The Divine Comedy

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The Divine Comedy Dante's Inferno
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• Narrative poem describing Dantes imaginary
  journey.
• Medieval world thought of the afterlife
• Not a comedy-but a happy ending
• Midway on journey through life, Dante realizes he
  has taken a wrong path. Allegory- way to
  God-purpose to change man and learn own sin
• Roman poet Vigil searches for him at request of
  Beatrice
• Religious pilgrimage to find God-passes through
  Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise

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• In Dantes time, Ptolemy was the acknowledged
  master of astronomy. System of the order of the
  cosmos which Dante used as base for his structure
  of heavenly spheres and placement of earth as
  center of cosmos. He visualized the world
  surrounded by 4 basic elements of earth, air,
  water and fire. Only in northern hemisphere was
  land southern hemisphere was water

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• Christianity accepted this basic geographical
  pattern of the world to which it added its own
  concepts. When the rebellious angels were cast
  out of Heaven, they fell with such impact on the
  planet earth that they hollowed out a deep cone
  (Hell) which penetrated to core. Earth and rock
  was displaced which formed Mountain of Purgatory.

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• Inferno or Hell
• Purgatory
• Paradise
• 33 cantos and since narrative poem is in an
  exalted form with hero as subject it is an epic
  poem
• Literal allegorical (sin to bliss) search for
  love

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• Circle One-limbo (waiting to see where to go)
• Circle 2-6 what you do to yourselflust, glutton,
  hoard wrath, heretic
• Circle 7-8 what you do to others
• Circle 9-worst-what you do to your country,
  guests, kindred
• Romans thought that number 9 is the worst
• On Easter Sunday, Dante emerges from Hell. And
  through travels, found way to God and able to
  look upon stars.