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The Inferno describes the journey of a fictionalised version of Dante himself through Hell, guided by the ancient Roman poet Virgil.
- First Circle of Hell: Limbo
- Second Circle of Hell: Lust
- Third Circle of Hell: Gluttony
- Fourth Circle of Hell: Greed
- Fifth Circle of Hell: Anger
- Sixth Circle of Hell: Heresy
- Seventh Circle of Hell: Violence
- Eighth Circle of Hell: Fraud
- Ninth Circle of Hell: Treachery
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In the book, limbo is where those who never knew Christ exist. Dante encounters several historical figures, including Ovid, Homer, Socrates, Aristotle, Julius Caesar, and more, in this circle.
In the second circle, a stormy and dark realm, Dante encounters Achilles, Paris, Tristan, Cleopatra, and Dido, among others.
The third circle is reserved for those who overindulge. Dante encounters ordinary people here, not characters from epic poems or gods from mythology. The author Boccacciotook one of these characters, Ciacco, and incorporated him into his 14th-century collection of tales called "The Decameron."
Dante encounters more ordinary people in the fourth circle but also the guardian of the circle, Pluto, the mythological king of the underworld. This circle is reserved for people who hoarded or squandered their money, but Dante and Virgil do not directly interact with any of its inhabitants. This is the first time they pass through a circle without...
Dante and Virgilare threatened by the Furies when they try to enter through the walls of Dis (Satan). This is a further progression in Dante’s evaluation of the nature of sin; he also begins to question himself and his own life, realizing his actions and nature could lead him to this permanent torture.
Representing the rejection of religious and political norms, the sixth circle leads Dante to Farinata degli Uberti, a military leader and aristocrat who tried to win the Italian throne and was convicted posthumously of heresy in 1283. Dante also meets Epicurus, Pope Anastasius II, and Emperor Frederick II.
This is the first circle to be further segmented into sub-circles or rings. There are three of them—the outer, middle, and inner rings—housing different types of violent criminals. The first are those who were violent against people and property, such as Attila the Hun. Centaurs guard this outer ring and shoot its inhabitants with arrows. The middl...
This circle is distinguished from its predecessors by being made up of those who consciously and willingly commit fraud. Within the eighth circle is another called the Malebolge (“Evil Pockets”), which houses ten separate bolgias(ditches). These ditches housed different types of people who committed fraud: panderers; seducers; flatterers; simoniacs...
The ninth circle, the deepest, is where Satan resides. As with the last two circles, this one is further divided, into four rounds. The first is Caina, named after the biblical Cain, who murdered his brother. This round is for traitors to family. The second, Antenora—from Antenor of Troy, who betrayed the Greeks—is reserved for political and nation...
Learn about the structure and meaning of Dante's epic poem "Inferno," the first part of "The Divine Comedy." Discover the nine circles of hell, the sinners, the punishments, and the characters that Dante and Virgil encounter on their journey.
Read the first book of Dante Alighieri's epic poem The Divine Comedy, a vision of the afterlife and a journey of the soul. Explore the analysis, study guide, and facts about the poem at Owl Eyes.
Mar 28, 2024 · Inferno is a fourteenth-century epic poem by Dante Alighieri in which the poet and pilgrim Dante embarks on a spiritual journey. At the poem’s beginning, Dante is lost in a dark...
- (Limbo) Dante’s First Circle of Hell is resided by virtuous non-Christians and unbaptized pagans who are punished with eternity in an inferior form of Heaven.
- (Lust) In the Second Circle of Hell, Dante and his companion Virgil find people who were overcome by lust. They are punished by being blown violently back and forth by strong winds, preventing them from finding peace and rest.
- (Gluttony) When reaching the Third Circle of Hell, Dante and Virgil find souls of gluttons who are overlooked by a worm-monster Cerberus. Sinners in this circle of Hell are punished by being forced to lie in a vile slush that is produced by never-ending icy rain.
- (Greed) In the Fourth Circle of Hell, Dante and Virgil see the souls of people who are punished for greed. They are divided into two groups – those who hoarded possessions and those who lavishly spent it – jousting.
3 days ago · Inferno is the first part of Dante's epic poem The Divine Comedy, which depicts the journey of the poet through hell. It is also the name of the poem itself, and of a section in Britannica that covers various topics related to Dante, his work, and his influence.
A comprehensive overview of Dante Alighieri's epic poem Inferno, the first part of his Divine Comedy. Learn about the structure, characters, themes, and symbols of Hell, as well as the journey of Dante and his guide Virgil through the nine circles of punishment.