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Dante’s Inferno

Dante’s Inferno. Unit 5, Lecture 2: The Inferno: I-V. Allegorical “Architecture” of Dante’s Afterworld. Built on Medieval Views of Astronomy and Geography: Nine celestial spheres circle the earth Earth divided into Northern and Southern Hemispheres Physical Architecture of The Comedy

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Dante’s Inferno

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  1. Dante’s Inferno

  2. Unit 5, Lecture 2: The Inferno: I-V

  3. Allegorical “Architecture” of Dante’s Afterworld • Built on Medieval Views of Astronomy and Geography: • Nine celestial spheres circle the earth • Earth divided into Northern and Southern Hemispheres • Physical Architecture of The Comedy • Hell is a “funnel” in the Northern Hemisphere • Purgatory is a mountain rising up from the Southern Hemisphere’s waters • Heaven is “distributed” among the 9 spheres • Allegorical Architecture of The Comedy • Hell, purgatory, and heaven as forms of love • Hell=love perverted • Purgatory=love misdirected • Heaven=love completed

  4. Structure of Dante’s Cosmos

  5. “Drama of the Soul’s Choice: A Literal and Allegorical Trip through the Inferno • Canto 1: Lost in a woods, a soul’s fearful “wakeup” call • Literal Story (1) • Sleepy awakening in a dark woods: • Sunlit hill blocked by three beasts • Allegorical meaning (1) • Dante=The “backslidden” soul • Dark Woods=confusing darkness of sin • The Hill=the upward climb of repentance • Three Beasts=powerful habit • The Leopard of Self-indulgence • The Lion of violence • The Wolf of fraud • Literal Story (2) • Dante meets Virgil • Virgil: Escape must lie through infernal regions • Allegorical Meaning (2) • Virgil represents both classical culture and reason • Virgil as “reason” symbolizes the end of “denial.” • Virgil/Reason cannot “cure” sin or “

  6. Literal Story & Allegorical Meaning in Cantos II-IV • Canto II: Virgil’s Visitor, the outreach of grace • Literal Story: • Beatrice “commissioned” the journey • Allegorical Meaning • Beatrice as “god-bearing” image of Divine Grace • Divine grace is “passionless” but seeks out the sinner • Canto III: Hell’s Vestibule • Literal Story • Wasp stung runners chasing an elusive banner • Eager sinners waiting on Charonn’s boat • Allegorical Meaning • The “banner chasers” represent opportunism • The eager souls represent sin’s illusion • Charon represents the loss of illusion • Canto IV: Limbo, the first circle: • Literal Story • Limbo the place of deserving unbaptized • Dante meets the great of antiquity • Allegorical Meaning • Pagan learning is incomplete • Reason as “the failure of the imagination

  7. Literal and Allegorical Story, Canto V • Canto V, Circle 2, lust in the driver’s seat • Literal Story: • The “funnel” shape of hell: • The circle of the lustful and its shattering wind • Glimpses of Helen, Paris, Dido • Tragic tale of Paolo and Francesca • Allegorical meaning • The funnel as “shape” of increasing sin • The gale-like winds as picture of uncontrolled passion. • Dante’s “fainting” as softness towards temptation

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