Dante's Inferno

When did Dante live?

1265-1321 (barely in middle ages)

Where was Dante born?

Florence

What political turmoil was occurring during Dante's life in Florence?

argument between Holy Roman Emperor and Pope about separation between church and state

Why was Dante exiled?

because he did not support the party that won the argument

When Dante wrote the divine comedy, How did he determine where people would be placed in Hell?

the people who had a direct hand in his exile were lower in Hell

What is the Divine comedy about?

an allegory about a man's search for salvation (dante) while on a journey through sin, the recognition of sin, and salvation

What is an allegory?

the discussion of one subject by disguising it as another; there must be some similarity between the two

What two levels may an allegory be read on?

literally and symbolically

In English literature what is a comedy? in this case?

a story that has a happy ending, dante is saved

What does Divine represent?

reflects respect it was given or perhaps its religious subject

When does Dante's journey begin and end?

Good friday he enters Hell and by easter sunday he has reached Heaven

What are the ways the Divine Comedy revolves around the #3?

Dante's journey is three days, the story is in 3 parts, each part has 33 cantos, and it is written in 3 line verses

What are the names of the three parts of the divine comedy?

Inferno, Purgatoria, and Paradiso

If there are 33 cantos per part why are there a total of 100 cantos?

there is one at the beginning that acts as an intro and is the only one on earth

What are the three line verses called?

terza rima

What happens in the Inferno?

Dante is lost in a forest and seeks salvation. he meets many sinners and sees their punishments

Who is Dante's guide in the inferno?

Virgil

the intro of the divine comedy as an allegory illustrates what literally and symbolically?

literal: just a story and symbolic: salvation

When Dante is lost what does this represent?

spiritually lost and the path to salvation and morals

The dark woods that Dante is in represents what symbolically?

dark=evil and light=goodness and the woods are a lack of direction and civilization

When Dante is alone what does this represent?

his life without God

Why does Dante want to climb the hill?

recognizes that he needs to rise above sin and wants salvation

What does the little hill represent?

physical (direction) and spiritual (understanding gods way) safety

When the hill's "shoulder's glowed" this means?

light can allow one to see and reinforce the connection with christ

Why is Dante stopped from climbing the hill?

his sins prevent salvation

What part of hell does the leopard represent?

fraud

What part of hell does the lion represent?

violence

What part of hell does the she-wolf represent?

incontinence

How is Dante's encounter with the wolf different?

makes him loose hope because the others allow him to rethink his decisions

What does the wolf represent regarding sin?

the most common of sin

What does it mean when it says "feeding, she grows hungrier"

once you sin first, it is more likely for you to sin again

What does the relationship between Virgil and dante represent?

literary (he admires Virgil) and spiritual (the story)

Why is Virgil in Hell?

because he was polytheistic, but now identifies the gods as false and sees that they do not exist

When Virgil gives Dante advice what does he say?

that Dante must change his ways to avoid hell and salvation is not just a desire (you have to avoid sin)

Why does Dante call Virgil the first author?

most influential and first creator like god

What does dante speaking to Virgil make Virgil sound like?

GOD

Why is Virgil the "sole maker from whom I drew the breath"?

only writer for Dante's inspiration and like god is the sole maker for our souls

Why is Virgil called the True master by Dante?

because he is a boss and they have a master-apprentice relationship

What is the punishment for the lustful? how is this appropriate?

floating in a whirlwind because they were swept up in the moment and temptation

Who is the guard to the entrance of Hell proper? what else does he do?

Minos who is the judge of those who enter Hell

Since sinners rarely tell minos their sins what theory of Dante's does this support?

that they choose damnation

When minos hears a confession what does he do? what does this represent?

coils his tail and one coil= one circle down in hell

What is an archetypal conflict?

conflict between body and mind, or lust and reason

What did the people in the circle of the lustful allow to happen?

sinners allow body to win and they did not listen to human reason which normally saves us from sinning?

Who were the people from other works of literature that are in the circle of the lustful?

Dido, Helen, Achilles, Paris, Tristan, Paolo and Francesca

Why is dido in the circle of the lustful?

she promised (mind) her husband that she would be faithful, but she slept with Aeneas (body)

Why is Helen in the circle of the lustful?

left her husband for Paris

Why is achilles in the circle for the lustful?

#1 warrior on the Greek side and lusted after Hectors sister (trojan princess)

Why is Paris in the circle for the lustful?

same as Helen

Why is Tristan in the circle for the lustful?

lust for Isolde trumped loyalty to uncle and king

Why are Paolo and francesca in the circle of the lustful?

lust for each other overruled both of their marriage vows and Paolo's brotherly loyalty

What does Dante care about as far as sin?

cares more about motivation and the crimes that are motivated by the lust so they are punished for lust

Some of the sinners in the circle for the lustful deserve sympathy,but don't receive it why?

Dante excepts no excuses

Why does Dante say that there is no excuses for sin?

because all humans have free will and hi rejects magic and pagan beliefs

What is the contrast between Dante the poet and Dante the character as far as views on sinners?

Poet condemns them and puts them here for a reason and character does not know why they are in these places

Why does Dante the character not know why the sinners are in Hell?

because he has not completed his journey and has not gained salvation and does not understand what is wrong with sinning

Who are the sinners in the 9th circle, the circle for the traitors?

Brutus and Cassius, Judas, and Satan

Why are Brutus and Cassius in the circle of traitors?

because they were senators who killed and overthrew Julius Caesar from power

Why is Judas in circle of traitors?

disciple who betrayed jesus

Why is satan in circle of traitors?

he led a rebellion to overthrow God

What punishment do the people in the circle of treachery face? why is this appropriate?

frozen in ice because they wanted to move (up) in power, but cannot physically do so

What is a parody?

a usually humorous mocking imitation of a serious work

Why is the Divine comedy not a parody?

because it is not mocking anything

What does satan's head look like? what does it parody?

3 faces on one head that parodies the holy trinity (3 in 1)

What are satan's colors? what do they represent?

brown, red, and off-white that represent all ethnicities and that all people are sinners

What do Satan's wings look like and what do they parody?

bat-like wings that parodize the feathery sings of an angel because he used to be an angel

what does Satan's coat symbolize?

makes him look animal like and shows that Dante's idea that human reason saves us from sin

What is the punishment for Judas, Brutus, and Cassius?

they are sucked into the three mouths of Satan. judas goes head first in the middle face and brutus and cassius on the two outside dangling upside down

What 2 things does the three men's punishment parody?

the crucifixion (3 crosses) one betrayed spiritual master and the others were just criminals and being eaten alive for all eternity= the last supper

Why is satan frozen in ice? How does it form? why is it significant?

he cant move up and fly away. When he flaps his wings he creates the ice wind that freezes hell and shows Dante's belief that we damn ourselves

Who is beatrice in real life? in the story?

Dante's love and thought they were never together she was his guide through heaven

What are the three parts of an allegory?

discussion of one subject disguised as another, read figuratively and literally, teaches a lesson

What is the divine comedy's real subject and disguised one?

a spiritual journey disguised through a physical journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven

What do the path, woods, hill, and beasts symbolize?

road to salvation, sinfulness, salvation, and types of sin one must overcome

What are the three ways an allegory teaches a lesson?

humans have free will (no excuses) so they overcome sin (avoid 3 beasts, climbing over satan) by using human reason (Virgil carrying Dante)

Three ways that the Divine comedy uses the #3 structurally?

3 books, 33 cantos in each book, and written in three line stanzas (terza rima)

Two ways that the Divine Comedy uses #3 in setting?

three separate places and three days

What 2 ways does the divine comedy use the #3 in content?

3 types of sin in the 3 animals and parodies with satan

What part of Hell is Virgil in? Why?

Limbo because he is polytheistic because he was before christ but was still a good person

Why is Virgil Dante's guide?

becuase Virgil was wrong about the Pagan gods and knows that he was wrong so he can show that knowledge to Dante

Who is Minos and what does he do?

guard of hell and tells people what circle they are in by coiling his tail

How did Dante and Virgil exit Hell?

they climbed Satan's back and then Virgil carried Dante on his back