Lecture Notes: The Divine Comedy - Inferno

Overview of The Divine Comedy

• Author: Dante Alighieri, early 1300s.
• Structure: Composed of three main parts:
  • Inferno (Hell)
  • Purgatorio (Purgatory)
  • Paradiso (Heaven)
• Focus today on Inferno; Purgatorio next week, then Paradiso.

Historical Context of Dante

• Dante's Life:
  • Experienced political turmoil in Florence.
  • Exiled for political reasons.
  • Heartbreak from the death of Beatrice, who influences his work.
• Literary Approach:
  • Wrote in vernacular Italian to reach the masses, rather than Latin.
  • Explored themes of morality, religion, and the consequences of actions.

Structure of Inferno

• Guide: Virgil, a representation of reason and classical wisdom.
• Journey: Dante’s journey through the circles of hell, aiming for heaven.
• Key Themes:
  • Imagery from religious texts and Greek mythology.
  • Exploration of sin and consequences.

Circles of Hell

1. Anti-Inferno

• Description: Area for those who chose neither good nor evil.
• Punishment: Tormented by hornets and snakes.
• Notable Characters: Angels who chose neutrality.

2. Limbo

• Inhabitants: Virtuous pagans, unbaptized infants, figures like Noah and Moses.
• Punishment: Eternal sadness, as they cannot enter heaven.

3. Lust

• Punishment: Eternity in a storm, tossed by winds.

4. Gluttony

• Punishment: Covered in filth and debris, unable to move.
• Notable Monster: Cerberus, the three-headed dog.

5. Greed

• Punishment: Fighting over boulders in a constant battle.
• Notable Demon: Plutus, the god of wealth.

6. Wrathful and Sullen

• Punishment: Wrathful fight each other; sullen submerged, choking on mud.

7. Heresy

• Description: City guarded by fallen angels, where heretics are punished.

8. Violence

• Types of violence: Against others, self, and God.

9. Fraud

• Inhabitants: Deceivers like pimps, gamblers, fortune tellers (with heads turned backward).

10. Treachery

• Inhabitants: Judas, Brutus, Cassius, and other traitors punished in ice.

Conclusion of Inferno

• Final Ascent: Dante and Virgil climb down Satan's frozen body to emerge at the base of Purgatory.
• Reflection on Popularity: Inferno tends to be more popular due to fascination with sin and punishment.
• Next Lecture: Discussion on Purgatorio next week.