed the center of all gravity, they emerge from Hell

• A long climb from the earth’s center to the Mount of Purgatory awaits them

• They emerge to see the stars of Heaven, just before dawn on Easter sunday