Dante’s Inferno

1. Dante’s Inferno Layers of Hell -- Introduction

2. Dark Wood -- Worldliness (before entering Hell) • Dante is trying to get to the top of Mount of Joy – He’s been too worldly & sinful…. • The woods are dark and scary • 3 beasts block his journey (symbols of the major divisions of Hell): • Leopard – represents malice (hate) & fraud (trickery, deception) • Lion – represents violence • She-Wolf – represents unrestrained immortality (doing what feels good not matter the consequences)

3. Dante can’t go forward, and he can’t go backward because of the beasts • Beatrice appears & tells him that his idol, Virgil, will lead him through Hell and help him find his way to forgiveness (Purgatoro) and redemption (Paradisio – Heaven) • Dante & Virgil begin their journey through Hell

4. Vestibule • The first souls to be tormented are the Opportunists (or COWARDS)– those who were only out for themselves. They never chose to be good (accept God) or particularly bad. • The Opportunists chase a Golden Banner waving in the wind – because they wavered in life. Angels who did not choose God or Satan are included here. • The Opportunists are stung by bees & wasps, and maggots suck the pus that oozes from their sores for eternity • The air smells horrible—like being stuck in West Lincoln when the chicken farmer across the street spreads his chicken manure!!!!

5. Dante & Virgil come up to Charon, who transports the dead across the River Acheron • The inscription above the River says: • ABANDON ALL HOPE, YE WHO ENTER HERE

6. 1st Ring: Limbo • On the edge of Hell– for those not saved even though they did not sin • Heaven does not claim them, Hell does not want them. • Some people here: classic Greek figures (Homer, Ovid, & Virgil) • No “new” people would go here because according to Dante’s view of religion, Christ came to save humans from an eternity of limbo.

7. 2nd Ring: Lustful • At the gate to Level 2, Minos, the Judge of the Underworld, evaluates each sinner’s life. He coils his tail to reveal the sinner’s punishment: 4 coils = Level 4; 8 coils = Level 8 • On this level are people who committed adultery—they let their passions sweep them away in life—so they are condemned to be swept away in death. • Landscape: dirty, smelly, powerful winds batters the sinners at tremendous speeds (think NASCAR here!) • Dante recognizes: Helen of Troy, Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt; hears the story of the lovers, Paulo & Francesca. • Modern day: Governor Mark Sanford, Tiger Woods, Jesse James, Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie

8. 3rd Ring: Gluttonous • Sinners “pigged out” in life • Mythic creature: Cerebus, a 3-headed dog (remember Harry Potter?) – covers sinners in dog-slobber • Landscape: a garbage heap that smells of swine; heavy, steady rain • Dante recognizes: Ciacco, a Florentine dude who gossiped nonstop. • Modern example: “Barfarama”-- Stand By Me clip

9. 4th Ring: Avaricious • Sinners are divided into 2 categories: • Hoarders—misers who kept all their wealth for themselves • Wasters – used up all they had on fruitless ventures and materials • Punishment: they have to push gigantic boulders up mountains only to have them roll back down • Mythological creature: Pluto (Greek god of wealth) – makes no sense when he talks. • Landscape: rocky & filled with hills/ mountains • Dante recognizes: no one in particular except Dame Fortune, who was appointed by God to help people on Earth; instead, she changed destinies using her spinning wheel • Modern examples: Former Illinois Governor Rod Blogoiveich (tried to sell Pres. Obama’s senate seat

10. 5th Ring: Wrathful and Sullen • “Wrathful” --People who were always mad • Muddy figures attack one another. • “Sullen” –People who were always depressed • Sink beneath the surface in filthy slime. • Mythic creature: Plegyas – the Riverman of the River Styx—takes souls to next level of Hell • Dante recognizes: Filippo Argenti—an enemy of his in life • Modern examples: Mike Tyson, Chris Brown

11. Marsh of Styx • What Dreams May Come – clip 1

12. 6th Ring: Heretics • Sinners who denied God’s existence; their punishment is to be confined in tombs. • Mythic creatures: The Furies, malicious spirits that torment souls; and, Medusa, whose snake-hair turns people to stone. They try to stop the travelers until a Holy Messenger comes to open the gates of the City of Dis. • Landscape: layers upon layers of opened tombs surrounded by flames. • Dante recognizes: Uberti & Cavalcanti, friends of his in life. He is saddened to see their fate. • Modern examples: Bill Mahr (comedian) & Sarah Silverman (actress)

13. 7th Ring: Violent • In order to enter, Dante & Virgil have to get around the Minotaur (part man, part beast) • This level is divided into 3: • AGAINST NEIGHBORS: • Mythic creature: Centaurs • Landscape: Immersed in a river of boiling blood and stabbed by the Centaurs. • Dante recognizes Attila the Hun & Alexander the Great • Modern examples: Ted Bundy & Jeffrey Dahmer; also, Dexter (TV Show)—these are all serial killers

14. 7th Ring: Violent • AGAINST SELF – because they destroyed their earthly bodies, their punishment is to be mutated into trees & vines for eternity—they cannot move • Mythic creatures: Harpies – birds that eat them and suck their blood. The only time they can speak is when a leaf is plucked and they bleed. • Landscape: dense, dark forest • Dante recognizes: Pier delle Vigne – a secretary of King Fredrick II • Modern examples: Michael Jackson & Cory Haim. Also What Dreams May Come: “Suicide” clip & “Found Her” clip

15. 7th Ring: Violent • AGAINST GOD: Must lie facing upward toward heaven • AGAINST NATURE: Must run forever • AGAINST ART: Forced to crouch over moneybags. • Landscape – fiery sand that represents the fruitless nature of their lives • Dante recognizes: Brunetto Latini, one of his teachers • Modern examples: Michael Vick (dog-fighting) & Pete Rose (betting on baseball games

16. 8th Ring: Fraudulent (Malebolge—loosely means “evil ditch”) • This level is divided into 10 bolge (ditches) for categories of sinners. • Mythic creature: Geryon, who lured travelers to him only for him to kill them • Landscape: depends on the sin (see next slides) • SEDUCERS: made others do their evil work • Driven by horned demons • Modern examples: Charles Manson

17. 8th Ring: Fraudulent • FLATTERERS: gave compliments just to get people to do what they wanted • Forced to wallow in a floor of excrement • Modern examples: Wormtail in Harry Potter & Quinn in Glee (show clip)

18. 8th Ring: Fraudulent • SIMONISTS (Priests & church officers take money to forgive sins • Buried head down and burned on the soles of their feet. • Modern examples: Brian Lisowski, a Chicago priest (among others—see: Insiders steal big from unsuspecting churches

19. 8th Ring: Fraudulent • FORTUNE TELLERS/ SOOTHSAYERS • Bodies distorted so that the head is twisted around to only view his back. • Dante recognizes: Tieresias!! • Modern examples: Sylvia Browne

20. 8th Ring: Fraudulent • GRAFTERS: the cold-hearted covetous & greedy who wanted everything they could put their hands on (love of money/material wealth)—cheated to gain it • Dipped into boiling tar. Demon holds down the sinners with a pitchfork. • Modern examples: Bernie Madoff –scammed thousands of people & governments out of money

21. 8th Ring: Fraudulent • HYPOCRITES: people who appear good on the outside, but are evil on the inside • Dante uses this level to show that we ALL have to face our own hypocrisy • Must always walk at a steady pace, clothed in heavy caps of lead. • Modern examples: former Gov. Elliot Spitzer(paid for sex with “escorts” while investigating crimes as Attorney General & kept on when elected governor) & Reverend Ted Haggard(preached against homosexuality, but admitted to having a gay relationship)

22. 8th Ring: Fraudulent • THEIVES: stole from others in life • Snakes coil and bind these sinners • Modern examples: Jim on this Officeepisode

23. 8th Ring: Fraudulent • DECIEVERS—misused their God-given gifts for ill gain • Wrapped in fire • Modern examples: Criss Angel (video)

24. 8th Ring: Fraudulent • SOWERS OF DISCORD (SCANDALS) – people who in life tore others apart with fighting, gossip, & tearing them down • Hacked to pieces, put back together, and hacked up again. • Modern Example: See what Jim does to Andy

25. 8th Ring: Fraudulent • FALSIFIERS—deceiving others by counterfeiting or falsifying information • Made insane; plagued with all types of illnesses and diseases. • Dante recognizes: Ulysses who planned the Trojan Horse trick on the Greeks • Modern example: Ladykillers (movie)

26. 9th Ring: Treachery • TO FAMILY, COUNTRY, AND FRIENDS • Frozen in a sheet of ice with only their face exposed to show the pain.

27. Center of 9th Ring: Lucifer