Book Review: The Divine Comedy: Inferno

As far as I can remember I've always been quite fascinated with the philosophical theories of the afterlife. Of course there are many various interpretations, mostly pertaining to one's religious faith. Mine will always be biased to a Catholic/Christian interpretation, however I always try to understand life from a multi-cultured scope. For me the two main theoretical doctrines of the afterlife is the biblical book of Revelations, and Dante's Divine Comedy (John Milton's Paradise Lost is also worth a mention). These books give a very allegorical description and visualization of the mystical realm of the dead souls, which we often refer to as hell, purgatory, and heaven. 

There is really no greater work of literature that pertains to the afterlife quite like Dante's Divine Comedy. This philosophical and poetic writing gives a very detailed account of a person's journey through hell, purgatory, and heaven. It is of course very biased to the principle Christian beliefs of God, Jesus, and Satan however still incorporates common themes of morality, sin, and righteousness. The book is also quite personalized from Dante Alighieri's life, as he plays the protagonist in the story. He recounts many of the Florentine people of his time, as well as the political disputes of the age. This being during the 14th century, as the book was completed in 1320, a year before the poet's death. 

What I think makes Dante's narrative poem so unique is his illustration of levels in the afterlife. He uses biblical, historical, and mythical references to demonstrate where they belong on the spectrum of good vs evil. This is a concept I think any faith can get behind (outside of Christianity) in which there are worse sins that deserve greater punishment than others. For example a non-believer or selfish person should not share the same damnation as a murderer or rapist. Dante uses the 7 deadly sins as his markers in the levels of hell, purgatory, and heaven. But before I attempt to summarize the 3 books, I'd first like to give a brief biography of the poet himself. In order to better understand this philosophical work, one must understand the life and philosophy of the writer himself. 

The Life of Dante Aligheiri

Dante Aligheiri is regarded as the most significant writer of the middle ages and the father of the Italian language. While he produced various other writings throughout his life, it was his epic poem of the Divine Comedy, that brought him worldwide fame. The book demonstrates many of his biographical details such as his love of Florence and allegiance to the papacy. He was born in Florence in 1265 with a middle class upbringing with political ties to the local Guelph party. At the age of 9 he met and instantly fell in love with Beatrice Portinari, however this turned to be only shared brief exchanges in the city. They never married nor spent much time together, thus implying that this was merely a romantic fantasy that Dante desired. Nonetheless she is a central figure in his poem as his guide of Paradiso. 

As a young man, Dante was very drawn to poetry and studied classical writings such Cicero, Ovid, and his greatest inspiration Virgil. Through his knowledge of the classical works, he established his own original style of romance. Most of his writings were driving by his love for Beatrice and his political allegiance to the papacy. He later furthered his theological and philosophical studies in religious academies such as Santa Maria Novella. He also served as a prominent political member of the Guelph party in Florence and he fought against the rival Ghibelline party (which favored the Holy Roman Empire over the Papacy states). His papal party of the Guelphs later split into two factions known as the whites and the blacks. Dante sided with the white faction that favored more freedom from Rome. 

In 1301 the Black Guelph faction took control of Florence with Papal support, and Dante and other members of the White party were exiled. Dante spent the remaining years of his life in rural regions of Tuscany where he finished his magnum opus of the Divine Comedy. He was married to Gemma Donati and had 4 children, yet all throughout his life he had a clear infatuation for Beatrice. Dante uses his love of Beatrice and his admiration of Virgil as the key guides in his narrative journey into the afterlife. He died at the age of 56 from malaria in the province of Ravenna. His epic poem was finished shortly before his death. By the 1470s the book was published and quickly became the most popular work of literature during the Renaissance. 

Dante's Inferno

Dante begins his journey by finding himself lost in the woods frightened by the dark mystical environment. He sees terrible beasts such a leopard, lion, and a she-wolf (that represent incontinence, violence, and fraud). Dante however finds hope when the sun begins to arise and he is rescued by his literary influence Virgil (author of the Aeneid). Virgil is considered one of Rome's greatest poets, best known for his epic poem regarding to the Trojan hero Aeneas and the founding of ancient Rome. So it makes perfect sense that the Italian poet Dante, would consider Virgil as his teacher and guide. The spirit of Virgil informs Dante that he will guide him thru the underworld known as Inferno. 

As the two approach the gates of hell, Dante can hear the horrifying screams and agony of the suffering souls. Upon the gate is a sign that reads, "Abandon all hope, ye who enter" which terrifies him however Virgil reassures him to be not afraid.   Near the gate of hell are the uncommitted souls, who chose no side in life yet lived a selfish/cowardly/ignorant life. Although they are not in hell, they are as close as it gets and live a tormented life in what is referred to as the Vestibule of Hell. Once Virgil and Dante enter the gates they are greeted by the ferryman known as Charon, who is convinced by Virgil to allow the living Dante in this dead land. On the Acheron River, Dante can hear the hopeless wails of the damned souls entering hell, in contrast to the hopeful souls entering Purgatory. 

Virgil explains to Dante, that the underworld is divided into 9 circles based on the level of sin, by which Satan resides at it's innermost core. My general visualization of this is that they are basically descending into the earth and with each ring they go deeper and deeper. The first ring is known as "Limbo" for those who did not have faith in life. These are good people who simply did not practice religious beliefs (as according to Dante's Christian beliefs). Some examples of it's historical residents include his guide Virgil, as well other virtuous poets, leaders, and philosophers such as Homer, Julius Caesar, Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates.    

In the second ring they encounter the mythological serpent king Minos, who judges those entering the underworld of sinners. Here resides the lustful, who were overcome by their selfish sexual desires in life and are swayed around by an unforgiving windstorm. Historical residents include Cleopatra, Helen of Troy, Paris, and Achilles. In the third circle they encounter the gluttonous, who were overcome by their appetite, and reside in an endless slush of ice-rain. They are guarded by the three headed dog Cerberus who howls and slashes at them with his claws. In the fourth circle they encounter those who were overcome by Greed, ruled by the mythological Plutus. These hoarders of wealth joust with one another by pushing great rocks endlessly throughout the domain.

In the fifth circle they come upon the River Styx that is overrun by the wrathful souls. These raging souls constantly fight one another in the slimy marshes filled with unending anger and hate. Dante and Virgil then come upon the City of Dis that is guarded by the fallen angels, the Furies, and Medusa. At this point they are mysteriously aided by an angel from heaven who grants them entry into the city walls, that brings them into the lower region of hell. In the sixth circle they encounter the heretics and false prophets such as Epicurus (who claimed there is no afterlife). 

The pair then descends into the seventh circle of violence guarded by a deadly minotaur. This circle has  3 sub-rings that include violence against neighbor, violence against self, and violence against God, nature, and art. Within the first rings resides Alexander the Great and Atila the Hun; in the second ring reside those who committed suicide and are transformed into thorny trees and harpies; the third ring is a domain of burning sand with flames falling from the sky. In this ring include the blasphemers, sodomites, and usurers. They then encounter the beast Geryon, a humanoid/dragon who must fly Virgil and Dante into the lower 8th and 9th rings known as the Malebolge. This bottom region of hell is for the fraudulent and malicious. 

The Malebolge of hell begins with the eight circle for fraud. It it shaped like a funnel of tiers where it's residents dwell in their evil ditches. There are 10 ditches of fraud which begin with panderers/seducers, flatterers, simoniacs (the act of selling forgiveness), sorcerers, barrators (corrupt leaders), hypocrites, thieves, deception, sowers of discord, and falsifiers (imposters, counterfeiters, perjurers). Upon entering the ninth circle, Virgil and Dante encounter mythological giants whose bodies are stuck in the ground. One of these giants agrees to lower Virgil and Dante on his palm, into the lower well of the ninth and final circle.

The Ninth circle of hell is the bottom of the pit, for the most wicked, malicious, and treacherous. Here Dante goes against the stereotypical fire and brimstone and instead portrays a world of ice. Within this lake of ice once again are concentric rings of treachery where the dead souls are entrapped within the ice. The first round is for the traitors to their kindred (such as Cain who killed his brother Able), then traitors to their country, then traitors to their guests, and finally traitors to their lord (such as the infamous Judas Iscariot). 

At the very center of this frozen hell is of course Satan himself entrapped within the ice. Dante refers to him as "Dis" a giant angelic beast with wings and three heads. Within Lucifers' three mouths are the Roman traitors of Brutus and Cassius, and the traitor of Christ, Judas Iscariot. Also worthy of mention is that Lucifer is not depicted as a ferocious powerful demon yet rather a dejected and defeated one. Virgil and Dante are able to descend past Satan's legs, and are suddenly inverted as they begin their upward climb towards the Mount of Purgatory.    

Dante's Circles of Hell

I'd like to give a basic summary here of Dante's 9 circles of hell (10 if you include the Vestibule of Hell). As I mentioned in my intro this is my favorite part of the book, and a concept I believe any religion can get behind. Dante has created a ranking system of sins, by which the worse sin is at a lower depth. I believe some of this is debatable, and would consider violence a worse sin then fraudulence and violence against one's neighbor to be worse than violence against one's self. Nonetheless I still think he's established a fairly agreeable spectrum in regards to the level of sin. 

• 
  The Vestibule: Those who reside outside the gates of hell. These uncommitted souls were ignorant, careless, selfish, agnostic, and cowardly in their life.
• The 1st Circle: (Limbo) Virtuous pagans, atheists, and non-believers. Righteous souls without faith
• The 2nd Circle: (Lust) Those who are overcome by sexual desire and sensation
• The 3rd Circle: (Gluttony) Those who are overcome by an excessive appetite
• The 4th Circle: (Greed) Those who are overcome by avarice, prodigality, wastefulness, and hoarding wealth and material possessions
• The 5th Circle: (Wrath) Those who are overcome by anger, fury, and hatred
• The 6th Circle: (Heresy) The false prophets who preach against faith and religion
• The 7th Circle: (Violence)
• Violence against Neighbors- murderers and war-lords
• Violence against One's Self- suicides 
• Violence against God, Nature, and Art: blasphemers (acts against God), sodomites (irregular sexual intercourse), and usury (taking advantage of other's misfortunes such as financial interest)
• The 8th Circle: (Fraud)
• Bolgia 1: Panderers and Seducers- pimps, prostitutes, brothel keepers and their customers
• Bolgia 2: Flatterer- excessive compliments for personal gain
• Bolgia 3: Simoniacs- religious authorities who sell church offices or indulgences (the forgiveness of sin)
• Bolgia 4: Sorcerers- Witches, wizards, fortune-tellers, soothsayers who practice supernatural and dark magic
• Bolgia 5: Barrators- Corrupt politicians
• Bolgia 6: Hypocrites- Those who contradict their beliefs or feelings
• Bolgia 7: Thieves-  Robbers, rapists, and adulterers 
• Bolgia 8: Counsellors of Fraud- Deception, liars, falsehood, those who mislead or hide the truth
• Bolgia 9: Sowers of Discord- Those who encourage division, chaos, and non-conformity
• Bolgia 10: Falsifiers- Imposters, counterfeiters, and perjurers
• The 9th Circle: (Treachery) Traitors
• Round 1: Traitors to their family (Cain who executed his brother Abel)
• Round 2: Traitors to their country (Benedict Arnold)
• Round 3: Traitors to their guests (Ptolemy welcomed his in-laws then had them killed) 
• Round 4: Traitors to their God (Judas Iscariot)
• Center of Hell: The domain of Satan