Learning Goals: Understand social and historical values as reflected and embodied in a literary work. Make connections between the historical and cultural events of the 14th century, and Dante’s inspiration for The Inferno.

The Inferno By Dante Alighieri

Dante Alighieri Biography Born May of 1265 in Florence, Italy Received early education in Florence Attended the University of Bologna Experiences included a tour in the Florence Army

Dante Alighieri Biography Role of Beatrice Portinari: Met when they were children; Dante worshipped her his entire life. Beatrice was Dante’s inspiration for The Divine Comedy After her death in 1290, he dedicated a memorial “The New Life” (La Vita Nuova) to her

Dante Alighieri Biography Dante entered an arranged marriage in 1291 with Gemma Donati, a noblewoman They had two sons and either one or two daughters

Dante Alighieri Biography By 1302, Dante was a political exile from Florence. BeganThe Divine Comedy after this exile. Finished The Divine Comedy just before his death on September 14, 1321.

“a Florentine by birth, but not in manner” (Bergin 444). Still bitter about his expulsion from Florence, Dante wrote on the title page of The Divine Comedy that he was “a Florentine by birth, but not in manner” (Bergin 444).

Historical Background End of the Middle Ages: God-centered; lived on earth to get into Heaven Beginning of Renaissance: Man-centered; rebirth of learning

Historical Background The Renaissance influenced all of western civilization Trade flourished and prosperity thrived Florence became the richest of the Italian city-states Italy had a wealth of conflicts Many political units and power struggles existed

Historical Background The Guelph Political party (which favored independence & the Popes) and the Ghibelline Political party (which favored control by the Holy Roman Empire) were two political rival factions.

Historical Background The Guelph political party eventually divided into two groups: The Whites (led by the Cerchi family) The Blacks (led by the Donati family and later by Pope Boniface VIII). Dante became a member of the Whites and served as an ambassador to talk with the Pope in Rome about conditions in Florence.

Historical Background While Dante was out of town, the Blacks took over Florence and sentenced Dante to banishment from the city His punishment for return would be death His wanderings gave him time to write and to study the Scriptures This banishment also gave Dante his perspective on corruption of the fourteenth century papacy, a view that he would clearly describe in The Inferno

“Father of the Italian Language” The work was written in Italian, not the Latin of most other important writing. Political beliefs = Unity Dante felt a universal language would help unify the country

Dante’s Inferno: Introduction Dante felt the church of his time was no longer serving God Politics, history, mythology, religious leaders, and prominent people of the time, of literature, of the past, and of Dante’s personal life –including Beatrice – appear throughout The Divine Comedy The Divine Comedy was not titled as such by Dante; his title for the work was simply Commedia or Comedy

Dante’s Inferno: Introduction The Divine Comedy is made up of three parts, corresponding with Dante’s three journeys: Inferno (or Hell); Purgatorio (or Purgatory); and Paridisio (or Paradise). Each part consists of a prologue and approximately 33 cantos. Since the narrative poem is in an exalted form with a hero as its subject, it is an epic poem.

Dante’s Inferno: Introduction The Divine Comedy describes Dante’s imaginary journey. Midway on his journey through life, Dante realizes he has taken the wrong path. The Roman poet Virgil searches for the lost Dante at the request of Beatrice. He finds Dante in the woods on the evening of Good Friday in the year 1300 and serves as a guide as Dante begins his religious pilgrimage to find God. To reach his goal, Dante passes through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise.

Dante’s Inferno The sinners in the circles include: Circle One – Those in limbo Circle Two – The lustful Circle Three – The gluttonous Circle Four – The hoarders Circle Five – The wrathful Circle Six – The heretics Circle Seven – The violent Ring 1: Murderers, robbers, and plunderers Ring 2: Suicides and those harmful to the world Ring 3: Those harmful against God, nature, art, as well as usurers

The Inferno: Themes Primitivity Man and the Natural World Lies and Deceit Justice Language and Communication Wisdom and Knowledge Compassion and Forgiveness Love Time Respect and Reputation

LITERARY DEVICES

ALLEGORY A story whose literal plot deals entirely in symbols, instilling the story with a second level of meaning implied by, but broader than, the events of the narrative

Allegory in Inferno Part of Medieval literary tradition “Everyman” character undergoes trials and tribulations in his search to find the soul’s true path in life Dante’s connection: all people know some form of sin and may become lost; must find a path to salvation

Tercet 3-Line Stanza: “Midway in our life’s journey, I went astray from the straight road and woke to find myself alone in a dark wood. How shall I” (4)

Intertemporality The mingling of elements from different time periods Dante’s characters can see beyond their time on Earth because in death they exist outside of time Part of the medieval tradition; Ex: Biblical characters were regularly represented in art as wearing medieval clothing

System of judgment and punishments applicable to the sins committed Contrapasso “Suffer the Opposite” System of judgment and punishments applicable to the sins committed

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