DANTE’S INFERNO

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Introduction The poem opens in the Dark Wood of Error.

The Dark Wood symbolizes sin and corruption. In the Middle Ages, hope was very important

because life was hard. Dante’s story of a pilgrim’s journey from a life

of sin to a life of redemption can be compared to the Hebrew story of the Exodus.

The sinners that Dante sees in hell act as a mirror for Dante. He sees his own sins in them.

In order to have a chance for redemption, Dante must face his sins.

Divine Comedy  The Divine Comedy uses number

symbolism throughout the story. The story itself is a trilogy (3); there are nine

circles of hell divided into three sections; Each book in the trilogy is 33 cantos, and with the introduction, the whole work is 100 cantos.

THE NINE CIRCLES OF HELL

Sins of Weakness

1. Limbo – people waiting – The punishment is to be permanently separated from God.

2. Lustful – adultery and other sins of the flesh – Their punishment is to be tossed by strong winds forever.

3. Gluttonous – eat too much, drink too much – The punishment is to live out eternity in a mud pool like pigs wallowing in the muck.

4. Avaricious – greedy & spendthrifts – The punishment is for the two groups to fight over rolling huge stones around their circle of hell.

Those who betrayed others

5. Wrathful – fighters – biting and fighting each other in a swamp of anger.

Those who betrayed others

6. Heretics – speak out against God – to burn alive in a closed coffin for eternity.

Those who betrayed others

7. Violent – premeditated crimes of violence – spend eternity suffering acts of violence by Satan’s henchmen.

8. Fraudulent – commit fraud or trickery against a loved one – tormented by Satan’s henchmen.

9. Treacherous – commit treason against a friend or loved one – buried in the lake of ice with Lucifer for company.

At the gates of hell, there is a sign that reads, “Abandon hope, all ye enter here.”

  The ice and cold at the center of hell

represent the opposite of love: hate.