Into the Inferno

Dante Alighieri

Dante’s Inferno describes one man’s journey through hell guided by the great poet Virgil. Dante details the nine rings of hell from a Christian (Catholic) viewpoint. The myths of many cultures incorporate the idea of a hell, and while Dante’s hell is not a myth in itself, it does portray the hell of the Christian mythology. Interestingly enough, Dante also incorporates the mythology of the Greeks and Romans into his circles of hell.

For this activity, we will look at a representation of Dante’s Inferno to determine what messages he is trying to convey through his interpretation of hell. Visit the link below and take the virtual tour of The Inferno then answer the questions.

Virtual Tour of Dante’s Inferno- http://web.eku.edu/flash/inferno/

1) Describe the progression through Dante’s version of hell. What sinners are on each level and what are their punishments? Which sins does Dante think are the worst?

2) What mythological creatures show up in The Inferno? What does Dante use them to represent?

3) Do you agree with Dante’s progression through hell? What would you change?

4) Create your own nine levels of hell and place your own set of sinners on each level. Why did you choose the sinners you chose for each level?

Submit your answers to your teacher by E-mail in a Word Document attachment.