The Divine ComedyThe Divine Comedy

The Inferno The Inferno

By Dante AlighieriBy Dante Alighieri

Dante’s letter to Can Grande (epigraph)He was the ruler of Verona(1308-1320). He is Dante’s vision of wisdom and

virtue

“The subject of the whole work, then, taken in the literal sense alone, is simply ’The state of souls after death,’

If the work be taken allegorically, the subject is ‘Man- as, according to his merits or demerits in the exercise of his free will, he is subject to reward or punishment by Justice…’”

Works CitedWorks Cited

Mazzotta, Giuseppe, edit, Mazzotta, Giuseppe, edit, A Norton Critical A Norton Critical Edition: Inferno,Edition: Inferno, “ “ The Contrapasso and the The Contrapasso and the relation between poetic details and structure”, relation between poetic details and structure”, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, 2008NY: W. W. Norton & Company, 2008

Dante’s lifeDante’s life

Born 1265-1321 in Born 1265-1321 in FlorenceFlorence

Family was of a lesser Family was of a lesser nobilitynobility

Joined the military in Joined the military in 1289(cavalry)1289(cavalry)

Took part in Took part in politics(prior)politics(prior)

1300 he was 1 of 6 1300 he was 1 of 6 priors in charge of priors in charge of government issuesgovernment issues

1302 sent from 1302 sent from Florence on a Florence on a diplomatic mission to diplomatic mission to Rome. When he Rome. When he returned an opposing returned an opposing faction was in powerfaction was in power

Pope Boniface VIII Pope Boniface VIII supported the new supported the new powerpower

Dante was sentenced Dante was sentenced to death if he ever to death if he ever returned to Florence returned to Florence

Background (cont.)Background (cont.)

……so he lived his life as a wanderer.so he lived his life as a wanderer. ……and bitter, craving justiceand bitter, craving justice Buried in RavennaBuried in Ravenna Betrothed to Gemma Donati at 12, Betrothed to Gemma Donati at 12,

married at 20/an unhappy marriagemarried at 20/an unhappy marriage 2 sons maybe 2 daughters2 sons maybe 2 daughters One of the most learned men of the One of the most learned men of the

Middle AgesMiddle Ages

Dante’s Death MaskDante’s Death Mask

Dante’s deathDante’s death

Mask in the Mask in the

Pallazza VecchioPallazza Vecchio

The times: imagine a The times: imagine a triangletriangle

God at the top of a triangle the pope on one side, the emperor on the

other The pope is the spiritual head of the Church The emperor the head of state The pope wants both sets of power Both answer to God Dante has the opposite view of the Pope.

Not good for Dante

Two political powers

Guelfi in favor of Pope Ghibellini in favor of emperor Then the Guelfi split into 2 parties: The whites (emperor) The blacks(Pope) Dante was a white Guelfo Dante was accused of barratry

The issue of BeatriceThe issue of Beatrice

Dante wrote poetry in his youthDante wrote poetry in his youth He fused courtly love with chivalric He fused courtly love with chivalric

love with philosophical love, with love with philosophical love, with spiritual and divine love.spiritual and divine love.

Love is the instrument to real GodLove is the instrument to real God He devoted his writing to Bice He devoted his writing to Bice

Portinari, a real woman, and his Portinari, a real woman, and his symbol of divine beauty and wisdomsymbol of divine beauty and wisdom

Beatrice means “bringer of blessings”Beatrice means “bringer of blessings”

Beatrice (cont)Beatrice (cont) Dante met Beatrice at age 9 and fell in loveDante met Beatrice at age 9 and fell in love He met her again nine years later (probably at her He met her again nine years later (probably at her

own marriage). It is said that she laughed at his own marriage). It is said that she laughed at his adoration, causing him embarrassmentadoration, causing him embarrassment

This crisis becomes the catalyst for This crisis becomes the catalyst for Vita NuovaVita Nuova, which , which is his account, fiction and truth of his love for is his account, fiction and truth of his love for BeatriceBeatrice

He completes this work at age 27 and felt nothing he He completes this work at age 27 and felt nothing he ever wrote could surpass this workever wrote could surpass this work

Beatrice becomes his ideal. He places his joy into Beatrice becomes his ideal. He places his joy into something that can never fail him.something that can never fail him.

She marries banker Simone de Bardi and dies in 1290She marries banker Simone de Bardi and dies in 1290 He writes the book from 1290-1300He writes the book from 1290-1300

The Divine ComedyThe Divine Comedy

Dante is fascinated by political issues Dante is fascinated by political issues Conflicts between the Roman Catholic Conflicts between the Roman Catholic

Church and the Holy Roman EmpireChurch and the Holy Roman Empire Conflicts that led to his exileConflicts that led to his exile The Divine ComedyThe Divine Comedy is an allegory is an allegory It is a journey through the future worldIt is a journey through the future world It is the first important composition in It is the first important composition in

ItalianItalian

The Apostles’ CreedWhat Catholics believed

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord Who was conceived by the Holy ghost, born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He

descended into Hell; The third day and he rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father

Almightly: From thence he shall come and judge the quick and the dead: I believe in the Holy Ghost: I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints: The forgiveness of sins: The resurrection of the body: And the life everlasting. Amen

CharactersCharacters All can have double or triple meetingsAll can have double or triple meetings Dante is MankindDante is Mankind Virgil is Dante’s guide. He is Reason, Philosophy, or/and the Virgil is Dante’s guide. He is Reason, Philosophy, or/and the

Roman Empire. In the poem he is pagan (denied salvation b/c he Roman Empire. In the poem he is pagan (denied salvation b/c he is born before the coming of Jesus as the Christis born before the coming of Jesus as the Christ

Beatrice is Revelation, theology, the ChurchBeatrice is Revelation, theology, the Church Cato is free willCato is free will Punishments are all symbolicPunishments are all symbolic 2 journeys: escape the dark woods, descent into Hell2 journeys: escape the dark woods, descent into Hell The way up is downThe way up is down You must ascend to the truth by accepting humilityYou must ascend to the truth by accepting humility Characters are presented as if they are at odds with one anotherCharacters are presented as if they are at odds with one another Dante takes sides, condemns, judgesDante takes sides, condemns, judges

The classical poets that Dante The classical poets that Dante admiredadmired

Homer – intimate knowledge of the GreeksHomer – intimate knowledge of the Greeks Horace – a satirist, a moralistHorace – a satirist, a moralist Ovid – the most widely read Roman poet, a Ovid – the most widely read Roman poet, a

keen source for mythologykeen source for mythology Lucan – expert on Roman civil warsLucan – expert on Roman civil wars Virgil – the greatest influence on Dante, Virgil – the greatest influence on Dante,

master of classical verse, legends of Romemaster of classical verse, legends of Rome St. Augustine: great Roman philosopher; St. Augustine: great Roman philosopher;

obected to the imperial ideology of Romeobected to the imperial ideology of Rome

Stilnovo (new style)

Dante invents this new poetical movement Dante and his friend Guido Cavalcanti were the

most important Stilnovo poets This movement was used to speak about love, to

celebrate it Call it “love theory” Love is the ideal, it will save man; women are

examples of purity A lover must comes to terms with his owns flaws

to be worthy of the woman he loves This is Dante’s first major work

The architectural structure of The architectural structure of the poemthe poem

Relationship of Relationship of three to onethree to one

Trinity to UnityTrinity to Unity Medieval writers Medieval writers

loved numbers and loved numbers and symmetrysymmetry

Numbers 10 and Numbers 10 and 100100

100 Cantos100 Cantos 3 places3 places

3 line stanzas 3 line stanzas (terzine) tercets(terzine) tercets

Rhyme scheme: Rhyme scheme: terza rima: terza rima: aba/bcb/cdcaba/bcb/cdc

First and third lines First and third lines rhyme, second line rhyme, second line rhymes with first rhymes with first and second lines of and second lines of next stanzanext stanza

Sin

Failing as a person Dante believed people have free agency to

commit sin There are sins of incontinence (human

nature/can’t help yourself) And sins of malice (failure of human intellect/you

know exactly what you are doing) The cliché: love the sinner not the sin, DOES NOT

apply to people who do not accept God’s grace according to Dante

SALIGIASALIGIA

Superbia prideSuperbia pride Avarita greedAvarita greed Luxuria lustLuxuria lust Invidia envyInvidia envy Gula gluttonyGula gluttony Ira wrathIra wrath Acedia slothAcedia sloth

ContrapassoContrapasso

No individual punishment mattersNo individual punishment matters Justice mattersJustice matters sins were chosensins were chosen Justice demands the damned be Justice demands the damned be

punished because they are beyond punished because they are beyond changechange

If they were capable of If they were capable of change/repentance then they would not change/repentance then they would not be punished eternallybe punished eternally

Examples?Examples?

The lustful are driven by a whirlwindThe lustful are driven by a whirlwind The violent are surrounded by boiling The violent are surrounded by boiling

waterwater Traitors are set in iceTraitors are set in ice

Think about each of these Think about each of these punishmentspunishments

100 Cantos100 Cantos

34 Inferno ….Here 34 Inferno ….Here there are 9 circles there are 9 circles of Hell plus the of Hell plus the vestibule(Limbo)vestibule(Limbo)

Upper Hell Upper Hell (incontinence), (incontinence), circles I-Vcircles I-V

Lower Hell (malice, Lower Hell (malice, violence and fraud) violence and fraud) circles VI-IXcircles VI-IX

33 Purgatory…9 33 Purgatory…9 divisions plus the divisions plus the Garden of EdenGarden of Eden

33 Paradise…9 33 Paradise…9 revolving heavens plus revolving heavens plus Empyrean (absolute Empyrean (absolute heaven)heaven)

Dante followed the Dante followed the Ptolemaic systemPtolemaic system

Satan: frozen to above Satan: frozen to above his waist in ice with his waist in ice with vast bat like wings that vast bat like wings that create blasts of evilcreate blasts of evil

Most political CantosMost political Cantos

VIVI X X XIIIXIII XV Why?XV Why? XVIXVI XXXIIIXXXIII

Our StoryOur Story

…….starts with Dante lost in a world of .starts with Dante lost in a world of worldliness and sin. Dante spends a night worldliness and sin. Dante spends a night in this wooded area and tries to climb in this wooded area and tries to climb unaided the Mountain of Righteousness. unaided the Mountain of Righteousness. He has the shade of Virgil as his guide.He has the shade of Virgil as his guide.

Hell shows the consequences of our sin. Hell shows the consequences of our sin. We must “see” what that looks like.We must “see” what that looks like.

Dante enters Hell on Good Friday, Dante enters Hell on Good Friday, emerges at Purgatory just before sunrise emerges at Purgatory just before sunrise on Easter Sundayon Easter Sunday

ComedyComedy

Comos-odaComos-oda A rustic songA rustic song A happy endingA happy ending The language of a comedy is humble The language of a comedy is humble

not loftynot lofty