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Dante’s Inferno. Author Biography. Dante Alighieri Son of a nobleman Born May 1265 in Florence , Italy Received early education in Florence Attended the University of Bologna
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Author Biography • Dante Alighieri • Son of a nobleman • Born May 1265 in Florence, Italy • Received early education in Florence • Attended the University of Bologna • Fought in the Florence Army in the Battle of Campaldino (1289), a conflict between the Guelphs and Ghibellines (supporters of the Pope and Holy Roman Emperor, respectively); Dante was 24
Author Biography • His great love seems to have been Beatrice Portinari. • They met when they were children. • Dante worshipped her. • Beatrice was Dante’s inspiration for The Divine Comedy. • After her death in 1290, he dedicated a book of verse, La Vita Nuova, or “The New Life,” to her. • Though each married, they did not marry each other.
Author Biography • Dante entered an arranged marriage in 1291 with GemmaDonati, a noblewoman. • They had four children—Jacopo, Pietro, Giovanni, and Antonia. • Records contain little else about their life together.
Author Biography • By 1302, Dante was a political exile from Florence: the Black Guelph faction had finally taken over the city and killed many of their enemies. • He probably started The Divine Comedy after this exile. • Personages past and present from politics, history, mythology, religion, literature, and Dante’s personal life—including Beatrice—appear throughout The Divine Comedy.
Dante’s Inferno: Introduction • The Divine Comedy is made up of three parts, corresponding with Dante’s three journeys: Inferno (or Hell); Purgatorio(or Purgatory); and Paradiso(or Paradise). • Each part consists of approximately 33 cantos. • Inferno as epic poem = exalted subject matter, heroic actions, contains long speeches, begins in medias res • Terza rima-11 syllables per line
Dante’s Inferno • Dante and Virgil enter the wide gates of Hell and descend through the nine circles. • In each circle they see sinners being punished for their sins on Earth; Dante sees the torture as Divine justice.
Dante’s Inferno • The sinners in the circles include: • Circle One—Those in limbo (basically innocent people; unbaptized and unbelievers) • Circle Two—The lustful • Circle Three—The gluttonous (food, drink, other addictions) • Circle Four—The hoarders (greed as sin) • Circle Five—The wrathful • Circle Six—The heretics • Circle Seven—The violent • Ring 1: Murderers, robbers, and plunderers • Ring 2: Suicides and those harmful to the world • Ring 3: Those harmful against God, nature, art, as well as usurers (money-lenders)
Dante’s Inferno: Introduction • Circle Eight—The Fraudulent • Bowge (Trench) I: Panderers and Seducers • Bowge II: Flatterers • Bowge III: Simoniacs • Bowge IV: Sorcerers • Bowge V: Barrators • Bowge VI: Hypocrites • Bowge VII: Thieves • Bowge VIII: Counselors • Bowge IX: Sowers of Discord • BowgeX: Falsifiers
Dante’s Inferno: Introduction • Circle Nine—Traitors • Region i: Traitors to their kindred • Region ii: Traitors to their country • Region iii: Traitors to their guests • Region iv: Traitors to their lords
SATAN • Giant beast frozen in a lake of ice at the center of Hell • Three heads • Bat-like wings under each chin create a wind that freezes all other sinners in the Ninth Circle • Chews on Judas, Brutus, and Cassius
Dante’s Inferno: Introduction • On Easter Sunday, Dante emerges from Hell (a symbolic relation to the Resurrection). • Through his travels, he has found his way to God and is able, once more, to look upon the stars.
WORKS CITED • www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/cms/lib/NC01001395/.../Intro_-_good.ppt • www.roanestate.edu/faculty/ccurrie/Dante%20Inferno%20Intro.ppt