Go to Hell: Understanding Dante's View of the Inferno

Dante's Inferno stands among Western literature as one of the great masterpieces, and for very good reason: Dante did a feat of poetic genius in creating such an eloquent poem in vernacular (what we could consider "street" language--we, of course, have a hard time seeing this in the translations!). Perhaps more lasting is Dante's impact on the Western view of Hell. The idea of hell as a place of fiery torments with imps carrying pitchforks is popular largely because of Dante's imaginative descriptions. (PS--Have you ever wondered why they're carrying pitchforks? The Medieval people created some pretty gruesome torture devices; being chased by a pitchfork seems like hell for a farmer!) The Inferno is an allegory, which means just about everything symbolizes something. So, without further ado, here are some things to understand about Dante's view of hell:

*   *   *

1) STRUCTURE and SYMBOLS. Dante sets up hell on the principle of inverse relationships. Heaven for him was on top of a mountain (of joy), so hell for him is the inverse (a cone of concentric rings, a pit of despair), the worst sinners being at the bottom, the furthest from God's love. The law of hell is symbolic retribution, or contrapasso--as they sinned, so are they punished. Each ring has its own sin and punishment (the contrapasso, which we'll see later), and the sins are further divided into categories:

• Sins of the She-Wolf. Sins of Incontinence, or lack of self-control or restraint--sins of passion, emotion, and self-gratification. These are the first sorts of sins Dante encounters in the Inferno, but it is the last and most vicious of the animals he encounters in the Dark Wood... more on that later. 
• Sins of the Lion. Sins of Violence and Ambition. These include sins such as wrath, but also gluttony and sullenness. This is the ring where we get to see what we expect from hell--not a circus ring, but a boxing ring. This is where Jerry Springer-style fighting happens. 
• Sins of the Leopard. Sins of Malice and Fraud. These are sins of the intellect, unlike the previous sins, which are of the heart and emotions. Dante puts these further down the Inferno because they involved premeditation and intention, people hurting those they had an intimate relationship with, through betrayal or backstabbing. 

This is Dante's moral geography; aside from literally creating a map of hell, he also ranks and values the different sins and sinners he populates hell with. Moreover, his system of justice is the contrapasso, which is the relationship between the sin and the punishment. People that were flakey in life (opportunists) have to chase a flag flapping in the wind. People that were driven by their passions are whipped in a whirlwind. People who betrayed their loved ones are frozen in ice (huh? Okay, that one needs some explanation--check the introduction to Canto 32, which you can find on the class website!). 

Now, Dante (the character, not the author) finds the She-Wolf the most difficult, nay, impossible to pass. Think about what Dante (the author, not the character) was going through; he was suffering the exile from his beloved country and the loss of his love, Beatrice.  He was in a depression that kept him from seeing the light of God--no wonder this was the most difficult thing for him to face. There's one more thing to focus on, which connects to this...

2) THE RESPONSE. As Dante moves through the Inferno, his response to the sinners changes. This is the transformative journey motif, and this is the medieval spin on that topic: he achieves his enlightenment (and thereby works out his salvation) as he goes through the journey, not when he reaches the end. Remember the sin he had the most trouble with (She-Wolf)--well, these are the sinners he is the most sympathetic to. Not only does he give them the lightest punishment (Paolo and Francesca, floating together for eternity--aww), BUT he also pities them when he encounters them. He swoons (faints) because he is so overcome by their love and the fright of it all. Talk about a drama queen. By the time he gets down to the bottom, he hates the sinners, and relishes seeing them in torment, and doesn't hesitate to kick a few in the frozen face right before he hops on Satan to climb towards the exit. Change of mind, indeed. Thus, the first part of his journey--the recognition of sin--allows him to put sin in its proper place, so he can be open to redemption and the love of God.

3. THE PARADOX. I left this one un-bolded because it's probably the most touchy, and we won't have time to discuss this much in class. Dante sets up an interesting paradox: he believes the people in hell deserve to be there because they desire to be there (check Canto 3 line 123, and Canto 5 line 8). Hell, and therefore Sin, is what the damned really wish for--it is their actual and deliberate choice, for divine grace is denied to none who wish for it in their hearts. The damned must actively turn from and reject God to be here, so they clamor for their judgment and their punishment. Do we buy this? Here's the second can of worms: according to the sign above hell, God created hell (not the devil), and He created it even before He created man. In other words (or, in Dante's words), loving, merciful God created this terrible place in preparation for people before He created man, knowing that some would suffer the torments for eternity. This is a theological debate that is delicate, and I don't have an answer to it (so I won't be posing any questions about it)--just food for thought.

*  *  *

Keep these things in mind as we read and prepare to write: Dante's system of justice seems like the "eye-for-an-eye" system of the Old Testament (angry God), as opposed to the unmerited grace of Christ int he New Testament (merciful God). What do we think of his system and set-up of Hell? Also, think of Dante's transformation through his journey; does he qualify as a hero? Remember the shift we're seeing from the Classic (Greek) to the Medieval; would we consider Dante a hero even with the new standards?

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER/CRITICAL RESPONSE:

1) Do you agree with Dante in how he rates the sinners? He places people who lie further down than people who murder and rape. He's certainly got a point to make, but did he get it right? If so, why do you agree with him? If not, why do you disagree, and how would you place the sinners?

2) What is the worst sin imaginable? Or, what is a  sin that's not so bad, but that you'd like to see punished? Imagine that Dante and Virgil are about to enter a new circle of hell. People in this circle have all committed the same sin. Decide what sin they have committed and what this particular circle of hell is like. Also decide what their punishment is (remember, it should fit the crime). Be vivid in your description, like Dante, and include an encounter or conversation he has with someone there. Include the names and labels just like we find in our book. With your write-up, include an illustration!

3) What is your idea of hell? Create and describe a rough sketch of your Inferno. Who would be your guide? What would you encounter in life that gave you a preview of the afterlife (ie, like the three animals Dante encounters)? Which sins would you have the hardest time overcoming, or the most sympathy for? How would your hell be shaped, and how would it function? Who would we find there, and what would be going on? This can be less detailed than #2, but should be a bit more broad to encompass the big picture. Include a sketch on your write-up!

4) What would Dante's Inferno look like today? Take the basic structure of the Inferno, and populate it with people who have lived since Dante's time. You may also include people that are living (as Dante did), though you may want to be cautious about including your "frenemies." Focus your description on the parts of the Inferno that we read in class (Cantos 3, 5, 33, 34) AND the circle you're reading for your group presentation.