1. The Divine Comedy Dante Alighieri

2. born in Florence, Italy, in 1265 son of a wealthy merchant studied law and rhetoric at University of Bologna exiled from Florence in 1302

3. The Divine Comedy completed shortly before Dantes death in 1621 in Italian the Christian concept of redemption images of hell medieval understanding of the universe

4. The Number Three in The Divine Comedy three parts to the work –Inferno –Purgatorio –Paradiso each part has 33 cantos each canto is composed of terza rima quest takes three days

5. The Journey Begins Midway in our lifes journey, I went astray from the straight road and woke to find myself alone in a dark wood... Dante Inferno, Canto I

6. Inferno Quest for salvation begins with journey through hell Guide: Virgil - a symbol of Reason Imagery: darkness and misery Punishment of sinners -symbolic retribution Journey: downward to the center of the earth

7. Dantes Hell - Upper Levels Vestibule - Opportunists Level 1 - Paganism and Incontinence Level 2 - Lust (Carnal Sins) Level 3 - Gluttony Level 4 - Avarice and Prodigality Level 5 - Anger Level 6 - Heresy and Violence

8. Dantes Hell - Lower Levels Level 7 - Fraud Level 8 - Deceit Level 9 - Treachery –Satan, Brutus and Cassius, and Judas

9. To Purgatory Now shall I sing that second kingdom given the soul of man wherin to purge its guilt and so grow worthy to ascend to Heaven Dante Purgatorio, Canto I.

10. Purgatorio Journey toward salvation Guide: Virgil - symbol of Reason Imagery: joy, brightness, hope Task: penitence Journey: upward from the center of the earth

11. Hell Mirrored in Purgatory Vestibule: Opportunism 1 - Limbo 2 - Lust 3 - Gluttony 4 - Avarice 5 - Anger 6 - Heresy 7 - Fraud 8 - Deceit 9 - Treachery Center of the Earth Garden of Eden Vestibule: Opportunism 1 - Limbo 2 - Lust 3 - Gluttony 4 - Avarice 5 - Anger 6 - Heresy 7 - Fraud 8 - Deceit 9 - Treachery

12. From Purgatory to Paradise I have been in that Heaven of His most light, and what I saw, those who descend from there lack both the knowledge and the power to write. Dante Paradiso, Canto I.

13. Paradiso Guide: Beatrice -symbol of Perfect Love Journey: outward through the heavenly spheres Final Destination: Heaven itself

14. The Cosmos of Paradiso geocentric universe journey ascends from planet to planet heavenly spheres represent levels of blessedness

15. Empyrean Primum Mobile Constellations Saturn Jupiter Mars Sun Venus Mercury Moon Earth The Heavenly Spheres

16. End of the Journey Here my powers rest from their high fantasy, but already I could feel my being turned-- instinct and intellect balanced equally as in a wheel whose motion nothing jars-- by the Love that moves the Sun and the other stars Dante Purgatorio, Canto I.

17. Bibliography Alighieri, Dante. The Divine Comedy. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. 6th ed. 2 vols. New York: Norton and Company, 1992. 1286- 1467. Dante Alighieri. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. 6th ed. 2 vols. New York: Norton and Company, 1992. 1273-1286..Dante Alighieri. World Masterpieces. Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, 1991. 618. The Divine Comedy. World Masterpieces. Pentice Hall. Englewood Cliffs, 1991. 619-620.